Cat lovers in the UK have the chance to have our say on the following ten proposals that the Cats Protection charity are putting forward to improve life for the approximately eight million domestic cats in our country. Not only would these proposals becoming law help pet cats, but also stray cats and feral cats too.
They are:
1. Updating the law to control the breeding and sale of cats to reduce the number of unwanted kittens.
2. Making it compulsory to microchip owned cats.
3. Creating a national database to ensure that a central record is kept of all cats entering the UK legally so those entering illegally without a rabies vaccine can be identified without delay.
4. Updating the Dangerous Dogs Act to allow prosecution of dog owners whose dogs attack, injure or kill cats.
5. Inclusion of animal welfare in the National Curriculum so all children learn about responsible pet care.
6. Government recognition of the needs of people with cats or other companion animals in rented housing and care homes to allow people to keep their pets.
7. Government recognition of the benefits which cats and other health and personal wellbeing when an individual’s care needs are assessed.
8. Clear labelling of flowers, plants and household products that are toxic to cats so cat owners know which to avoid.
9. An outright ban on the use of snares on the basis they are inhumane and cruel and inflict suffering, injury or death on animals caught in them (which includes cats).
10. Much stricter regulation on the ownership of air guns and crossbows to prevent injury or death to cats shot by such weapons.
I think all these proposals are very important, but I wish they had included making it law that anyone injuring or killing a cat in a road accident should be forced to report it, the same as if a dog is injured or killed!
Why are cats still classed along with wild animals when they have long been domesticated now?
If microchipping ‘owned’ cats becomes compulsory then surely they are as much ‘owned’ as dogs are and should have equal rights. Although I hate the word owner, a person who adopts a cat becomes by law the owner of that cat.
But all in all this is another step in the right direction to give cats more rights and this pleases those of us who love cats and want more protection for them.
I just hope the government take these proposals seriously.
it sounds ok in theory but i guess will have to make sure it works out properly.
There is nothing we can do Marc as the law stands now. No one can force them to have their cats neutered and they are very anti social towards all neighbours, the woman next door to them is in a living hell with the noise of three huge dogs barking. One actually stands on the window sill throwing itself at the glass barking. It’s the same house agent who also lets out next door to us and they think it’s acceptable to have a huge Rottweiler barking in a kennel feet from our garden fence, as long as they get the rent paid for their tenants living on benefits, they don’t care.
We just have to count our blessings that it’s safe here for our two cats, there’s no one would hurt them and the dogs are kept under control on the rare occasions when they bring them out.
Our own cats are our main concern but we also keep as close an eye as we can on those others, it’s all we can do for now.
My gosh I would give them a bloody hard time then. IT’s bloody irresponsible and they need to stoppit immediatly. Who do they think they are breeding kittens and giving them away – most likely out of laziness to solve it. These are exactly the people who have made a mess of cats in our society. Because of people like this there are so many problems.
I propose a law that would mean they could be prosecuted for doing that. To have kittens in your home you should either have a paper and chip ID to match it – like a receipt – saying where the cat is from etc etc. And for kittens born at home – there should be a law that requires you to have either a license to breed or proof or origin for the kittens. Simple as that.
Then these people would have to worry about neighbours reporting them. Really, nobody should have newborn kittens in their home unless they are qualified in some way.
Thanks Caroline, yes this is very good, we’ve campaigned for years for more rights for cats, just like we did for the pet welfare act and the ban hunting with dogs law.
With persistence and people power the government have to listen to us eventually, it might take a long time but we get there in the end, even if they don’t agree to all ten proposals, any new law to protect cats is better than none.
Marion our CP co-ordinator has often lamented that CP has no power, it would be good if they did and local branches could help enforce the compulsory neutering at least, of neglected cats.
If that is so Harvey then they are not the right sort of person to have a cat anyway and are likely to neglect their cats. We have that situation here, two women with numerous cats out all day and night including three young queens in heat recently and toms coming from far and wide. They’ve been told about CP free neutering but ignored it. In a few months time they will be selling or giving away kittens to just anyone and keep on doing it time after time. We’ve seen it all before via CP.
People who really do care about cats want new laws to protect all cats, including those in homes like that one.