Stray domestic cats harm biodiversity by killing and disrupting wildlife, transmitting disease, and in other ways. This is the view of legal scientists at Tilburg University who examined European nature conservation law against the background of the growing scientific literature on the influence of cats on nature. Their conclusion:EU Member States must remove or manage stray and feral cats when they threaten protected species or areas, and must also establish and enforce a ban on letting domestic cats roam free.
It is well known that domestic cats (Felis catus) prey on birds and other small animals. According to scientific research over the past fifteen years in particular, the domestic cat is one of the most harmful invasive exotics in Europe and worldwide. In the light of this knowledge, the Tilburg lawyers analyzed the obligations of the Netherlands and other EU Member States under the Birds and Habitats Directives. The results have just been published in the legal journal Journal of Environmental Law.
Leading cats clash with conservation law
As for unowned cats – stray and feral cats – the study shows that EU legislation requires the removal or management of these cats when they pose a threat to protected species or Natura 2000 sites. In addition, Member States should prohibit the roaming of the many cats that are kept as pets and enforce this ban effectively.
“This conclusion may come as a surprise,” says lead author Arie Trouwborst, “but it follows quite inevitably from a common legal analysis of obligations that have existed for decades.”
Politically sensitive
Despite the damage it does, letting domestic cats run free is a deeply entrenched habit – making banning them politically unappealing. “The domestic cat is an extremely sensitive subject,” says co-author and professor of European law Han Somsen. “But fear of losing political popularity does not provide a valid legal justification for non-compliance with obligations.”
Creating a landscape without domestic cats is expected to bring significant gains to wildlife, and the cost of achieving it is dwarfed by what it takes to sustain sustainable agriculture or mitigate climate change. Overcoming political reluctance to tackle the cat issue effectively is thus not only a legal requirement, but also low-hanging fruit in the face of the current biodiversity crisis.
