Letter: Innocent cats
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Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Kevin Murphy (letter, 17 December) appears to blame the decline in the natural wildlife population on the domestic cat.
The survey he quoted, by junior members of the Mammal Society, does not stand up to scrutiny. The society simply projected the responses from its survey across the estimated UK cat population. The sample was not representative, and was not weighted according to urban and rural cat populations. It is well documented that more prey are caught by rural cats than urban cats because rural cats have much greater territorial range and availability of prey than those in towns. However, the vast majority of cats live in towns.
Mr Murphy also fails to address the key issues effecting population trends such as the impact of road traffic and changes in farming and gardening methods (the use of pesticides). A report published at the beginning of this year by the Game Conservancy Trust showed that the number of corn bunting has fallen by 75 per cent in the last 25 years due to intensive farming.
We recognise that little can be done to curb a cat's predatory instinct for attacking wildlife. However, it is a shame that man is still not prepared to recognise fully his own part in the decline of wildlife and instead tries to put the blame on a companion animal that does so much to enhance people's lives.
JONATHAN DRAKE
Pet Advisory Committee
London SW1
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