We called on every candidate in the election, from every party (and independents) to commit to making a real difference for cats by supporting our 2022 Agenda for Cats.
24% of homes in the UK have a cat, with an estimated population of 10.9 million pet cats*.
Cats Protection is the UK's leading feline welfare charity and we speak up for cats.
*1PDSA Animal Wellbeing Report (PAW) report 2019
Download our 2022 Agenda for Cats
License air guns and crossbows in England and Wales to reduce misuse against cats
We want air gun licensing to be introduced in England and Wales, as it is already in Northern Ireland and Scotland, to prevent injury to or death of cats shot by such weapons.
Raise awareness of the benefits of microchipping of cats and make it compulsory
We want microchipping of owned cats to be compulsory across the UK to aid the reunification of cats that are lost or injured with their owners.
Regulate commercial cat breeding
We want regulation where cats are bred commercially to ensure that all cats are bred with good welfare standards.
Encourage registered housing providers and care homes to have responsible pet policies that allow cats
We want all housing providers to have responsible pet policies to enable individuals to own and keep pets, including cats, and to reduce the separation of pets from their owners when they move.
Strengthen border checks and improve data records where cats enter the UK
We want enhanced border checks for every cat entering the UK so that their details are recorded on a national database to aid traceability of cats coming into the UK.
Prevent dog attacks on cats
We want to see widespread community policing initiatives, such as the Local Environmental Awareness of Dogs.
Include cat welfare in the curriculum
We want animal welfare education to be included in the national curriculum to help children learn about responsible pet care.
Promote the benefits of cats to personal wellbeing
We want the benefits of cats and other companion animals to be routinely taken into consideration by health and welfare professionals when they are assessing an individual’s care needs to aid the emotional wellbeing of those needing care.
Improve labelling of products toxic to cats
We want clear labelling of flowers, plants and household products that are toxic to cats so cat owners know which to avoid. We would also like to see the widespread availability of an affordable, non-toxic alternative to antifreeze to avoid cats being killed by this poisonous product.
Introduce a ban on snares
We want snares to be banned to prevent inhumane and cruel suffering, injury to or death of animals, which includes cats.
If you are a Member of Parliament and want to support our Agenda for Cats, please contact our Advocacy & Government Relations team on advocacy@cats.org.uk
The Cats Protection Manifesto for Cats comprises 10 issues of longstanding concern to Cats Protection. We’d like MPs to work with us to keep cat welfare issues high on the political agenda.