Rejected petition Control domestic cat roaming to protect British wildlife

This petition asks the UK government to introduce limitations on the free, outdoor roaming of domestic cats. It requests that domestic cats are put on a lead when outdoors, and are not allowed to roam unsupervised. This is to stop cats from hunting wild animals whose populations are in decline.

More details

Regular surveys of British wildlife have shown a significant decline in small mammal, songbird and amphibian populations, including water voles, starlings and frogs. Domestic cats contribute to this decline by preying on these animals, and reducing prey for wild predators such as owls. They also endanger our native wildcats in Scotland by interbreeding with this species. Similar policies for restricting the free roaming of domestic cats have been successfully introduced in Finland.

This petition was rejected

Why was this petition rejected?

There’s already a petition about this issue. We cannot accept a new petition when we already have one about a very similar issue.

You are more likely to get action on this issue if you sign and share a single petition.

You may wish to sign the following petition, which calls for similar action:

Remove the ‘right to roam’ status applicable to domesticated cats
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/725658

We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.

Date submitted 5 July 2025
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