The Croydon Cat Killer mystery has been solved by the Metropolitan Police. The investigators now believe that foxes are to be blamed for the death of hundreds of cats and other animals that were discovered bludgeoned, mutilated and decapitated around the UK. SNARL do not agree with the outcome of the investigation.There is also a petition signed by almost 20,000 people asking for the Met to reopen the case. However, for now the case is closed and police are no longer hunting for a killer.
There might not be a cat killer at large other than foxes but obviously the pet owners don’t feel their loss any less. How can you keep your cats safe? Is the only option to keep them indoors, 24/7?
Keeping Cats Safe from Threats from the Outside
Keeping cats indoors has grown in popularity in the UK, but you don’t have to be quite so restrictive. With cat fencing and other cat containment systems now available, cats can enjoy the best lives by having access to the garden or open area while being kept away from dangers of the outdoors. But what are the dangers?
Should You Be Concerned About Foxes?
Foxes are not believed to be much of a threat by the Blue Cross and the RSPCA. Caroline Reay, a vet at the Blue Cross has never seen a case of a living cat being attacked by a fox and suggests that it’s more likely to be the cat attacking the fox. The RSPCA charity spokesperson Hatti Mellor also has doubts over the threat and suggests that foxes are more likely to prey on cats if they’re dead already.
Road Accidents
Currently, drivers don’t need to report if they run over or hit a cat while driving in the UK. Therefore, it’s impossible to know the number of cats that are killed on the roads. However, it’s highly likely that you know of one or more person who has lost a cat or experienced a cat being injured because of a vehicle on the road. Preventing road accidents was listed as one of the main reasons for choosing cat fencing in a recent survey on Cat Containment by iCatCare and ProtectaPet.
You can reduce the risks with the suggestions below:
- Use cat fencing to stop the cat being able to escape the set boundaries, keeping them off the road
- Give your cat a reflective collar
- Keeping cats in overnight
- Ensuring the cat is microchipped so they can be returned if they’re lost
- Neuter your cats to stop them straying too far from home
- Keep cats in during the hours of dusk and dawn
Find out more about how you can help to keep cats safe over on BBC News, or give us a call and ask about our cat containment systems.