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The government has announced that it currently does not intend to introduce any legal requirements for drivers to report when they hit a cat. This statement follows an e-petition that gathered nearly 11,000 signatures, urging Parliament to make it mandatory for drivers to report and take injured cats to the nearest veterinary facility.
Under the existing Road Traffic Act 1988, drivers are required to stop and report accidents involving certain animals such as dogs, horses, and livestock like cattle and sheep. However, cats and wild animals are not included in this legislation. Officials have highlighted practical challenges in enforcing such a law, mentioning that the small size of cats and their tendency to be more active during dawn and dusk hours would make prosecutions difficult.
A government spokesperson acknowledged the distress caused when cherished pets are harmed on roads, emphasizing the nation’s compassionate values. Despite this, they explained that many drivers, especially those handling larger vehicles, may not even realize they have struck a cat, which complicates the enforcement of any potential changes to the law. The spokesperson also noted that the original legislation was aimed primarily at protecting working animals rather than domestic pets like cats.
The campaign group Cats Matter, which has been pushing for legal reforms that would prevent drivers from leaving the scene after hitting a cat, expressed disappointment at the government’s response. Co-founder Mandy Hobbis remarked, “We struggle to understand how we can call ourselves a compassionate country when our laws allow drivers to hit cats when driving and legally leave them on the road suffering.” She further highlighted their ongoing efforts alongside previous governments, including advocating for the introduction of mandatory microchipping in June 2024, but stressed the need for additional progress.
Research by Cats Protection from 2021 found that road traffic accidents contribute to 4% of injuries in cats. The charity advises anyone involved in hitting a cat to provide prompt veterinary care, stating that this offers the best chance for survival and allows for quicker contact with the owners. Madison Rogers, the charity’s associate director of advocacy, also urged drivers to report fatal incidents and called on local councils to scan any cats they find so they can notify owners, sparing them the grief of uncertainty. According to parliamentary rules, petitions with over 10,000 signatures receive an official government response, while those reaching 100,000 signatures are eligible for debate
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