We watched him chase off foxes. He demolished birds' nests, killed butterflies and many other invertebrates. All these creatures were tortured to death. Former Really Wild Show host, Chris Packham,reacted to the Mammal Society's verdict by suggesting cat curfews, if necessary. Not surprisingly, this raised the hackles of the pro-cat lobby.
Cats are often the victims of human malice, they argue.
Even with a full stomach, a cat cannot resist the stimuli of prey passing nearby, says Ms Heath. It doesn't make sense for a cat to wait until it's hungry to catch food - there may be none around then. Better to hunt when there's the opportunity and hide the food away. Owners who have resorted to collar bells to warn prey may have underestimated feline guile. Some cats have learned to hold their heads to minimise noise coming from the bells around their necks.