'Beloved cats need more protection from drivers'

Beloved cats need more protection to stop them dying on the road after being hit by a driver, campaigners claim.

Legally, motorists have to report when they hit a dog or cattle, but not cats. A petition calling on ministers to update the rules has received more than 189,000 signatures and will be debated in Parliament later.

Ginny Parratt, who runs the cat rescue Cats in Distress in Somerset, said a driver stopping and checking on the animal could be the difference between life and death.

A government spokesperson said there are no current plans to make drivers report collisions with cats. But its Road Safety Strategy will improve safety for all road users, including cats.

According to government statistics, about 630 cats are hit by vehicles every day in the UK.

One of the petition supporters is Finn Mackay, who said it was exceptionally "traumatic" for him when his cat died in a crash outside his Bristol house while he was with his young son.

"My beautiful rescue cat Pixie was in his prime when he was killed by a car in the road right outside our house on a sunny, quiet afternoon," Mackay said.

"I was in at the time with my son who was about three years old. A neighbour saw the driver pause at the end of our road, but then just drive away.

"My young child and I had to wrap up Pixie and a neighbour drove us to the vet to confirm he was dead."

Mackay said he supports the petition in the hope that "legal change could drive cultural change".

"The government must step up to send a signal that cat welfare is important and that drivers are expected to take care and look out for cats crossing the road," Mackay added.

"More care and attention is better for us all, humans included, and may mean that when cats are accidentally hit, they could live, or at least receive quick medical care and their family be informed."

Ginny Parratt added that the animals are not "just cats".

"They are people's beloved pets, they give comfort and love to their owners, they need to be offered this same protection," she said.

"By stopping and not abandoning an animal by the side of the road, so many more could be given the chance of living."

MPs will not vote on the request of the petition. Instead, MPs will have the opportunity to debate the issue and the option to call on the government for a response.

Mandy Hobbis, co-founder of the Cats Matter campaign which started the petition, said: "Cats deserve help just as much as dogs, cows, sheep, any other animal.

"We know it's more difficult because they can free roam but they still deserve help should the worst happen."

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