Cats Protection is deeply concerned and profoundly dismayed that the government has chosen to leave cats behind in its Animal Welfare Strategy. We have been pushing the government for some time to confront increasingly prevalent and harmful breeding practices, including the emergence of extreme cat breeds such as the Bully cat, so today’s announced strategy falls far short of our expectations.

By failing to address harmful breeding practices, the government has effectively sanctioned the continued escalation of these dangerous trends, allowing sick and suffering cats to be bred and sold, and fuelling an exploitative market that puts profit before welfare.

There is now a ticking time bomb for cat welfare in the UK, compounded by the alarming lack of detail on other measures affecting companion animals. This includes enforcement of existing animal welfare legislation, a ban on snares, and protections for animals within rescue and rehoming organisations.

Cats Protection will continue to speak out for cats across the UK, and we urgently and unequivocally call on the government to take immediate and meaningful action to protect kittens and cats from further harm.