The government has stated it has “no current plans” to mandate that drivers report collisions involving cats.
An e-petition submitted to Parliament, which has garnered nearly 11,000 signatures, calls for a legal requirement “to make it law that if you hit a cat you must legally report it and take it to the nearest vets”. The petition seeks to extend protections afforded to other animals to domestic cats.
Currently, the Road Traffic Act 1988 mandates drivers to stop and report accidents involving specific animals such as dogs, horses, cattle, mules, sheep, pigs, or goats, but does not include cats or wild animals.
According to a government statement, enforcing such a law for cats would present challenges due to their small size and nocturnal habits, making prosecution difficult.
The government acknowledges “how upsetting it is when a much-loved pet is killed on our roads,” emphasizing the UK’s “compassionate country” ethos. The statement suggests that the absence of a legal obligation should not deter drivers from attempting to locate the owners of pets, including cats, involved in accidents.
However, the government added, “In many cases drivers may not be aware they’ve hit them – particularly with larger vehicles. Because of that, it would be difficult to prosecute drivers if the law was changed.”
The statement further clarified that the original law’s focus on “working animals” like dogs, rather than domestic pets, led to the exclusion of cats.
Cats Matter, a campaign group, has consistently advocated for making it illegal for drivers to leave the scene of a collision involving a cat.
Mandy Hobbis, co-founder of Cats Matter, expressed the group’s “very disappointed” reaction to the government’s response.
“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.”
“Cats are much loved family members, just like dogs are, and they deserve the right to be helped if struck by a car, just like dogs are,” Hobbis stated.
Hobbis acknowledged the progress made with the previous government on mandatory microchipping for cats, introduced in June 2024, but urged ministers to pursue further action.
A 2021 report by Cats Protection indicated that road traffic accidents accounted for 4% of cat injuries.
The charity advises drivers who injure a cat to seek immediate veterinary care for the animal.
Madison Rogers, associate director of advocacy, campaigns, and external affairs at Cats Protection, stated, “This gives the cat their best chance of survival and means owners can be contacted and informed quickly.”
Rogers also encouraged drivers involved in fatal collisions with cats to notify their local council.
“We’d also encourage local councils to scan any cats they collect so their owners can be informed, as it’s heartbreaking for owners to not know the fate of a lost or missing cat,” she added.
Parliamentary e-petitions that reach 10,000 signatures receive an official government response, and those surpassing 100,000 signatures are considered for debate in Parliament.
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