Cat owners have responded in fury to a change in the law making its way through Parliament that will only provide protection to dogs.
The Kept Animals Bill proposes that people who steal dogs could see five years in jail. However, the same offence when it comes to cats is much lighter under current laws.
While 70 per cent of stolen pets are dogs, the remaining 30 per cent are not covered in the lew legislation - this includes cats and other companion animals. Some critics of the new law have said that it ignores the emotional impact of having a cat stolen, the Mirror reports.
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Stefan Blakiston Moore, of the charity Cats Protection, said: “Cat owners are devastated if their pets are stolen because they are as much part of the family as dogs. The emotional impact of a cat being stolen is no different to a dog being taken.
"We hope the Government changes its mind to include cats.” Last year, it was reported that 550 domestic cats were stolen - a four-fold increase over the last give years.
From 2023, all cats over 20 weeks old are required to be microchipped. Labour MP Daniel Zeichner said the new Bill was put forward in response to the rising number of dog theft cases.
He added: “It may reasonably be asked why it does not apply to cats. The charge of cattism will be levelled.”
And Farms Minister Mark Spencer said: “As currently drafted, the offence focuses on dogs. The Government is considering whether cats should be included at the outset.”
Despite the criticisms, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs said the law could be "extended to other pets in future".
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