The founder of the world’s largest animal welfare organisation wants to ban cat flaps.
Ingrid Newkirk, 72, said “putting the cat out” might once have been acceptable but is now a no-no unless your garden is escape-proof.
In her new book, 250 Vital Things Your Cat Wants You to Know, she quotes a US vet who says “at least 85% of the thousands of cats I treated over 40 years were brought in by owners who let them roam.”
British-American Ingrid, who set up People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal in 1980, said 630 cats are killed by traffic in the UK every day.
She urged owners to train them to go for walks on leads and added: “People wouldn’t open the door and let a toddler wander into the road.
“Yet every day cats are run over, poisoned, or die at the hands of juveniles out for a lark because owners do just that.
“Keep them at home with views to enjoy, things to play with and your love and attention.”
Ingrid said another reason for keeping moggies in is the billions of small animals they kill each year.
