December 7, 2024, 8:35 am | Read time: 13 minutes

Cats are the Germans’ favorite pets. So, it is not surprising that hunters meet with little sympathy from the public when they shoot the animals. In an interview with PETBOOK, Helmut Dammann-Tamke, President of the German Hunting Association, explains why this is necessary and how it supports species conservation.

A significant point of debate concerns the degree to which cats represent a threat to the environment and, specifically, to protected species. A study by Dutch scientists came to the conclusion that cats do indeed pose a clear threat to European bird species. ¹

How Do Hunters Decide When to Shoot Cats?

In Germany, there have been no independent studies to date. The Lower Saxony Hunting Association, therefore, commissioned a study itself. The study concluded that cats alone are not the sole cause of lasting environmental damage. However, if a certain prey population is already weakened or a habitat is limited, they could be partly responsible for local extinction events. ²

But how do hunters deal with these findings in practice? How do they decide when to shoot a cat? Would it not be more sensible to capture the animals instead? PETBOOK asked Helmut Dammann-Tamke these questions and more in an interview.

PETBOOK: Mr. Dammann-Tamke, Germany has a cat problem. Is this more of an urban problem because people feed the cats there, or what is the situation like in the countryside?
Helmut Dammann-Tamke: “The question goes right to the heart of the problem. Cats in urban areas and cats in rural areas live in different environments and under different legal frameworks. While urban cats have nothing to fear other than neglect or street traffic, the situation is different in rural areas. Here, outdoor cats endanger protected species and can interbreed with wild cats. This is why, in almost all federal states, hunters are allowed to shoot stray, feral cats as part of hunting protection. This is a regular occurrence.”

“No Hunter Enjoys Shooting a Cat”

Does this mean that the legal situation is much stricter in rural areas?
“Exactly; in Lower Saxony, for example, cats that stray further than 300 meters from the nearest house and poach are subject to the hunting protection law and can then be killed. It is important for me to say that no hunter enjoys shooting a cat. However, the law mandates a valid reason, and species protection is the sole legitimate justification for shooting feral cats—a critical consideration given their impact on songbirds and ground-nesting birds, among others.”

Are there figures on how many feral cats are shot, either annually or monthly?
“No, such figures are not available. Feral cats are not game – if they are killed, this is done as part of hunting protection. However, statistics are only kept for huntable game. And, as previously mentioned, no hunter enjoys killing a feral cat.”

Most Cats That Are Killed Are Ownerless

When a hunter shoots a cat, do they check where the cat belongs?
“No, that doesn’t usually happen. The issue is highly charged with emotion. Almost nobody knows what serious consequences feral cats have for biodiversity and, in particular, for the bird population. This is another reason why there is so little understanding of this issue. From my experience, I can say that no hunter likes to shoot a cat. But if the owners do not live up to their responsibility, it becomes inevitable at some point. The problem has often been pointed out several times before it gets that far. However, it is important to note that the majority of cats that are euthanized are without owners.”

How does a hunter decide whether to shoot a cat or not? What criteria are used? A chip is not visible from the outside. Would a collar make a difference?
“The presence of a collar would certainly be a distinguishing factor. We had a similar regulation for dogs in Lower Saxony until May 2022. In the past, a poaching dog could be shot immediately. Currently, a formal report must be initiated to determine the owner’s identity. This is more difficult with cats. However, a collar signals that someone is taking responsibility for the animal.

If I found a cat with a collar in a trap, I would immediately take it to the vet or town hall so that the chip could be read and the cat returned to its owner. Of course, this incurs costs, and after a few repetitions, the owner will probably become more cautious because it can be expensive. A collared cat is not usually shot.”

“If Hunters Are No Longer Allowed to Shoot Cats, We Expect an Alternative Solution”

What costs could be involved?
“That depends on what happens to the cat. If it is brought to the town hall, you need a reader, access to the database, and someone to inform the owner. If the owner cannot be contacted, the cat has to be taken to an animal shelter, which incurs additional costs. The range is likely to be between 50 and 250 euros. Administrative procedures are typically associated with considerable costs.”

Lower Saxony is now considering banning the shooting of cats. What would that mean in concrete terms?
“Yes, the Green-led Ministry of Agriculture is planning to amend the regulations. Hunters would no longer be allowed to kill feral cats but only to trap them. These trapped cats will then be treated as lost property. However, this leads to another problem: animal shelters are already overcrowded, and keeping a cat costs around 720 euros a year. These expenses are then transferred to the municipal governments.

If hunters are no longer allowed to kill feral and stray cats as part of hunting protection in order to fulfill their role in species protection, then we expect an alternative solution from the Ministry of Agriculture. To date, I have not observed any definitive strategies. Funds are released for castration programs, but the dimensions are disproportionate to the actual size of the cat population. Incidentally, even neutered cats keep their appetite.”

50 Years Ago, Cats on Farms Were Normal Farm Animals

Are there any estimates or forecasts for the number of cats affected if the hunting protection instrument is abolished?
“That’s difficult to say. Even the Interior Minister of Lower Saxony asked me that, and I couldn’t give her an exact figure. But one thing is clear: some town halls will hardly be affected by this problem, while others will say: ‘This can’t go on.’

If the hunting protection instrument is abolished, the number of stray cats left outside town halls as lost property could rise sharply. At the same time, animal shelters are already overloaded, and if additional animals come in that are not allowed to be killed, local authorities and animal shelters will reach their limits.”

There have always been farm and farmyard cats. Is this a new problem, or has the situation worsened?
“It used to be different. Fifty years ago, cats on farms were normal farm animals used to catch mice and rats. The farms had lots of cats, and there was hardly any emotional attachment to them. If a cat disappeared, it wasn’t a big problem. However, this has changed due to structural change. The small farms are disappearing, and the traditional task of catching mice is no longer necessary because cats are no longer allowed in the stables for hygiene reasons, as this is a knock-out criterion in certification rules. Instead, many people in rural areas now have one or more pets. As long as the owners fulfill their responsibilities, this is not a problem. But as soon as it comes to outdoor cats, difficulties arise.”

Outdoor Cats Endanger Protected Species, and They Can Interbreed with Wild Cats

Is there valid research on the prey behavior of outdoor cats in Germany? Many argue that cats mainly prey on sick and young animals and that this has little influence on populations.
“Unfortunately, there are only a few current studies on this. A colleague translated an international literature study for us at the end of last year. She did her master’s degree on domestic cats and wanted to carry out a research project in Lower Saxony based on the model of Australia and North America to analyze the prey behavior of cats.

However, a similar project was not approved in Lower Saxony. One argument was data protection, as the cameras could also show private areas such as living rooms. Your question is more than justified. Surely, such a study should be carried out before changing the existing legal regulations. In the end, we were left with the international literature, which shows how serious the prey behavior of outdoor cats can be for birds and other species.”

So, the main problem is poaching?
“Absolutely. In rural areas, however, there is an additional problem: outdoor cats endanger protected species, and they can hybridize with wild cats. This hybridization poses great risks to the wild cat population.”

But is it even possible to prevent this with such a large cat population? “You can minimize the probability by stipulating that domestic cats have no place in the wild. In addition, outdoor cats must at least be neutered. This is an essential measure to reduce hybridization.”

Nature Conservation Organizations Are Also Calling for Stronger Measures

As a hunter, how would I even recognize whether it is a wild cat, a domestic cat, or a hybrid?
“It’s actually not easy to distinguish a gray tabby domestic cat from a wild cat. It works with experience or through the behavior of the animals. The wild cat is characterized by its bushy tail, which has a few clearly defined, closed black rings at the end and a black tip. Nevertheless, it is not always easy to tell them apart visually. In principle, however, the owners of hunting grounds also know whether wildcats are present in their territory – which is by no means the case everywhere – and act accordingly.”

Free-ranging cats are, therefore, a problem, especially in rural areas. Does this also result in differences in the intensity with which hunters in different habitats take action against feral cats?
“Yes, definitely. In sensitive habitats such as bird sanctuaries, there is a broad consensus that domestic cats have no place there. Nature conservation organizations such as NABU and BUND are also calling for increased measures in such areas. Trapping is being massively expanded there, for example. In other areas, however, such as large forest regions, the focus is more on hybridization and wildcats. The activities of hunters are therefore strongly dependent on the respective habitat and its conservation needs.”

Trapped Cats Are Left as Lost Property in front of the Town Hall

What do hunters do when they want to catch a cat? Are traps deliberately set?
“No, traps are not set specifically for cats. In areas where species protection, such as the protection of meadow birds, plays an important role, there is a trapping infrastructure that is in place all year round. However, these traps are not ‘armed’ all year round. They are not activated in spring and early summer during the entire breeding and settling season, as many wild animals, such as foxes, are then in closed season and may not be caught or killed.”

What happens if a cat falls into the trap?
“Like other animals, the cat is placed in a cage or trap basket. There, it can be examined, for example, to see if it is wearing a collar. In Lower Saxony, the legal situation could stipulate in the future that such cats are then placed in a disposable transport box and left in front of the town hall as lost property.”

But what happens if the cat is spotted during the breeding season?
“Then the potential for damage caused by a cat is actually greater. As traps are not set at this time, it would theoretically be possible to set a special trap for this cat if it regularly uses the same territory. But in practice, if a cat is more than 300 meters away from the nearest house, it loses its protected status. In such cases, it can be shot if it is obviously poaching and is on its own.”

“We Hunters Also See Ourselves as Animal Protectors”

So, a lot of things are carefully considered before shooting?
“Absolutely. I can only say again and again: no hunter enjoys shooting a cat. Such clichés are unworldly. The overwhelming majority of hunters see it as an unpleasant duty that is only carried out when no other solution is possible.”

When did the issue become so highly emotive?
“Animal welfare has changed a lot in our society. We hunters also see ourselves as animal welfare activists, as our training encourages us to act in a way that protects animals. The concept of ‘hunting justice’ is over 200 years old and means that the animal should have a fair chance, and if it is killed, it should be done quickly and in an animal-friendly manner. Many historical hunting practices, such as the chase, are therefore banned today.

However, there are radical sub-groups within the animal welfare movement, so-called animal rights activists. These oppose the use of animals that could lead a self-determined life. They put animals on the same level as humans by humanizing them, for example, by giving them names. We are seeing this, particularly in the discussion about wolves.”

More on the topic

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Referendum Limburg decides to have pigeons killed – animal rights activists appalled

Breeding relevant to animal welfare Why you shouldn’t buy a Bengal or Savannah cat

“Animal Welfare Should Not Only Concern Pets, but Also Prey Species”

How could this social tension be defused?
“More education is needed about the necessity of species protection measures and a better understanding of the responsibility of pet owners. If society takes species conservation and the protection of prey species seriously, it should find realistic ways to reconcile the interests of animal rights activists, hunters, and nature.”

As a hunter, what would you specifically like to see from politicians?
“We would like politicians to take responsibility if they want to take away the instrument of hunting protection. Species conservation and the decline of certain species are major problems, and if politicians restrict our ability to minimize this problem, we expect alternative solutions. This also applies to animal conservationists. Animal welfare should concern not only pets but also prey species. The objective should be to reduce the issue, even though it may never be fully eradicated.”

What responsibility do cat owners have?
“Owners must recognize that cat ownership entails significant responsibilities. This means registering, neutering, and restricting outdoor access in high-risk areas. Without these measures, the problem will not be solved.”