Britain's gardeners have revealed one of their greatest pet hates -
other people's cats. Okay, they're sadistic murderers - but is it fair
that cats have been rated as being as detestable as rats in a poll of
British gardeners?

A new survey in the UK indicates that cats come second only to rats
as the least favourite mammal to visit our gardens. The UK's 10 million
cats have had it rough of late, drawing harsh criticism because of their
bloodlust and habit of viewing the nation's gardens as their own
personal toilets.

Though the animals are the UK's favourite pets, British gardeners
have struck back by crowning the cat as one of the most unwelcome
visitors to their plots - voting them only slightly more popular than
rats in the new poll.

The Mammal Society - which conducted the survey - says cats cut a
swathe through the nation's wildlife, killing around 300 million animals
every year.

Predatory instincts

"Cats are solitary predatory hunters. People ask why they kill
when they are clearly well-fed - but a cat's motivation to hunt is quite
separate from its desire to satisfy hunger." Even with a full
stomach, a cat cannot resist the stimuli of prey passing nearby, says Ms
Heath, author of Why Does My Cat? "It doesn't make sense for a cat
to wait until it's hungry to catch food - there may be none around then.
Better to hunt when there's the opportunity and hide the food
away."

'Sick of cats'

A BBC television series has raised the question of whether cats
should be kept indoors at night. Wildlife experts say keeping cats
locked up from dusk to dawn will prevent much of the carnage they
create, and will also mean they are less likely to be run over. Mammal
expert Professor Steve Harris, from Bristol University, said: "The
message is clear, most people are heartily sick of having their
neighbours' cats in their garden".

Saved by the bell?

Owners who have resorted to collar bells to warn prey may have
underestimated feline guile. "Some cats have learned to hold their
heads to minimise noise coming from the bells around their necks.
Perhaps we need to admire this skill, rather than get paranoid about
it."

Even today, some view the black cat as an omen of misfortune. Even
the English language is stacked against the moggy. Spiteful people are
dubbed as being "catty". A raucous cry is a
"caterwaul". At work, a greedy, lazy boss is a "fat
cat".

But, to be fair, the British can't hate cats that much. A recent
report found that the generosity of the British towards the cat has
caused one in four of the creatures to become clinically obese.