Cat attacks are one of the most common causes of bat casualties, as reported by bat rehabilitators.
If a bat has been caught by a cat it will very likely be injured. Even if you cannot see any injuries, a bat that has been caught by a cat will need help, as there is a high risk of internal infection if even a very small amount of cat saliva enters a bats bloodstream.
Cats don’t eat bats, but they do like to play with them. There are a few simple things you can do to help protect bats
- Keeping your cat in at night
- If you cannot keep your cat in all night, bring it in half an hour before sunset and keep it in for an hour after sunset
- The most important time to keep cats in is from mid-June until the end of August because bats will be looking after their babies
- Sometimes a collar with a bell will alert bats (and other wildlife) to a cat’s presence.
Cats often learn where a bat roost is and will return to it to catch bats as they leave the roost, so keeping your cat in at night can save a whole colony.
Additionally, International Cat Care recommends keeping cats in at night to help minimise the risk to the cat from injury and other dangers outside.
