Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of legislating for the mandatory neutering of cats by six months of age.

Defra’s Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats includes information and advice for owners on the benefits of neutering cats.

As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025, this Government committed to improve its understanding of the cat breeding sector and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the sector and encourage responsible ownership.