The Oxford-educated scientists recorded the cats ‘plaguing’ him on video (Picture: John Hawkins)

An Oxford-educated scientist has issued a warning to his neighbours that he will take ‘drastic action’ if they continue to let their cats kill birds in his garden.

Dr Clive Mowforth, a research scientist with a PhD from Oxford, sent the ‘cat menace’ leaflet to fellow residents along with pictures of the ‘leading killers’ and dates detailing when the latest birds were killed.

The bird lover, who claims he is ‘plagued by the cats’, sent the leaflet to more than 100 homes in the area.

Drastic action: Dr Clive Mowforth may take matters into his own hands if owners don’t control their ‘killer cats’ (Picture: John Hawkins)

‘The enjoyment of our wildlife and flower garden is being ruined by cats,’ he writes.


‘In the last week alone, cats have killed a jackdaw, a blackbird and a house sparrow.’



The 57-year-old has spent more than a decade converting his garden in Dursley, Gloucestershire, into a ‘paradise for birds’ (or a fast-food restaurant for cats, depending how you look at it).

Dr Mowforth, who studied chemistry at Exeter before receiving his DPhil from Oxford, has also alerted the RSPCA and the police.

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, brushed off the threats.

‘I think the whole thing is a bit like Crime Watch for cats, it all seems very petty,’ she said.

The scientist, however, says he may be forced to move home.

‘This could now push me out of my house. I’m about to retire and I want to be able to enjoy my garden,’ he told The Telegraph.

The letter in full:

Cat Menace

The enjoyment of our wildlife and flower garden is being ruined by cats. They come to dig holes, leave their excrement and murder the wildlife. In the last week alone, at least three birds have been killed:

31/07/2014 Jackdaw

04/08/2014 Blackbird

04/08/2014 House sparrow

This comes on top of numerous killings of blackbirds and woodpigeons this summer.

Direct observation and video surveillance have identified about ten different cats. The two leading killers are a black one and a black-and-white one.

The black-and-white one can leap right onto our shoulder-height bird table.

I do not see why we should have to put up with this menace.

If you have a cat, can you please keep it under control. If we continue to be plagued by cats, drastic action will be taken.

Clive Mowforth