When you hit a dog it is a legal requirement to contact the police but yet cats aren't a requirement. When a dog is hit you are required to stop at a safe place, take photos and contact the police. Under the road traffic act of 1988, even if the dog appears unharmed you must stop in a safe place, check the condition of the dog, try locate the owner and report it to the police. You must provide your details and not leave the scene.  While it's not legally required to stop if you hit a cat, it's considered good practice to inform the owner or local animal welfare. The Road Traffic Act 1988 (RTA) requires drivers to stop and report accidents involving certain animals, including: horses, cattle, mules, sheep, pigs, goats, and dogs. How is it fair that it is a legal requirement to stop for all of these animals but not a cat. 

In the United Kingdom, it's estimated that around 230,000 cats are hit by cars each year, which is about 630 cats every day. This is based on a report from Petplan, which also found that 35% of drivers admit to having hit a cat. Some factors that increase the risk of cats being hit by cars include:

Age

Kittens are most at risk, with half of all cats hit by vehicles being between seven months and two years old. 

Season

Autumn is the most dangerous time for cats, as roads are more treacherous and it's harder to spot cats in the semi-darkness. 

Time of day

Cats are most commonly hit by cars during the evening and early hours. 

Location

Cats living in rural areas are more likely to be involved in a road traffic accident than those living in urban areas. 

Hunting behavior

Cats that hunt by the roadside are more likely to be involved in a road traffic accident. 

Road type

Cats living in houses on a long, straight road are more likely to be involved in a road traffic accident. 

“It’s heartbreaking to lose a cat, for many they’re a member of the family, which is why we want to support the change in the law to show their importance.“It simply isn’t right that cat owners are left in this terrible vacuum of grief when their beloved pet disappears without warning.“The fact that anyone would want to leave a defenceless animal on the side of the road is appalling and not having a law in place can make people assume it’s fine for this to continue." Quote from Carlo Simone, the Argus 15th February 2023

I couldn't even begin to imagine a young child walking past and see a cat in the middle of the road or even see the cat hit. The emotional damage that this would cause them is unbelievable. We need to protect them from see this too

It needs to become a legal requirement and now before we lose more cats. Unfortunately I have had a first hand experience, someone was evil enough to hit a 9 month old kitten and continued driving. Unfortunately the poor baby passed away once found, if the driver had stopped and taken him to a vets, he would have had chance of survival. This must become a legal requirement before more family's lose there beloved pets. So many poor cats lives could be saved if drives stopped and took them to the vets. Save these babies lives