YORKSHIRE'S cat lovers are being asked to try and mitigate the number of songbirds their cats hunt and kill after shocking statistics showed the birds' rapid decline over the years.

A new campaign ‘#FriendsNotFood’ launched by the charity Songbird Survival, challenges the idea that cat owners don’t care about wildlife, ahead of International Cat Day on August 8.

The campaign will educate the public about practical, harmless and scientifically proven methods of preventing cats killing birds in ways that can actually enrich their pet cats’ lives.

The campaign will also share the journeys of specific cat owners and bird lovers to help convey the high-quality academic research the charity has funded in order to generate positive change. This includes the pragmatically designed Cats And Their Owners Project led by scientists at the University of Exeter, which found three simple ways to prevent cats hunting.

Data shows that Yorkshire’s bird numbers have fallen - greenfinches by 64 per cent, starlings by 63 per cent and cuckoo by 62 per cent between 1995 to 2018.

An estimated 12 million domestic cats live in the UK. Their presence as companion animals provides many people with much needed love and company, but understanding the impact cats have on songbird populations is a crucial area of research, the charity says.

A spokesman for the charity said: "Besides offering tips and advice for adults on supporting our feathered and furry pets, #FriendsNotFood will teach young people in towns and the countryside about their wider natural environment through a variety of games, competitions and research findings to help them experience the amazing world of ornithology, and how to keep our birds safe. Participating in a fun research task will help children to engage with their native species, and use the charity’s past campaign -what3birds - to ‘Find Our Friends’."

The public is encouraged to follow the charity on social media via Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with #FriendsNotFood,share experiences about their cats and garden wildlife, compare notes and keep the ‘conservation conversation’ going.

Some suggestions to deter your cat from hunting birds include:

Play with your cat for 5-10 minutes each day to ‘sate’ its hunting desire.

Feed it a diet high in meat protein.

Fit its collar with a scientifically proven BirdsBeSafe collar cuff or another bird-safe collar to deter birds.

Keep cats in for at least some of the day, or in a catio to protect wildlife.