- Philip Yorke claims his collar could save the lives of millions of birds in Britain
It is the invention that will put the cat among the pigeons – and let the pigeons live to tell the tale.
A designer has created a collar that works when a cat is about to attack and quickly warns its prey.
Philip Yorke claims his collar could save the lives of many of the 55 million birds killed each year by Britain’s 11 million cats.
A designer has created a collar that works when a cat is about to pounce (stock image)
The 82-year-old said he first got the idea when he saw Maggie, the Bengal cat from his local pub, walking in with a dead sparrow hanging from her mouth.
He noticed that when cats hunt, they crouch in a “stealth attack mode,” moving their hindquarters back and forth to create the lowest possible profile.
Its collar uses miniature motion sensors that recognize when a cat is exhibiting this type of hunting behavior and emits the warning cry of a blackbird or hawk through a small amplifier to scare off the intended victim.
Mr Yorke and BirdSonic are now looking for further investment for the collar (stock image)
Mr Yorke said: ‘Until now, cat owners have been forced to use bells or bibs when trying to prevent their pets from killing birds. But there is a new, unique and harmless way to prevent this behavior.’
Maggie’s owner, Bryan Mullarney, 60, who used to run The Railway Tavern in Dereham, Norfolk, said the collar could be the only thing that could stop his pet’s killing spree: ‘I had tried to equip Maggie with a bell that was intended to warn the bird before it is too late to get away.
“But Maggie is smart and has learned how to move stealthily enough not to make a sound.”
Mr Yorke and BirdSonic are now seeking further investment for the collar, which can be turned on and off when the cat goes through a cat flap.
