‘Shortcasts’ are short standalone audio comments and statements from conservationists, campaigners, charities, authors and members of our audience. If it needs to be said – say it here!

As wildlife campaigner (and cat lover) Maggie Wilcox says in this shortcast, "In my mind every life is precious - but every time a cat wanders outside his or her home there is a potential for a threat to life".

Maggie (who many of us perhaps know better from Twitter as NorfolkBea and the #NestsNotNets campaign) has set up a petition on Change.org 'Keep cats safe and save wild lives. Amend the Animals Act 1971 and end feline free roaming' which (to date) has attracted relatively few signatures - and not a little vitriol! However many people do eventually sign, in our opinion Maggie should be commended for at least starting the conversation - and doing so (as you'll hear) in an extremely compassionate and thoughtful way.

• Change.org   Keep cats safe and save wild lives. Amend the Animals Act 1971 and end feline free roaming
• Maggie Wilcox on Twitter