Killing harmful cats

Fatwa no. 2861 All praise be to Allah Alone, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger, and his family, and Companions.The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' reviewed the question submitted by His Excellency the Head of Al-Qurayyat Court regarding the letter sent by the mayor of Al-Qurayyat to His Eminence, the President, which was referred to the Committee from the General Secretariat of the Council of Senior Scholars with the number (2/67) in 14/1/1400 AH. The following question was posed:We would like to inform Your Eminence that the deputy manager of Al-Qurayyat Hospital visited today the municipality headquarters requesting permission to poison the stray cats in the hospital due to their large numbers. He stated that they harm the patients, especially those suffering from burns, and mentioned that once a cat tried to eat the ear of a patient suffering from burns. (Part No. 26; Page No. 190) We hope Your Eminence will examine the issue and tell us whether it is permissible to poison the cats or not.

A: If the case is as you mentioned that the cats cause harm and it is not possible to protect the patients from their harm or get rid of their danger except by killing them, it is permissible to kill them by an appropriate humane means, such as by poison, gunshot, etc.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.