The Scottish government wants everyone to know it does not plan to ban cats.

First Minister John Swinney was forced to issue the statement after a report by independent experts branded felines a threat to Scotland’s wildlife and suggested “containment” measures be considered to reduce the damage.

The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission said cats kill at least 700 million birds and other animals each year in the UK.

It advised the government to consider a range of measures, including keeping domestic cats indoors or on leashes, to protect endangered species such as Scottish wildcats.

The report said “cat containment” measures could also include “restrictions on introducing cats to households in vulnerable areas” – interpreted by some as effectively a ban.

The Scottish government said it would “fully consider” the recommendations.

In a nation of animal-lovers, the suggestions spawned alarming headlines.

The Daily Mail reported: “Fury as households in Scotland could be banned from getting a pet cat.”

The Scottish Daily Express branded the idea a “madcap scheme.”

Swinney, who heads Scotland’s semi-autonomous Edinburgh-based government, spoke to journalists to defend the administration’s pro-feline credentials.

“Let me just clear this up today,” he said on Monday.

“The government’s not going to be banning cats or restricting cats. We’ve no intention of doing so and we will not be doing it.”

Cats Protection, the UK’s biggest cat charity, gave the idea of draconian containment measures short shrift, saying “pragmatic solutions like keeping cats indoors at dawn and dusk can balance the needs of domestic cats and wild animals.”

“Scotland is a nation of cat lovers,” said Alice Palombo, the charity’s advocacy and government relations officer for Scotland, with almost a quarter of households owning a feline pet.

“Cats are great pets for all sorts of reasons, whether it’s providing companionship for elderly people or those living alone, comfort for people with health conditions or helping children learn important lessons in caring for others,” she said.

“We believe everyone who is able to care for a cat should be able to enjoy these benefits.”