Leslie Massey
Cats have been a significant contributor to the extinction of several native Australian species. Feral cats, in particular, are considered an invasive species and have been linked to the decline and extinction of various native animals in Australia. With over 4.9 million pet cats in Australia and an estimated 2.1-6.3 million feral cats, cats are driving many native species towards extinction. The introduction of cats to Australia in 1788 has had a devastating impact on the country's wildlife, with cats killing over 2 billion animals every year. The perfect hunter, cats are patient, silent, and adaptable, making them extremely effective predators. As a result, they have been primary agents in the extinction of Australian birds, mammals, and reptiles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of species made extinct in Australia | 27 native species |
| Examples of extinct species | Paradise Parrot, Pig-footed Bandicoot, Macquarie Island Parakeet, Lesser Bilby, Nullarbor Dwarf Bettong, Desert Rat-Kangaroo, Broad-faced Potaroo, Lesser Stick-nest Rat |
| Number of pet cats in Australia | 3.8 million |
| Number of feral cats in Australia | 2.1-6.3 million |
| Number of native animals killed by cats each year | Over 2 billion |
| Number of native animals killed by pet cats each year | 500 million |
| Number of native species threatened by cats | 123-124 |
| Number of mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, and invertebrates killed by cats each year | 1,067 million, 399 million, 609 million, 93 million, and 1.8 billion respectively |
| Estimated number of wild animals killed by each feral cat per year | 740 |
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What You'll Learn
- Feral cats have contributed to the extinction of at least 22 endemic Australian mammals
- Cats have also been responsible for the extinction of Australian birds
- Cats have caused the extinction of at least two reptile species globally
- Cats kill an estimated 2.92 million mammals, 1.67 million reptiles, and 1.09 million birds every day
- Cats are considered the most damaging invasive pest in Australia
Feral cats have contributed to the extinction of at least 22 endemic Australian mammals
Feral cats have contributed to the extinction of several endemic Australian mammals. Cats first arrived in Australia in 1788 on the First Fleet. Within 70 years, they had spread across the continent and now inhabit over 99% of Australia's land area. Australia's unique wildlife has evolved without cat-like predators, making them particularly susceptible to being hunted by feral cats.
Feral cats are highly efficient predators and are considered the most damaging invasive pest in Australia. They are patient, silent, and adaptable hunters, and their reproductive rates are much higher than those of their prey. The diet of feral cats in Australia includes a large number of wildlife species, including highly threatened birds, mammals, and reptiles. Cats have been the primary contributors to over two-thirds of Australia's mammal extinctions since European settlement.
It is estimated that feral cats kill 740 wild animals per year, with over 2 billion animals killed every year. Cats have been implicated in the extinction of at least 22 endemic Australian mammals and over 30 native species overall. Some of the mammals that have become extinct due to feral cats include the lesser bilby, desert bandicoot, pig-footed bandicoot, Macquarie Island parakeet, and the paradise parrot.
The impact of feral cats on Australia's wildlife has been devastating, and their control and management remain challenging. Fencing has been used successfully to exclude cats from small areas, and poison baits can help reduce cat density. However, large-scale control of feral cats is difficult, especially on the mainland. Urgent action is needed to protect Australia's surviving native species from the threat of feral cats.
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Cats have also been responsible for the extinction of Australian birds
Cats have been responsible for the extinction of several bird species in Australia. Feral cats, in particular, have been implicated in the extinction of native birds, with their presence recorded in Australia since the latter part of the 19th century. The introduction of feral cats is believed to have resulted from European explorers and settlers bringing them on their ships.
Feral cats are highly adaptable hunters, capable of employing an 'ambush' hunting strategy to capture prey ranging from small invertebrates to vertebrates of up to 4 kg. This versatility, combined with their natural hunting instinct, ability to adapt to different environments, and preference for prey of a favoured size, has made them efficient predators of Australian birds.
Cats have contributed to the extinction of at least 40 bird species globally since 1600, with a significant impact on island-endemic vertebrates. In Australia, they have been linked to the decline and extinction of ground-nesting birds, with one study documenting predation by feral and pet cats on 357 bird species in the country, including 338 Australian native bird species. Cats have been the primary agents in the extinction of Australian birds restricted to islands, such as the Macquarie Island parakeet and Macquarie Island buff-banded rail.
The paradise parrot, a mainland parrot species, is another unfortunate victim of cat predation. A combination of factors, including grazing pressure, changed fire regimes, and cat predation, led to its demise. The loss of Indigenous land management and the sudden change in fire usage across the continent also played a role in the paradise parrot's vulnerability to cat predation.
The impact of cats on Australian bird populations is significant, and their presence continues to threaten numerous native bird species in the country.
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Cats have caused the extinction of at least two reptile species globally
Cats have been an environmental disaster for Australian wildlife, with their impact felt more severely in Australia than anywhere else in the world. They are considered by the CSIRO to be the most damaging invasive pest by cost and the fourth most damaging overall to the Australian environment. Cats were introduced to Australia in 1788, and since then, they have spread across more than 99% of the country's land area. There are now between 2.1 and 6.3 million feral cats in Australia, depending on rainfall conditions, and an additional 3.8 million pet cats. Together, they kill over 2 billion animals every year, most of which are native species. Cats have been a primary contributor to over two-thirds of Australia's mammal extinctions, with at least 34 mammal species becoming extinct since European settlement. Some of the mammals that have gone extinct due to cats include the pig-footed bandicoot, the lesser bilby, the Nullarbor dwarf bettong, and the desert rat-kangaroo.
In addition to mammals, cats have also contributed to the extinction of bird species in Australia. They have been implicated in the extinction of the only mainland bird species lost since European settlement, the paradise parrot. Cats were the clean-up crew for any remaining parrots after changes to their habitat caused by colonisation. Cats have also been primary agents in the extinction of bird species restricted to islands, such as the Macquarie Island parakeet and the Macquarie Island buff-banded rail. Globally, cats are considered to have contributed to the extinction of at least two reptile species, 40 bird species, and 21 mammal species since the year 1600. They are currently contributing to the imperilment of at least 360 threatened reptile, bird, and mammal species worldwide.
The impact of cats on Australian wildlife is so severe for several reasons. Firstly, Australian animals have evolved without cat-like predators, and their low rates of reproduction make them particularly vulnerable to efficient predators like cats. Secondly, cats are pervasive and adaptable hunters, able to bypass control barriers and adapt to harsh desert conditions by preying on small desert marsupials. They are patient, silent, and can hunt a wide variety of prey, including highly threatened birds, mammals, and reptiles. Their diet includes small mammals such as rodents and dasyurids, medium-sized mammals such as possums and bandicoots, and even endangered species like the northern quoll and mountain pygmy-possum.
To address the problem of feral cats in Australia, various control methods have been proposed and implemented. These include the use of poison baits, fencing to exclude cats from small areas of the mainland, and smart fire and grazing management to preserve natural shelters for native animals. However, large-scale control of feral cats is challenging, especially on the mainland. While some programs have been successful on islands, such as the eradication of feral cats from Macquarie Island in 2000, it is important to note that feral cats also played a role in controlling introduced rabbit populations on the island, which exploded after their removal.
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Cats kill an estimated 2.92 million mammals, 1.67 million reptiles, and 1.09 million birds every day
Cats are considered to be one of the most destructive invasive species in the world. They are smart, fast, highly adaptable hunters, and reproduce quickly. Cats have been introduced globally and have contributed to multiple wildlife extinctions, particularly on islands. In Australia, cats have helped push 27 native animal species to extinction, including the mainland parrot, the Macquarie Island parakeet and the Macquarie Island buff-banded rail.
The impact of cats on Australian wildlife is severe. Feral cats, which number between 2.1 and 6.3 million, depending on rainfall conditions, and pet cats, of which there are 3.8 million in Australia, kill over 2 billion animals every year, most of which are native species. Cats are primary contributors to over two-thirds of Australia's mammal extinctions.
Cats are estimated to kill 2.92 million mammals, 1.67 million reptiles, and 1.09 million birds every day worldwide. In the United States alone, cats are estimated to kill between 1.3 and 4 billion birds and between 6.3 and 22.3 billion mammals annually. Cats are directly responsible for the extinction of at least 33 species worldwide and are considered one of the biggest threats to native wildlife.
The impact of cats on wildlife in mainland areas is less clear, and estimates of mortality are based on non-systematic analyses with little consideration of scientific data. However, mounting evidence from three continents indicates that cats can locally reduce mainland bird and mammal populations and cause a substantial proportion of total wildlife mortality.
The high rate of mammal extinctions in Australia is partly due to the fact that Australian animals have evolved without cat-like predators. Additionally, many Australian animals have low reproductive rates, making their viability vulnerable to efficient predators like cats, which have much higher reproductive rates.
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Cats are considered the most damaging invasive pest in Australia
Cats, both domesticated and feral, have been deemed the most damaging invasive pest in Australia. They have contributed to the extinction of at least 22 endemic Australian mammals since the arrival of Europeans, and over 30 native species since colonisation. Feral cats were introduced to Australia in 1788, and by the 1860s, they were considered a pest. Their ability to breed prolifically, climb, jump, burrow, and resist trapping makes them extremely difficult to control.
Feral cats are highly efficient predators, with Australian wildlife being particularly susceptible to them. This is because Australian animals have evolved without cat-like predators, and their low reproduction rates make them vulnerable to an efficient predator. Cats are patient, silent, and adaptable hunters, making them the perfect hunter. They have been linked to the decline and extinction of various native animals in Australia, with endangered numbats and night parrots at risk.
The economic burden of feral cats in Australia is significant, costing more than A$18.7 billion annually since 1960, nine times that of rabbits. Cats carry diseases such as toxoplasmosis, which impacts humans and livestock, costing over AUD $6 billion annually. The total cost of invasive cats to the national economy is estimated at nearly A$19 billion over 60 years up to 2021.
Domesticated cats that are allowed to roam kill an estimated 110 native animals each year, including native birds, mammals, and reptiles. Free-roaming cats, both feral and pet, kill over 2 billion animals every year, most of which are native. Cats kill nearly six million reptiles, birds, and mammals every night in Australia, threatening iconic species like the greater bilby, northern bettong, and western quoll.
Invasive species are the leading driver of biodiversity loss in Australia, and feral cats have been identified as having the greatest environmental impact. Fencing has been used to exclude cats from small areas on the mainland, but a more coordinated national response is needed to prevent further extinctions.
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Frequently asked questions
Cats have contributed to the extinction of at least 22 endemic Australian mammal species since the arrival of Europeans, and are believed to have caused the extinction of a total of 27 native species.
Cats are efficient predators, and they are particularly dangerous in Australia because native animals have evolved without cat-like predators. Australian animals are therefore a perfect-sized prey for cats, and they are not used to evading this kind of hunter. Cats also carry diseases, including toxoplasmosis, which impacts humans and livestock.
Cats have been a factor in the extinction of the only mainland bird species lost since European settlement, the paradise parrot. They have also contributed to the extinction of the Macquarie Island parakeet and the Macquarie Island buff-banded rail, as well as native rodents and marsupials, including the pig-footed bandicoot, the lesser bilby, the Nullarbor dwarf bettong, the desert rat-kangaroo, and the broad-faced potaroo.
Large-scale control of feral cats is very difficult, but some successful programs have been implemented on islands. Poison baits can reduce cat density, and fenced reserves on the mainland can provide short-term protection for threatened mammals. It is also important to keep pet cats indoors to prevent them from hunting native wildlife.
