Ruqayyah Snyder
Feral cats are an invasive species in Australia, causing significant damage to the environment and driving native species towards extinction. They are found in almost every remote area of the country, from alpine regions to the coast, and inhabit nearly all of Australia's ecosystems. With few natural predators, they are perfectly suited to stalking and capturing prey, and they impact native environments by killing small to medium-sized mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, and insects. They have also been known to spread diseases like Toxoplasma gondii (Toxoplasmosis). As a result, they have become a key threat to a wide range of culturally significant native animals, and their control has become a priority for conservation efforts in Australia.
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What You'll Learn
- Feral cats are found in almost all ecosystems in Australia
- They are considered the most damaging invasive pest in Australia
- Feral cats have contributed to the extinction of over 20 Australian mammal species
- They are highly adaptable to different environments
- Control tools for feral cats include shooting, trapping, fencing, and baiting
Feral cats are found in almost all ecosystems in Australia
Feral cats have been an environmental disaster for Australia, driving many native species towards extinction. They are believed to have first arrived in Australia in 1788 on the First Fleet, and within 70 years, they had covered the continent. Today, they are spread across more than 90% of Australia's land area and are found in almost every remote area.
Feral cats are highly adaptable to different environments, which has allowed them to spread rapidly across Australia. They can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, arid areas, and even offshore islands. Their ability to survive in diverse ecosystems has made it challenging to control their population.
Feral cats have had a significant impact on native wildlife, including ground-nesting birds and small to medium-sized mammals. They are also known to prey on reptiles, frogs, insects, and even small lizards and wallabies. Their presence has hampered attempts to reintroduce threatened species to areas where they have become extinct, as the cats quickly kill the newly released animals.
Feral cats are considered among the most threatening invasive species in Australia and worldwide. They have been directly implicated in the extinction of several mammal species, including the pig-footed bandicoot, lesser bilby, and broad-faced potoroo. It is estimated that feral cats kill over 1.5 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles, and frogs and 1.1 billion invertebrates in Australia each year.
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They are considered the most damaging invasive pest in Australia
Feral cats are considered the most damaging invasive pest in Australia due to their role in driving native species to extinction and threatening biodiversity. Cats were introduced to Australia alongside European settlers in 1788 and, within 70 years, they had spread across the continent. Today, feral cats are found in almost every remote area of the country, inhabiting a range of habitats, including forests, woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, and arid regions.
Feral cats are highly efficient predators, perfectly suited for stalking and capturing prey with their body shape, acute senses, and fine coordination. They have contributed to the extinction of over 20 Australian mammal species, including the pig-footed bandicoot, lesser bilby, and broad-faced potoroo. They also threaten at least 120 other native species, such as the numbat, night parrot, and quoll. Cats are estimated to kill nearly six million reptiles, birds, and mammals every night in Australia. This has led to them being declared the single most pervasive threat to iconic species and driving force behind biodiversity loss in the country.
The impact of feral cats on Australia's wildlife is exacerbated by their absence of natural predators and their ability to reproduce and thrive in the wild. They are highly adaptable, capable of bypassing control barriers, and have learned to survive in harsh desert conditions by burrowing and hunting for food. The Australian government has recognised the threat posed by feral cats and has implemented various control measures, including shooting, trapping, fencing, and baiting. However, controlling feral cat populations is challenging due to their shyness, cautious nature, and ability to resist trapping and baiting.
The cost of feral cats to the Australian economy is significant, estimated at nearly AU$19 billion over 60 years up to 2021. This makes them the costliest invasive species in the country, outstripping the costs associated with other invasive species such as rabbits. The impact of feral cats on Australia's native flora and fauna has led to calls for urgent and coordinated national responses, including stronger laws and policies, to protect the country's unique biodiversity.
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Feral cats have contributed to the extinction of over 20 Australian mammal species
Feral cats have had a devastating impact on Australia's wildlife, contributing to the extinction of over 20 Australian mammal species. Cats are believed to have first arrived in Australia in 1788 on the First Fleet. Within 70 years, they had spread across the continent and are now found in over 99% of Australia's land area.
Feral cats are highly efficient predators, perfectly suited for stalking and capturing prey. They are patient, silent, and adaptable, with acute senses and fine coordination. They kill over 1.5 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, and invertebrates each year. Their favoured prey are small to medium-sized mammals, particularly those between the size of small lizards and mice to wallabies.
The species driven to extinction by feral cats include the pig-footed bandicoots, lesser bilby, broad-faced potoroo, Nullarbor dwarf bettong, desert rat-kangaroo, and the Macquarie Island parakeet. Cats have also contributed to the extinction of some Australian birds restricted to islands, such as the Macquarie Island buff-banded rail.
Fencing has been used successfully to exclude cats from small areas on the mainland, creating "safe havens" for threatened mammals. Other control tools include shooting, trapping, baiting, and grooming traps. However, controlling feral cats is challenging due to their low densities over large home ranges, shyness, and cautious nature.
Feral cats also carry infectious diseases that can be transmitted to native animals, domestic livestock, and even humans. Their impact on Australia's wildlife has been severe, and they continue to threaten many more species with extinction. Urgent action is needed to protect Australia's unique native species from the devastating effects of feral cats.
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They are highly adaptable to different environments
Feral cats are highly adaptable to different environments. They were introduced to Australia in 1788 on the First Fleet and within 70 years, they had spread across the continent. Today, they are found in almost every remote area of the country, from alpine areas to deserts, forests, woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, arid areas, and the coast. They have even spread to over 100 offshore islands.
Feral cats have few natural predators in Australia and are not reliant on humans. They are perfectly adapted for stalking and capturing prey, with a body shape, acute senses, and fine coordination. They survive exclusively by hunting and scavenging, and their ability to adapt to different environments has made them extremely successful predators.
Feral cats have been an environmental disaster for Australian wildlife, contributing to the extinction of many Australian species, including the pig-footed bandicoot, lesser bilby, and broad-faced potoroo. They are also implicated in the extinction of several bird and reptile species. Feral cats are a major cause of decline for many threatened land-based animals, such as the bilby, bandicoot, bettong, and numbat.
The ability of feral cats to adapt to different environments has made controlling their population challenging. They are found in very low densities over large home ranges and are shy and cautious, making them difficult to locate. Shooting and trapping are permitted in Australia, but these methods can be labour-intensive and require skill. Predator-proof fenced areas, or 'safe havens', are an effective way to control feral cat impacts in restricted areas.
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Control tools for feral cats include shooting, trapping, fencing, and baiting
Feral cats are believed to have first arrived in Australia in 1788 on the First Fleet. Within 70 years, they had spread across more than 99% of Australia's land area. Today, they continue to drive many native species toward extinction. Cats are the perfect hunters, being patient, silent, and adaptable, and native animals are the perfect prey size for them.
To control the feral cat population in Australia, several tools are employed, including shooting, trapping, fencing, and baiting. Shooting is a widely used method for feral cat control in Australia, but it is more effective for smaller areas and targeting problem animals. It requires skilled and experienced shooters who can ensure that the process is humane and efficient. New technologies like drones and thermal scopes are improving the effectiveness of shooting as a control method.
Trapping feral cats using cage traps is another control method, but it is time-consuming and labour-intensive, making it inefficient for large-scale control. Cats are naturally cautious and may be reluctant to enter traps, especially if food sources are readily available. Trapping is more effective in urban and semi-urban areas and during late autumn and early winter when food availability is generally lower. Once a trapped cat is confirmed to be feral, it must be humanely euthanized by an authorized person or shot at an appropriate site away from residential areas.
Fencing is another control method that has been tested in Australia. Exclusion fences are designed with tight wire mesh, burrow-proof aprons, floppy or steel rolltops, and electric wires to prevent climbing. While fencing can be effective in controlling the impacts of feral cats, it is expensive to establish and maintain, and it can impact the movements and genetics of native species.
Baiting is the most effective form of feral cat control over larger areas. Poison baiting, specifically with sodium fluoroacetate (1080), can rapidly reduce feral cat populations. Two manufactured 1080-based baits, Eradicat® and Hisstory®, are designed to target feral cats. While individual poisoning of non-target species can occur, strict baiting protocols help to ensure that overall populations of non-target wildlife species are not adversely affected.
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Frequently asked questions
Feral cats are found in almost every ecosystem in Australia, including forests, woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, arid areas, and even offshore islands. They are present in both remote and urban areas.
Cats are believed to have first arrived in Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 as pets of European settlers. They were later deliberately introduced to help control rabbits and rodents in agricultural areas.
Feral cats are considered an invasive species and are recognised as a threat to over 200 native and 37 migratory species. They have contributed to the extinction of more than 20-30 Australian mammal species and continue to threaten at least 123-124 more. They also spread diseases like Toxoplasma gondii (Toxoplasmosis).
