Feral cats destroying Australia’s wildlife

April 2010. A new report from Australia's Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre highlights the devastating impact of feral cats on Australia's unique wildlife.

Launched by the Australia RSPCA's Chief Scientist, Dr Bidda Jones, the review of cat ecology and management in Australia provides a stark warning that if they are not properly cared for, domestic cats can also contribute greatly to the feral cat problem.

Millions of stray and feral cats in Australia
"Although numbers aren't certain, there are no doubt millions of stray and feral cats in Australia. Cats are implicated in the extinction of up to seven species of mammals and if we don't get on top of the situation, more could follow," said Associate Professor Steven Lapidge, Invasive Animals CRC Uptake Program Manager.

"Cat management needs to be strategic, holistic and humane. It starts at home with the humble domestic moggie that is a loved family pet, and ends with tactical programs to manage what are in many cases, self-sustaining feral cat populations," said Dr Bidda Jones.

"To achieve this we need to better understand how cats move from domestic to stray to feral and this report certainly begins to fill some of these knowledge gaps."

2.65 million domesticated cats
Australian households are home to 2.65 million domestic cats that are often considered to be valued members of the family. But with potentially six times as many cats in the wild, we need to work together to help alleviate their impacts on wildlife and stop them moving into the wild where the damage they do can go unchecked.

"Cats are admirable animals, but they need to be managed. It's far better to avoid a situation of having to resort to feral animal control. We have learnt much from past mistakes and are working hard to avoid the threats posed by potentially invasive species," Associate Professor Lapidge said.

Cat owners can help ensure they don't contribute to increasing numbers of stray or feral cats, and lessen the damage their own cats do, by adhering to the RSPCA principles of responsible cat ownership.

Desexing and microchipping
"That means desexing and microchipping owned cats and keeping them indoors, particularly between dusk and dawn. It can also mean taking responsibility for stray cats in your community either by bringing them into your family or taking them to the RSPCA. A lot of people think they're doing a nice thing by feeding stray cats but they are inadvertently contributing to this problem," said Dr Jones.

Vulnerable and endangered species threatened by cats
35 vulnerable and endangered bird species, 36 mammal species, seven reptile species and three amphibian species are thought to be adversely affected by feral cats. They pose such a risk that predation by feral cats is listed as a Key Threatening Process under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Competition for food and shelter
Cat impacts aren't limited to predation. Cats also compete with native animals for food, water and shelter, and are the only definitive host for a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis - a devastating condition that severely effects several species of native animals, that is also transmissible to humans.