Feral Cats

Feral cats (Felis catus) are highly adaptable and successful predators, making them one of Australia’s most damaging invasive species. Originally arriving with European settlers as pets, they were later released to control rabbits and rodents. Today, feral cats are widespread across the continent, from alpine regions to deserts, coasts, and over 100 offshore islands.

Cats in Australia are classified into domestic, stray, and feral groups, but all can prey on native wildlife and spread disease. Feral cats live independently of humans, thriving by hunting and scavenging, and have few natural predators in Australia.

Feral cats severely impact natural environments by killing small to medium-sized mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, and insects. They also compete with native predators like quolls and spread diseases such as Toxoplasmosis. Since European settlement, feral cats have contributed to the extinction of over 20 native species, including the Lesser Bilby and Desert Rat-kangaroo.

In agriculture, feral cats spread diseases like Toxoplasmosis and Sarcosporidiosis, causing miscarriages in livestock and meat quality issues. The economic cost of cat-borne diseases is estimated at $6 billion annually. Feral cats also pose human health risks and represent a potential reservoir for exotic diseases. In some First Nations communities, feral cats are both a food source and a threat to culturally important native species.