Australia's killer cats

Cats vs nature - 1st May 2023

Looking at Juniper, you may just see an adorable fluffy ginger cat. However, wildlife experts in Australia see an insatiable killer.

Every year, 8 million wild and domestic cats kill over a billion native creatures in Australia, including many endangered species.

Professor Sarah Legge reported that cats are the "primary contributor" in the death of around two thirds of Australia's extinct mammals. She explained, "you don't see that replicated anywhere else in the world. They continue to cause mammal declines today."

Australia does have regulations for the cuddly murderers. Owners must microchip and register their house cats, but there are no national laws beyond that.

On 1st July 2022, the Australian Capital Territory created cat containment suburbs and a curfew for cats born after that date. Species like stick-nest rats and rufous hare-wallabies have seen an increase in population due to these measures.

Meanwhile, in New South Wales, Juniper's hunting of birds, rodents and red-bellied snakes remains unregulated, killing an estimated 180 animals per year.

Juniper's owner said her pet's killer habit was saddening, "but I had to understand that she was a cat, and that's part of what cats are."

While going outdoors enriches cats' lives and strengthens their health, "that part of what cats are" is ruining many countries' biodiversity. Experts say cats should be kept indoors as much as possible, especially in the morning and evening when prey species are most active.

Professor Legge believes cat containment doesn't just benefit wildlife but the cats as well. "They're not going to get hit by a car, mauled by a dog or pick up diseases. As long as you're providing a behaviourally enriched environment, at home or in the catio, the cat's better off."