The
Secret Life
of Cats
Many of us who live with cats at home know that they can be affectionate, playful and intelligent animals. But fewer of us may realise that cats can also be a threat to native wildlife. Cats are skilled and natural predators. So if you own a cat, or know somebody who does, it’s important to know how to be a responsible cat owner. THE HISTORY OF CATS IN AUSTRALIA Cats are an introduced species, which means they are not native to Australia. Cats were brought to Australia with European settlers, probably as pets at first. Later they were introduced to hunt and control rabbits and rodents. It’s estimated that cats now live in 99% of Australia, including offshore islands. The number
of ‘feral’ cats in Australia is impossible to calculate because of constant changes in population, availability of prey, and climate. Estimates range from 5 to 23 million, which unfortunately doesn’t give us an accurate snapshot at all. IMPACT ON NATIVE ANIMALS Even though it’s difficult to estimate the number of native animals killed by feral cats, free-roaming cats do
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hunt and kill many native Australian species including small mammals, birds, lizards and insects. Many local councils have imposed night curfews for cats to stop them from hunting native wildlife. Cats who live in the Mornington Peninsula Shire and Yarra Ranges Councils have a 24-hour curfew, which means they need to be kept inside at all times. PROBLEMS FOR CATS Cats who live in the wild or roam freely in suburban streets face many risks. Cats can become seriously injured or get killed by cars, and are at risk of diseases such as feline AIDS. They can
Autumn / Winter 2015