Combatting Ruthless Killers: Australia’s Initiative to Control Feral Cats

They are described as walking, stalking, ruthless killers, and they are none other than cats, specifically feral ones. Australia’s minister for the Environment and Water has unveiled a series of ideas aimed at significantly reducing their numbers. Feral cats are known for wreaking havoc on the country’s wildlife, with an estimated annual death toll of 2 billion animals, according to NPR. The draft plan released by Tanya Plibersek this month involves legislating “responsible pet cat ownership,” which could include spaying and neutering pets, observing cat curfews, and limiting the number of cats per household. The New York Times reports that the plan also suggests implementing programs that would allow hunters to kill feral cats.

“We are declaring war on feral cats. And today, we are setting up our battle plan to win that war,” declared the minister. This move is not entirely unprecedented, as the Sydney Morning Herald notes that the Australian Capital Territory has already established a curfew for cats purchased after July 1. Although the problem of feral cats is not unique to Australia, it is a significant concern there. Australia has been a world leader in wildlife losses, with about 100 species of flora and fauna becoming extinct since colonization, according to the Herald. The rate of loss has shown no sign of slowing down over the past 200 years.

As a result, Australians tend to be more supportive of measures aimed at controlling the cat population. “Maybe our job is easier in Australia, unfortunately, because we’ve lost so many species,” says a cat researcher. However, NPR points out that not everyone agrees that cats are the primary problem, or that the research supporting this claim is reliable. Bill Lynn of the animal ethics think tank PAN Works argues that humans should be held accountable for biodiversity loss, not cats. Plibersek’s plan is open for public comment until December. (Read more feral cats stories.)