GLOVEBOX GUIDE FOR MANAGING FERAL CATS Part of the publication series Website: www.pestsmart.org.au Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication has been prepared with care and is Contents This publication is licensed under a Creative based on knowledge and understanding at the Commons Attribution 4.0 International license, time of writing (2020). Some of the information except for photographic and graphical images in this document is provided by third parties, contained within it. Photographs and other and all information is provided “as is”, without About this guide.....................................................................................4 graphical material must not be acquired, warranty of any kind, to the extent permitted stored, copied, displayed and printed or by law. 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The license does not transfer before using a product, and must strictly ownership of the copyright. A summary of the comply with the directions on the label and license terms is at: https:// creativecommons. the conditions of any permit. Users are not org/licenses/by/4.0/ absolved from compliance with the directions © Invasive Animals Ltd on the label or the conditions of the permit by reason of any statement made or not made in Citation: Johnston, M. and Algar, D (2020). this publication. Glovebox Guide for Managing Feral Cats. PestSmart Toolkit publication. The Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, Canberra, ACT At the time of writing this publication Mr Michael Johnston was a consultant for Scientec Research Pty Ltd and Dr Dave Algar was employed by the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Print ISBN: 978-1-925727-25-8 Web ISBN: 978-1-925727-24-1 Published by: The Centre for Invasive Species Solutions The Centre for Invasive Species Solutions gratefully acknowledges the funding support for the publication of this document through the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. This project is also supported by the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program. Feral cat on Christmas Island. Image by Michael Johnston. 2 3 About this guide This Glovebox Guide for Managing Since the late 1970’s, there has Feral Cats is a general guide to been a growing understanding provide background information of feral cat impacts on populations to support the control of feral cat of native wildlife and agricultural populations in Australia. This guide livestock through predation and adopts the definition of ‘feral cat’ disease. Estimates of the annual as those that live and reproduce in predation impact by feral cats on the wild (e.g. forests, woodlands, Australian native wildlife suggest grasslands, deserts) and survive by 272 million birds, 470 million hunting or scavenging; none of their reptiles, 815 million mammals needs are satisfied intentionally are killed with additional losses by humans. It is recognised that of invertebrates and amphibians. this categorisation of life cycles is However, native wildlife populations artificial and that individual cats may are also impacted by other factors Feral cat and Lewin’s Rail – French Island. Image by Michael Johnston. transition between classes, such including habitat disturbance, as stray and domestic, throughout changed fire regime and climate This guide seeks to enable best This glovebox guide does not their lifecycle. However, these other change. Ongoing research questions practice feral cat management by cover all the details of feral cat classes are not considered in this remain to understand the resilience providing current, albeit broadly management, so consideration guide unless specifically mentioned. of native wildlife populations in applicable, information on: should be given to enrolment in response to the combination of recognised pest management Feral cats present a significant these factors relative to that of feral cat ecology; courses. environmental impact and there native and invasive predatory identifying feral cats; is growing evidence of economic species. For more information on feral impacts to agricultural enterprises. identifying impacts of feral cat management visit National, State and Territory cats; www.pestsmart.org.au government agencies have prepared The rapid colonisation of the All the reference material used policy, plans and procedural feral cat control in Australian mainland and Tasmania to create this glovebox guide is documents to mitigate threats the presence of other by feral cats originated from multiple provided in the back of this guide. locations but was considered to be and impacts from feral cats. The predators; regulatory environment is evolving 90% complete by 1890. Straying management tools and and as such it is expected that domestic cats from dwellings strategies; or vessels as well as deliberate there will be new laws, control introductions or abandonments tools and strategies that affect the safety to domestic animals; were recorded in journals of the management of feral cat populations and time. being implemented into the future. policy and legislation. 4 5 LEARN Distribution and abundance Habitat Description Established populations of feral cats Feral cats are highly adaptable are present over 99.8% of Australian and maintain viable populations Taxonomic names: terrestrial environments, including across the range of habitats within Felis catus (Linnaeus, 1758) many offshore islands. Populations Australia. This includes alpine have been eradicated on islands, landscapes along the Great Dividing Common names: which has supported recovery Range, tall temperate forest, Feral cat, Wild cat of extant wildlife species or savannah grasslands, oceanic islands translocation of species from other in the tropics through to the arid locations. On the mainland, there zone. is an increasing number of fenced ‘havens’ where invasive predators A kitten presented with prey by its mother, French Island. have been removed to provide Image by Michael Johnston. Ecology refuges for specific wildlife species. These areas are necessarily limited Description Pathways of Spread in size and scale relative to the Feral cats are the same species Cats accompanied Europeans former distribution of the species as domestic cats, but may appear as they colonised Australia from that they protect. taller and heavier given the greater multiple locations between 1824–86, National estimates of feral cat muscle definition resulting from with cats being recorded over populations range between 1.4 – 5.6 their active life history. Feral cats most of the mainland by 1890. The million individuals with population can have a variety of coat colours. founders of feral cat populations densities varying with environmental Tabby, black or ginger are the are likely to have come from factors reflecting the impact that most common with other types straying or abandoned domestic rainfall or drought has on prey occurring with hybrid patterns of cats with populations on islands resources. black and white, tortoiseshell and established either to fulfil the role as ‘fancy breeds’ indicating a more companions and rodent controllers, recent link to a source population or following shipwrecks. of domestic cats. Typical adult body weights are between 2.0 – 4.5 kg, but Cats were also intentionally traded heavier individuals of up to ~6 kg are and released in attempts to manage commonly reported. rabbit populations. The introduction of cats by Makassan traders prior to arrival of Europeans is also plausible although more recent genetic studies suggest that European breeds became established