Will Feral Cats Get the Jump in Queensland?

Originally published in Stanthorpe Today, February 2025.

We can't afford to muck around when it comes to controlling the numbers of Feral cats in Australia. These super-hunting machines are a growing environmental menace in Australia, posing a significant threat to native wildlife and biodiversity. With estimates suggesting that over 2.8 million feral cats roam across the country, their impact on native species is devastating, contributing to at least 25 species extinctions. Each year, feral cats kill an estimated two billion animals, including birds, reptiles, and small mammals, many of which are already endangered. The need for a unified, national approach to their management has never been more urgent.

Feral cats also pose human health concerns, including birth deformities, costing up to $6 billion a year (Legge et al. 2020b). It is also estimated that cat-dependent diseases (sarcocystosis and toxoplasmosis) cost approximately $12 million per year on livestock production in Australia (Legge et al. 2020b).

Currently, efforts to control feral cat populations vary widely between states and territories. While some states have introduced control measures, such as trapping, baiting, and culling, these programs lack cohesion and consistency. Without a coordinated strategy, feral cats continue to exploit gaps in control efforts, spreading unchecked across state boundaries. This fragmented approach undermines the effectiveness of individual programs and delays progress in addressing this ecological crisis.

It is extremely disappointing that the Queensland State Government recently withdrew support of the National Threat Abatement Plan (NTAP), which is essential to combat the feral cat problem. Such a plan would provide a unified framework for all states and territories to collaborate, ensuring that resources, research, and strategies are shared and optimized.

Key components of an NTAP would include funding for large-scale eradication programs, the development of humane and effective control technologies, and education campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of feral cats. Additionally, the plan must support the protection of critical habitats and the recovery of species most at risk.

The importance of an NTAP goes beyond wildlife conservation. It represents a commitment to preserving Australia’s unique ecosystems for future generations. A failure to act decisively risks the continued loss of irreplaceable native species and the further degradation of fragile ecosystems.