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RSPCA’s concerns with government’s plans to manage feral cats in Australia
September 5, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
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RSPCA Australia is urging the Federal Government to reconsider including domestic cats in its Feral Cat Threat Abatement Plan, warning that it could put thousands of cats living alongside humans at risk.
While the animal welfare group has welcomed new technologies and research into humane methods for managing feral cats, it believes the government’s approach oversimplifies a complex issue.
The Federal Government’s plan, which is part of a $60 million national initiative, aims to control the population of feral cats in Australia.
Damage to wildlife by feral cats in Australia
Feral cats are responsible for killing over 1.5 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, and invertebrates annually.
With around seven million animals falling prey to these predators every day, feral cats are a significant threat to Australia’s native wildlife.
They have contributed to two-thirds of Australia’s mammal extinctions and currently threaten over 200 species, including the greater bilby, numbat, and Gilbert’s potoroo.
The government’s investment in 55 projects nationwide includes cutting-edge technologies to tackle this growing issue.
Among the innovations are AI-equipped traps, such as the Felixer, which uses lasers and cameras to identify feral cats before spraying them with a toxic gel.
The Felixer has already helped remove over 1,100 cats on Christmas Island since 2022. Other technologies being trialled include drone-based thermal cameras and environmental DNA (eDNA) tracking systems to monitor feral cat populations.
Domestic cats could end up in firing line
However, the RSPCA has raised concerns about how the plan could affect domestic cats.
The organisation is particularly worried about unowned and semi-owned cats—those that rely on some form of human care—being classified as feral under the new scheme.
“Cat management is complex, and of course there’s a need to control feral cats to protect wildlife,” said RSPCA Australia Chief Science Officer Dr Suzie Fowler.
“But under the most recent draft we’ve seen of the Government’s feral cat Threat Abatement Plan, there are now only two types of cat—‘feral’ and ‘pet.’”
“This means that unowned and semi-owned cats—cats who live alongside humans and have some form of contact with and reliance on people—will now be classed as ‘feral,’” Fowler explains.
“This includes cats who are provided with care by someone, often multiple people—people who often have strong relationships with the cats they care for.
The cat who stops by your neighbour’s house for a pat and to get fed is not the same as a cat who lives completely wild—but this plan treats them the same.”
Dr Fowler is concerned the approach could have devastating consequences for domestic cats, with many potentially facing euthanasia or being caught in traps designed for feral cats.
“At best, it will add a greater burden to organisations responsible for managing stray cats, and at worst, more cats will be killed,” she says.
The classification of these cats as feral may also make it harder for them to be adopted or rehomed, further exacerbating the problem.
Dr Suzie Fowler shares concerns about domestic cats being included in government’s plans (image: Esh Photography)
Artificial intelligence and humane traps: the plans to capture feral cats
The Albanese government’s plan has been lauded for its focus on using technology to control feral cat populations in an ethical manner, including the use of artificial intelligence and humane traps.
Bush Heritage Australia is testing AI-supported cat deterrents and humane animal traps across different terrains, including Queensland’s Yourka Reserve and the Tiwi Islands. These projects aim to minimise the impact on native animals while effectively reducing the number of feral cats.
While the RSPCA acknowledges the need to protect Australia’s wildlife from feral cats, it has called on the government to reconsider its decision to include domestic cats in the plan.
“Vilifying cats and declaring ‘war’ on them shifts the focus away from what should be the key objective—to protect and conserve vulnerable native species—and instead promotes the killing of as many cats as possible,” Dr Fowler said.
She believes that a more nuanced approach, one that engages with local communities and recognises the different roles that cats play in urban and rural environments, would be more effective.
“A good domestic cat management strategy has to consider the humans the cats live alongside. Our communities can be a valuable source of information, funding, and support when it comes to managing domestic cats,” Fowler adds.
She suggested that greater support for people to take ownership of unowned or semi-owned cats could help manage stray populations more effectively.
Additionally, if people trust that management efforts will have positive outcomes for cats, they may be more inclined to participate in efforts like reporting stray cats to local authorities.
The RSPCA has long advocated for a humane approach to managing cats in Australia, promoting strategies such as desexing, microchipping, and encouraging owners to keep cats indoors or within enclosed outdoor spaces.
Dr Fowler believes that simply capturing or killing cats will not solve the problem.
“A considered and collaborative approach, including community engagement, desexing, microchipping, and encouraging keeping cats safe at home, will be more successful in the long run,” she says.
With the final version of the Feral Cat Threat Abatement Plan due to be released later this year, the RSPCA is urging the government to listen to experts and remove domestic cats from the plan.
The organisation says that without that amendment, it could harm domestic cats and lead to unintended consequences for pet owners and animal welfare organisations across the country.
→ Head to the RSPCA Australia website – or you state’s RSPCA – for more information
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