We need to worry about Bella and Charlie: the impacts of pet cats on Australian wildlife

Abstract

Research and management attention on the impacts of the introduced domestic cat (Felis catus) on Australian fauna have focussed mainly on the feral population. Here, we summarise the evidence for impacts of predation by pet cats on Australian wildlife. We collate examples of local wildlife population decline and extirpation as a result, at least in part, of predation by pet cats. We assemble information across 66 studies of predation by pet cats worldwide (including 24 Australian studies) to estimate the predation toll of pet cats in Australia, plus the predation pressure per unit area in residential areas. We compared these estimates to those published for feral cats in Australia. The per capita kill rate of pet cats is 25% that of feral cats. However, pet cats live at much higher densities, so the predation rate of pets per square kilometre in residential areas is 28–52 times larger than predation rates by feral cats in natural environments, and 1.3–2.3 times greater than predation rates per km2 by feral cats living in urban areas. Pet cats kill introduced species more often than do feral cats living in natural environments, but, nonetheless, the toll of native animals killed per square kilometre by pet cats in residential areas is still much higher than the toll per square kilometre by feral cats. There is no evidence that pet cats exert significant control of introduced species. The high predation toll of pet cats in residential areas, the documented examples of declines and extirpations in populations of native species caused by pet cats, and potential pathways for other, indirect effects (e.g. from disease, landscapes of fear, ecological footprints), and the context of extraordinary impacts from feral cats on Australian fauna, together support a default position that pet cat impacts are serious and should be reduced. From a technical perspective, the pet cat impacts can be reduced more effectively and humanely than those of feral cats, while also enhancing pet cat welfare. We review the management options for reducing predation by pet cats, and discuss the opportunities and challenges for improved pet cat management and welfare.

Introducing a Controlled Outdoor Environment Impacts Positively in Cat Welfare and Owner Concerns: The Use of a New Feline Welfare Assessment Tool

“…One estimate suggests that in the order of 92 million animals were killed in the UK during 5 months in 1997 ( 12 ); with an estimated 1.3–4.0 billion birds and 6.3–22.3 billion mammals killed annually across the USA ( 13 ) and an average of 186 reptiles, birds and mammals killed per year per roaming pet cat has been reported in Australia ( 14 ). Although farm/barn cats, strays, cats in supported colonies and feral cats are believed to play a large role in these mortality figures, owned pets are also important contributors since their densities are much higher in residential areas and may be responsible for killing between 4,440 to 8,100 animals per square kilometer per year in an area where they live in Australia ( 13 , 14 ). Given these figures, the “Cat wars” that rage between ecologists and cat enthusiasts are not surprising [e.g., ( 6 , 15 )].…”

Cat ecology, impacts and management in Australia

“…Feral cats kill and eat over 2 billion vertebrates and over 1 billion invertebrates in Australia each year. One of the papers in this special issue turns the spotlight from feral cats onto pet cats, finding that Australian pet cats kill over 390 million vertebrates each year (Legge et al 2020b).…”

Identifying and prioritizing human behaviors that benefit biodiversity

“…Free roaming pet cats kill millions of small mammals, birds and reptiles every year (Legge et al, 2020). consumption (5) was selected by 41.1% (see Table S3 for full results).…”