Why the Australian Government Wants to Kill Two Million Cats

We have a cat problem, a big one. The Australian Wildlife Conservancy has crunched the numbers to find feral cats are collectively killing around 75 million native animals every night. These cats have pushed more than 120 species, including native birds, bilbies and bandicoots, all onto our endangered list.

In response, the Federal Government has announced a cull—killing off two million feral cats across the country. Threatened Species Commissioner Gregory Andrews wants all of them eradicated by 2020, and the Department of Environment has given him a hefty $7 million to get it done.

The plan is controversial for obvious reasons but when I spoke to him, Commissioner Andrews had no reservations at all. "It's like the All Blacks versus my son's rugby team," he explained. "They are such vicious hunters and they can kill between four and 23 native species a night," Already, he noted, the cats have caused the extinction of 28 species.

But critics argue that such a cull will be uncoordinated and inhumane.

"If we want to reduce the impact of cats on endangered species we need to manage cat populations only in the places where those endangered species live," said Chris Johnson, a professor of wildlife conservation at the University of Tasmania. "It would be a huge shame if the Department of Environment was forced to take out certain actions just to ensure the two million target figure is reached."

A big concern is the way the cats will be eradicated with the use of leg traps and sodium fluoroacetate—which is better known as 1080 poison. Leg traps are placed throughout forested areas of regional Australia, catching the cats and holding them until they starve to death or are shot.

1080 poison is injected into meat, which is dropped from planes to bait the cats. Evolutionary biologist Dr Miranda Sherley is an ardent critic of 1080 and has published several reports on its use, especially relating to New Zealand where it's been the possum poison of choice for decades.

"Our research indicates animals affected by 1080 do not die a quick and humane death," she said. "Rather they suffer a range of potentially painful and distressing symptoms. There is a high level of public concern regarding the effects of the poison on non-target animals, including pets or working dogs that might accidentally pick up the baits, as well as native wildlife."

Concerns over the humanity of 1080 has prompted the RSPCA to push for research into other alternatives, while a spokesperson explained they're similarly worried about leg traps. "We're concerned that control methods such as leg-hold trapping will involve considerable suffering even when carried out according to best practice."

As for Commissioner Andrews, he believes a feral cat taskforce—made up of state representatives and leading cat experts—will effectively manage all of these animal welfare issues.

"I sleep very well at night knowing we're saving millions of animal lives," he said. "As for the trap, I've put my finger in it. It doesn't hurt."

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