We know that Australians in government are waging a war against the dreaded feral cat in their country because they feel that it is killing too many native wild animals. There have been many proposals on the best way to kill feral cats. They are all inhumane. TNR has never been discussed.
Now they have devised robotic killers which detect feral cats and then spray poison onto the cat’s fur. The poison is licked off by the cat and the cat dies. These devices have been deployed in the desert.
The device has been invented by John Read. He is an ecologist. It took him seven years. He has manufactured four of these devices and the first one is currently in action in a nature reserve in South West Queensland.
He says that “this trap targets the cat’s Achilles heel”. What he is referring to is that all cats are fastidious self-groomers. They’re bound to lick the poison off their fur. His robotic device exploits this “weakness” as he sees it.
The device employs laser range finders. It detects when something moves in front of it. If it detects that the animal is taller than a cat it shuts down. The same response takes place if the animal is “low-slung” such as a wombat. Obviously the intention is to avoid killing native species!
Two rangefinders at the front and back of the device have to be triggered simultaneously for the device to spray poison on the animal in front of it, which should be a feral cat if the device is functioning properly. What about domestic cats who are wondering outside?
Custom search results for killing feral cats in Australia on PoC
John has clearly given a lot of thought about how to avoid killing native species which would be the exact opposite to his intentions. Another way to ensure that the device kills cats is that the poison being used is called “1080”. This occurs naturally in some plants. The idea is that native animals are less susceptible to it — i.e. to being killed by it. The dosage used is able to kill three cats but unlikely to kill a native animal, John says. I am not sure that his thinking is logical. Is it logical to state that just because an animal is native to a country it is less susceptible to a poison simply because it happens to be contained within some plants which are also native to the country? I’m not sure about that.
Another argument that John makes is that most animals other than cats are less likely to lick their fur as cats do and therefore are less liable to ingest the poison.
In addition, this poison producing device emits sounds similar to those of the prey of feral cats which hopefully will attract the cats to the device.
There are, in fact, three trial locations. Based on the trials the devices will be optimised with the intention of manufacturing 50 or more for further and more extensive trials over a wider range in the future.
Up until now just under AU$500,000 has been spent developing the traps. Part of the funding comes from the South Australian government.
It is hoped that the devices will help protect parrots at the Pullen Pullen Reserve.
What you think about this? Australian scientists are certainly exercising their brain matter to devise ways to exterminate the feral cat in Australia. This device is one in a long list of proposed methods. Poisoning seems to be coming to the fore as the most effective means of achieving their aims. The great weakness with poisoning is that you might poison animals other than feral cats. The fact that the death is inhumane and cruel and that Australians created the feral cat appears to be irrelevant to their thinking. Oh…and they also ignore the simple fact that humans kill far more wildlife than cats through habitat destruction. Hypocrites.
Australia, congratulations on losing your moral compass. This is a stain on humanity, one that can never be washed away. I am so pleased to circulate this story. When my friends make their vacation plans, I want to be sure Australia is NOT on their list. You sure aren’t on mine!
Totally agree with you Catherine. What they are doing does indeed stain their country. Anyway it won’t work. It is horribly cruel.
Catherine Robinson, Says the American who has more mass shootings then any other country on earth. Moral compass indeed. lol
I am a Australian and I DO NOT agree with what they are doing to feral cats. HUMANS are and always have been the biggest killers of nature. It will never stop. People need to ask WHY there are so many feral cats here? And while they are at it, why not kill off feral dogs? oh god no..everyone loves a dog. Well not me. If its good enough to kill feral cats then kill feral dogs too. I am against what they are doing. And serious one day hope their traps backfire and poison them.
Thanks Ali. I am pleased that you disagree with what is happening. It pleases me to know that.
have they ever considered TNR this is the best way to stop overpopulation of animals. Seems to me they just want to kill them cause they were too lazy years ago to trap and fix the cats to stop this. How the hell does the inventor of this machine shoot enough poison to kill them, what if its only enough to make the cats sick and they lay in agony and suffer. yeah the govt really loves cats if they did they would try another way instead of blaming cats for destroying your precious eco system which if you were human enough would see HUMANS are the destroyiers of the world. Put the blame where it belongs, stop the killing of innocent cats Shame on Austrailia
Well said Kaye. I have said the same thing in a number of responses to other comments. Thanks for commenting.
kaye, as an Australian I would rather see a feral cat die then a unique Marsupial be eaten alive, what is more human ?
I’d rather see humans take responsibility for their actions.
They are, by killing the ferals cats.
No, that is passing the buck for wildlife destruction onto cats. Humans must look at their behavior and modify it so that it does not have an impact on wildlife. That is taking responsibility for their actions. And own up to it as well. You never hear Australians saying it is their fault that there is habitat destruction or that they created the feral cat.
Utterly shameful. They don’t give a toss about animals – ANY animal – if they kill cats. It is humans’ fault these cats are out there – deal with it humanely not by poisoning cats. Wicked and evil concept. I hope Karma visits this man and makes him regret this evil deed.
Thanks Marjorie. I have the same thoughts as you. I guess you know that.
This disgusts me! TNR is a much better way to control the cat population. Or they could try to do something else that will not harm the cats. This is sick! I used to want to go to Australia. Not anymore.
Agreed. Thanks Catherine.
The tnr program will never work you simpleton
TNR does work if carried out properly with commitment and organisation. Don’t call someone a simpleton just because you disagree with them. That’s rude.
Trap and euthanize is by far the most humane way but very expensive, there are far to many cats over such a vast area that it just cant be done like that. To let a cat back into the wild even after desexing is death to thousands more native animal.
I see your point KDC but the authorities created this situation. It is beholden to them to deal with it humanely and decently. I have published all your other comments. Thanks for commenting.
This is disgusting!! I am part of a non profit organization that TNR’s the feral cats. We also have people that feed these cats once they have been put back into their feeding area they came from. Just because some humans decide to throw their cat out the door and then they help to populate the area and become more feral, doesn’t mean we as a people can’t TNR these beautiful creatures and even take in their young so they can go to good homes.
I completely agree with you. Thanks for commenting, Heather.
Heather Lee come to Australia and help yourself to these beautiful creatures, the adults will tear the hide off you.
Heather What you are doing is ILLEGAL you call your self a animal lover.
How dare you release cats into the wild in Australia. For goodness sake learn about how animals behave, Cats like dogs enjoy the hunt and enjoy tormenting animals before they kill them they dont always eat what they kill they simply enjoy the game.. While you may feed them this will not stop them from entertaining themselves.
We are not worried about cats mating with wildlife We are worried that cats will catch and main and kill wildlife.
Wake up to your self. What you are doing is ILLEGAL .
What you are saying is completely wrong. You are saying (loudly) that TNR is illegal. You are saying that after the feral cat has been neutered and put back where he/she came from is illegal. If you mean to say that, it is rubbish. Obviously. What you are saying is the presence of feral cats is illegal. If that is the case Australians are all criminals for having feral cats.