There is a confusing (to me) and complex interplay between the feral cats on the Australian continent, the rabbits upon which they prey, and the conservation of precious native mammals. European rabbits were introduced to Australia in the 18th century. … continue reading…
I’ve recently been doing research on whether owning a caracal is illegal in Australia (I shouldn’t have bothered). It was very hard research because the documentation provided by Australian administrations was poor. What I found was a continual reference to … continue reading…
On my reckoning, there are only 10 countries where the domestic cat is a native species or a non-invasive species. In all the other countries of the world the domestic cat could be described as an invasive species. So, what … continue reading…
I have noticed that some Maine Coon breeders say that the Maine Coon is native to America. And the UK’s Premier cat Association, GCCF, says the same thing. If you believe in the scientific concept of non-native species, they are … continue reading…
Domestic cats are not an invasive species in every country. Domestic cats are native to certain countries and in those countries they are not an invasive species. A species of animal is only “invasive” if they are not native or … continue reading…
Are domestic cats an invasive species? It depends on where you are. A lot of people say that domestic cats are an invasive species but that can’t be true for every country. In the countries of their origin they are … continue reading…
Are there any cats native to Australia? No, there are no cat species native to Australia. This is another reason why the authorities – state and federal governments – on the continent, in general, hate the feral cat which they … continue reading…
Libby Watson writing on splinternews.com coins a term which I like: birdheads. It’s a derivation of ‘petrolheads’ (car lovers) and it is very apt. It applies to ornithologists and people such as Jonathan Franzen, an American novelist and essayist, who … continue reading…
Dr. Guy Ballard is a research officer and lecturer. He supervises PhD students. He got his doctorate at The School of Environmental and Rural Science (ERS) at the University of New England (AU), New South Wales, Australia. Okay, he is … continue reading…
Yes, we are back to that evergreen topic: the Australian government’s proposals to cull millions of feral cats in order to save native animals that they love and who define the nation. They’re making a choice between an invasive species … continue reading…
Ecosystems are complex. In order to understand the role of the domestic cat in respect of predation, it is important to recognise that the cat is one of a large group of predators some of which are native and some … continue reading…
For several years, in full public view on the Internet, the Australian authorities have been searching for ways to bring the feral cat on their continent under their control. They want to eradicate the feral cat and have put forward … continue reading…
In what appears to be an off-the-cuff remark, Maggie Barry, New Zealand’s conservation Minister suggested that households should be restricted to a maximum of two cats. Â She claims that an excessive cat population in New Zealand was endangering the famous, … continue reading…
This is a comment from Pippa Mealings who lives in Australia. It is a very fair-minded and sensible comment based on fact not supposition which all of the misguided estimates by the authorities are when they describe how domestic and feral … continue reading…
The Australian government, authorities and experts bombard their citizens and the rest of the world with Armageddon-like stories of the decimation of their native wildlife by their hated feral cats. They have been doing this for decades. Their so called … continue reading…
