New South Wales wildlife carers admit tens of thousands of native animals each year, often suffering from injury or illness. A comprehensive new investigation has revealed that domestic pet cats are responsible for a remarkably small percentage of these cases, challenging long-held assumptions about their impact on threatened species.

The extensive analysis, conducted by researchers from a prominent Queensland university in collaboration with a national pet welfare foundation, scrutinized more than 52,000 incidents involving 158 threatened and endangered native species brought to wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centres across NSW. The data, spanning an 11-year period from 2013 to 2024, showed that fewer than one per cent of these animals – specifically, 0.6 per cent or 311 cases – had been attacked by domestic cats.

Understanding the Data: Domestic vs. Feral

Lead researcher and wildlife ecologist, Dr. Kate Dutton-Regester, emphasized the crucial distinction between domesticated pets and feral animals. Dr. Dutton-Regester noted that much of the existing data on cat predation stems from observations of feral populations, which exhibit vastly different behaviours from typical household pets. "We have been using data obtained from our feral cats on our urban cats, making some extrapolations that aren't really true to the behaviour of our domestic cats," she explained. "Not all cats are outside, not all cats hunt… it's a contentious issue."

The investigation further highlighted that dog attacks accounted for three times as many wildlife rescues as those attributed to domestic cats. While acknowledging that some animals attacked by cats might not survive long enough to reach care, Dr. Dutton-Regester pointed out that this mortality factor applies equally to other significant threats like vehicle strikes or diseases, suggesting a need to re-evaluate the focus of conservation efforts.

The Broader Impact: A Complex Picture

However, the findings have not been universally accepted without debate. Professor Sarah Legge, from a northern Australian university's Faculty of Science and Technology, questioned the study's reliance on rescue and rehabilitation data as a sole measure of impact. She argued that a more accurate assessment would involve methods such as radio-tracking pet cats and analysing their gut contents, providing a less biased sample of their daily dietary habits.

Professor Legge underscored that while an individual pet cat might kill less than a feral counterpart, the cumulative effect of the entire pet cat population is substantial. National estimates suggest pet cats collectively kill around 390 million animals annually, contributing significantly to the extinction risk for 34 Australian mammals. She noted that many pet owners remain unaware of their cats' nocturnal activities, with studies indicating that pet cats bring home only a fraction – about 15 per cent – of the wildlife they catch.

Containment Debates and Alternative Solutions

In light of these concerns, Professor Legge advocates for mandated cat containment to mitigate wildlife deaths. Conversely, Dr. Jacquie Rand, a co-author of the study and executive director of the Australian Pet Welfare Foundation, supports voluntary cat containment but expresses reservations about the efficacy and enforceability of mandatory measures. Dr. Rand believes that such mandates would be "almost impossible to enforce" and fail to protect wildlife effectively. Instead, she champions high-intensity desexing programs in low socio-economic areas, which have shown success in reducing free-roaming cat populations in various regions.

Stephen Van Mil, chief executive of Wildlife Recovery Australia, echoed the Queensland university's findings, citing similar data from their Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital. He suggested that many cat owners are already taking responsible steps by keeping their pets indoors, particularly overnight.

Prioritizing Major Threats to Wildlife

The university's study ultimately points towards a broader spectrum of significant threats to native wildlife. Entanglement, drought, abandonment, environmental factors, and vehicle strikes were identified as the most common reasons for animal rescues. Flying Foxes were the most frequently rescued species, followed by koalas (primarily due to disease and vehicle strikes) and squirrel gliders, which often fall victim to fruit netting or fencing.

Dr. Rand emphasized that this research provides valuable insights for government policy decisions regarding threatened species. She advocates for a focus on high-impact interventions, such as promoting wildlife-safe netting on farms, improving road safety through strategic fencing in hotspots, and establishing wildlife crossings. "It's important to focus on where we can have the biggest impact… I think you always want to try education and support first," she stated, highlighting the extensive evidence supporting these measures in reducing wildlife mortality.