There are renewed calls for Northern Beaches residents to keep their cats indoors to try and curb attacks on local wildlife, as research shows one cat kills 186 native animals per year.
There are an estimated 50,000 pet cats on the Northern Beaches, but despite their valued role as companion animals roaming felines are a major threat to native wildlife.
According to research from The Threatened Species Recovery Hub, roaming cats kill 390 million animals per year in Australia, including native species such as long-nosed bandicoots, feathertail gliders, lizards and Lyre birds – which have only just come back to the area following extensive bush regeneration work.
Northern Beaches Council manages around 17 kilometres squared of bushland, and a further 114 square kilometres is in the local National Parks, housing hundreds of unique native animal species such as fairy wrens, sugar gliders, honeyeaters, tree frogs, water dragons, skinks, owls and maybe even koalas – all at risk from our felines.
As a result, Northern Beaches Council recently joined forces with the NSW Government and RSPCA NSW to form the Keeping Cats Safe at Home project.
“The Northern Beaches is home to many moggy lovers, with an estimated 50,000 domestic cats in our local government area,” says Mayor Michael Regan.
“We are working with RSPCA NSW and cat lovers to ensure our furry friends are kept at home, safe from harm.
“The Keeping Cats Safe at Home is helping to change behaviours and encouraging responsible cat ownership. It’s also keeping our native wildlife safe from roaming cats.”
The NSW Government awarded a $2.5 million grant from the NSW Environmental Trust to RSPCA NSW to deliver the Keeping Cats Safe at Home project and Northern Beaches Council is one of 11 partner Councils involved.
Image credit: Lisa Spinks
A koala was recently spotted in the Belrose area. The exact location is withheld as per NPWS policy.
The program works with local veterinarians, companion animal groups, cat owners, wildlife groups and the community to change attitudes and behaviours towards responsible cat ownership and address specific needs and challenges within each area, such as improved access to free desexing and microchipping.
It also aims to improve the health and safety of domestic felines, as roaming cats are at significant risk of contracting infectious diseases and being injured or killed on the road.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Cats collectively kill 7,200 to 13,100 animals per square kilometre each year in urban areas.
“By keeping cats home, think about how many precious native animals we are saving!” adds Mayor Regan.
Experts say every roaming domestic cat kills on average 186 reptiles, birds, and mammals each year, and they have played a leading role in most of Australia’s 34 mammal extinctions since 1788. They are also a big reason the populations of at least 123 other threatened native species are dropping.
“While each pet cat kills fewer animals than a feral cat, their high density means the predation toll per area is very high in urban areas, collectively killing 7,200 to 13,100 animals, many native, per square kilometre each year in urban areas,” says Holly Parsons, Urban Bird Program manager at Birdlife Australia.
A cat killing a native rat at North Head, Manly, captured on a NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) camera.
“While each pet cat kills fewer animals than a feral cat, their high density means the predation toll per area is very high in urban areas, collectively killing 7,200 to 13,100 animals, many native, per square kilometre each year in urban areas” Holly Parsons, Urban Bird Program manager at Birdlife Australia.
Are koalas still on the beaches?
Australia’s most recognised and probably best-loved native animal, koalas, thrived along the Northern Beaches up until the 1970s but, these days, it’s unlikely you’ll spot one in Council’s smaller bushland reserves or the Peninsula.
However, recent sightings of koalas indicate small populations may exist in our local national parks and adjoining bushland such as Garigal National Park – the protected national park spanning Pittwater, the North Shore, and the Forest District – increasing the need to curb domestic cats roaming.
One was also spotted near a Belrose development in 2020, believed to be injured.
While no recent koala attacks have been confirmed, North Sydney Council’s Bushland Management Coordinator Gareth Debney confirms “we get reports every now and again of koala sightings up there.”
Urban Bird Program manager at Birdlife Australia, Holly Parsons, is urging cat owners to keep their cats indoors, for their own safety as well as that of the wildlife.
CATS AND AUSTRALIAN WILDLIFE – THE NUMBERS
- Northern Beaches residents own an estimated 50,000 pet cats
- There are 3.8 million pet cats in Australia, of which:
- 1.1 million (29 per cent) are kept indoors 24 hours a day
- 2.7 million (71 per cent) are allowed to roam and hunt
- Roaming pet cats kill 390 million animals collectively each year in Australia
- An individual roaming cat kills 186 reptiles, birds, and mammals annually
- A study found that 49 per cent of cats brought in at night sneak out for nocturnal roaming and hunting
- Pet cats bring home only 15 per cent of what they hunt
By Ana Foxcroft