Developing a community-based feral cat control program for Kangaroo Island

Various methods have been used to eliminate or control feral cats from selected areas, often islands. These include poisoned baits, biological agents (e.g. feline panleucopaenia), shooting, trapping and exclusion fencing, often applied in combination (e.g. Veitch 1985, 1991; van Rensbury et al. 1987; Coman 1991; Newsome 1991; Bloomer & Bester 1992). These techniques can be labourand area-intensive and have been effective for relatively small areas. In an Australian context recent work has concentrated on assessing various trapping, baiting and luring techniques (e.g. Risbey et al. 1997; Edwards et al. 1997; Short et al. 1997, 2002) with the view to developing methods of controlling feral cats over larger areas. The conclusion from these studies is that no one method is likely to be totally effective, that a variety of methods may be needed and that these methods need to be tailored for the environment in which control is sought (e.g. Veitch 1991; Short et al. 2002). For Kangaroo Island which is relatively well populated the use of poisoned baits and biological agents is unlikely to be acceptable to the community because of risks to non-target native fauna and companion animals such as dogs and cats. Furthermore rural and urban communities are increasingly sensitive to animal welfare issues and any method of control for feral cats will need to be humane. As a consequence only mechanical methods of control trapping, shooting and fencing are likely to remain as acceptable for controlling feral cats on Kangaroo Island.