Feral Cats in Northland

Feral cats must be eradicated from Northland

Feral cats are responsible for killing and endangering a significant number of our bird species.

Feral cats spread toxoplasmosis which will cause abortions in sheep and can be transferred to humans.

Feral cat definition

Feral cats are domestic cats gone wild. This often occurs when cat owners dump their cats when they no longer want them. These cats breed and become a major problem to wild life and farmers.

Feral cats look no different to domestic cats.

Feral cats are killing of our wildlife on a large scale

Feral cats kill a wide range of wildlife including birds, lizards, invertebrates and frogs.

New Zealand native species have no defence against feral cats which makes them extremely vulnerable.

some statistics about feral cats effect on our wild life

• cats kill up to 100 million of our birds each year.
• It is estimated that feral cats have been responsible for the extinction of six endemic bird species and over 70 localised subspecies, as well as depleting the populations of other bird and lizard species.
• In 2010 the Department of Conservation discovered that a feral cat was responsible for killing over 100 endangered short-tailed bats over a seven-day period in a forested area.
• one feral cat after it was caught vomited up over 30 skinks. One cat could wipe out an entire rare skink population

Reproduction

Cats are prolific breeders. Females usually take 6 – 9 months to reach sexual maturity. Pregnancy lasts about 68 days and litters are most commonly of 3-6 kittens. A female can have more than one litter each year. This means numbers quickly build up.

Feral cat summary

They are deadly and efficient killers which breed very quickly. this makes them a major threat to wild life. in some areas more feral cats are caught than stoats. Removing feral cats from the environment has a very beneficial effect on the wild life. The problem is then there are no predators to keep rat and mice numbers down.

A Steve Allan trap set for 1 week at the bush entrance to the lodge. The cat was killed instantly and humanly.

Feral cats and conservation

Trapping

photo the cat trap up the tree

Unless feral cats are trapped and humanely euthanised, they will decimate our native birds, lizards and insects and spread disease.

We are using Steve Allan traps which have been approved as a humane cat killer. These are set out on our stoat and possum trap and bait lines. There will be four lines of these between 800m and 1km apart. We will move them around as we reduce the population. These lines are both on farm land and in the bush.

in conjunction with local Farmers and the Northland Regional Council we have set up the The Tangihua Community Pest Control area (TCPCA). For more information see below

Stop dumping unwanted cats

The feral cat problem that wouldn’t exist, if it weren’t for the irresponsibility of some owners of domestic cats dumping them in the country side.

Farmland and Regional Council – The Tangihua Community Pest Control area (TCPCA)

A Community pest control area has been set up involving a group of landowners and the Tangihua Lions Trust in the Tangihua area.

This project covers approximately 1100 ha of open pasture, scrubland and native forest. The aim of this project is to assist and provide landowners and the local community with tools, infrastructure and a means to manage introduced mammalian pests and weeds species.

This project has been established to restore biodiversity values on Private land surrounding the Tangihua Forest and to enhance and support conservation efforts being carried out in the adjacent Tangihua Forest.

This CPCA project adjoins the Tangihua forest where forest restoration activities are being undertaken by the local community. This CPCA project is working in conjunction with the Tangihua Forest Restoration project (900Ha) being undertaken on conservation land within the Tangihua Conservation forest and is pivotal in ensuring this adjacent project on conservation land is successful.

The main objectives of this project are to reduce mammalian pests and weed species, and maintain pest populations at low levels allowing for the recovery of native flora and fauna.

Pest species which will be controlled through this project area are

• Possums
• Rodents
• Mustelids
• Feral cats
• Feral Pigs
• Kauri Die back

These species will be controlled through a combination of trapping, toxins, shooting and agrichemicals.

the projected cost of this project is $265,550 with an estimated $72,300 Provided by the regional council.