Feral cats, scientific name Felis catus, appear the same as normal house cats; however the difference is that Felis catus must provide shelter and scavenge for food for itself to ensure its survival. Why are Felis catus such a problem for the Australian ecosystem? Particularly the local fauna? Felis catus is able to reproduce quickly for a mammal; so not only do they reproduce fairly quickly but they also have litters of multiple offspring at once. However not all of the litter survives. With all of these new offspring there will be a need for shelter and a source of food. This food source comes from the many unique animals native to Australia. Eighty percent of Australia’s plants and wildlife are endemic, meaning they do not appear anywhere…show more content… With each different climate comes different fauna for prey. The Felis catus kills between five to thirty animals per day; with an estimation of population at 4 million, the Felis catus is killing millions of native animals per day (“Feral Cat Research”). What are the main dietary sources for the Felis catus? By studying the diets of dead cats we are able to observe the most affected species of prey. In arid habitats, rabbits and house mice tend to be the food of choice while in temperate forest marsupials are the prey of choice (Dickman, pp. 30-38). The diet of the Felis catus is also affected by the different seasons and thus the different climates. During the summer and fall seasons, the diet of the Felis catus was more varied, including a range of invertebrates, rodents, birds, and reptiles than in the winter and spring seasons…show more content… Or more so what is being done to help the population of the prey? One of the considerations Charles Darwin included in his definition of natural selection was competition (Coleman 21) Not only do the cats create competition to themselves but also from dingo’s, and foxes. Typically these predators all eat the same size pray, or even eat each other. This is one way that the population can be controlled but is less effective. In 1999, Australia ratified the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act), which is the Australian government’s central piece of environmental legislation. It provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places. Within this act is threat abatement plans whose goal is to prevent the Felis catus from occupying new areas and eradicating the high conservation areas, and to promote the maintenance and recovery of native species (“Federal Register of Legislation – Australian Government”, pp. 29 -33)
