Number of Feral Cats in Australia

Estimates of Australia's feral cat population vary widely due to the continent's vastness and the cats' cryptic nature:

• Consensus range: 2 to 6 million (most cited by government and conservation agencies).
• High-end estimates: Up to 10 million during boom years after high rainfall (increased prey).
• Density: ~1 cat per 2–4 km² on average, but highly variable—absent in dense forests, hyper-abundant in arid zones and islands.

Impact: Feral cats are a primary driver of Australia's world-leading mammal extinction rate (30+ species). They kill an estimated 1.5 billion native animals annually (reptiles, birds, mammals). They threaten 120+ listed threatened species.

Management: Federal "Threat Abatement Plan" includes baiting (Eradicat®, Curiosity®), trapping, shooting, exclusion fencing, and island eradications (e.g., Dirk Hartog, Kangaroo Island). Pet cat containment laws are expanding. Total eradication on mainland is currently infeasible.