Cats in Australia: Companion and Killer

Across the world, cats are loved as pets or are kept or tolerated for their role in controlling some animal pests. But cats, both pets and feral, also kill many native animals and this toll can be enormous. Cats have been remarkably successful in Australia, spreading pervasively across the continent and many islands, occurring in all environments, and proving to be adept and adaptable hunters. A large proportion of Australia’s distinctive fauna is threatened and recent research highlights the significant role that cats play in the decline and extinction of native species. Cats in Australia brings this research together, documenting the extent to which cats have subverted, and are continuing to subvert, Australia’s biodiversity. But the book does much more than spotlight the impacts of cats on Australian nature. It describes the origins of cats and their global spread, their long-standing and varying relationship with people, their global impacts and their ecology. It also seeks to describe the challenge of managing cats, and the options available to constrain their impacts. Certificate of Commendation, The Royal Zoological Society of NSW 2020 Whitley Awards: Zoological Review

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgements Defining cats 1: Domestic cat: origins 2: The natural history of cats 3: Cats and other predators 4: The cat’s world: global distribution and impacts on biodiversity 5: Cats in Australia: history, spread, distribution and population size 6: Impacts of feral cats on Australian wildlife 7: Pet cats in Australia and their impact on wildlife 8: Economic and health impacts 9: Management of cats in Australia 10: Cat ethics 11: The ill-governed cat: law and policy 12: Cats on the mind: community attitudes 13: Conclusions and outlook References Index

About the Author :
John Woinarski is with Charles Darwin University, with expertise in the ecology and conservation of birds and mammals in northern Australia. His previous books include The Action Plan for Australian Mammals 2012 and A Bat’s End: The Christmas Island Pipistrelle and Extinction in Australia. Sarah Legge is with the Australian National University and University of Queensland and is one of Australia’s leading conservation ecologists and managers. Her previous books include Monitoring Threatened Species and Ecological Communities. Chris Dickman is at University of Sydney and is an expert in the ecology of Australian mammals. His previous books include the Whitley Medal-winning A Fragile Balance: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Marsupials and Secret Lives of Carnivorous Marsupials.

Review :
"The authors of this book should be commended for their thoughtful and thorough approach to this complex topic." "Overall, the book is a fascinating and important read. The authors provide extensive scientific detail but punctuate this with interesting quotes, historical accounts, anecdotes, photos and illustrations, making the book accessible to a wide audience. A must-read for anyone working in or interested in wildlife conservation!" "Cats in Australia contains so much information on cats and their impact on Australia’s indigenous fauna that it should be essential reading for conservationists, wildlife managers, and cat lovers, especially those on that continent."