Cat skin trade Australia and international

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16 FERAL CAT

 

Distribution and abundance

 

The domestic cat (Felis catus) was introduced into Australia by early

European settlers. Feral cats established when domestic cats escaped from

households or were released into the wild to control rabbits (Rolls 1969).

Feral cats are now distributed throughout Australia, occupying all habitats

(Jones 1989).

 

Although the total population of feral cats in Australia is unknown,

densities of at least one cat per square kilometre have been recorded in

favourable habitats (Jones 1983). In farmland regions in New Zealand, feral

cats have been recorded at a density of 3.5 cats per square kilometre

(Langham & Charleston 1990).

 

Feral cats are opportunistic predators and scavengers (Coman & Brunner

1972), and there is a community perception that native animals are major

prey species. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence to describe the

effects of predation by feral cats on the abundance of small native animals.

In pastoral areas, the diet of feral cats consists mostly of young rabbits

(Catling 1988). In habitats where rabbits are less common, feral cats mainly

eat small mammals, rodents, reptiles and invertebrates (Coman & Brunner

1972; Triggs et al. 1984).

 

Status

 

Feral cats are not declared as pests in any Australian State or Territory.

However, State vertebrate pest control and conservation authorities may

control feral cats by poisoning, shooting or trapping.

 

Commercial use

 

Feral cats are harvested for their fur. Commercial hunting only occurs in

the cooler parts of Australia, such as southern New South Wales and

Victoria, where the best quality fur is produced. However, large quantities

of feral cat furs are sometimes taken from the Nullarbor Plain region in

South Australia. No special licence is required to hunt feral cats, although

hunters must have the landowners' permission and comply with State firearms

laws.

 

Fox hunters and licensed kangaroo shooters probably take many of the feral

cats harvested, particularly when fur prices are low, because the

acquisition cost would be subsidised by the value of other species shot.

However, when fur prices are high, feral cats may then become a prime target

for recreational hunters.

 

Hunters kill feral cats by field-shooting at night with the aid of a

spotlight. The pelt is then removed, and pegged out to dry in readiness for

sale. Hunters may sell furs directly to furriers, or alternatively, send the

furs to one of the fur auctions held in Melbourne between May and December

each year. Furs are graded by colour (tabby, ginger, black or mixed) and

quality (first, second or poor). First grade tabby furs are the most

valuable type, returning about $2.00 each at fur auctions during 1989.

During 1986-87, when demand for fur products was high, first grade tabby

furs returned up to $22.00 each at auction.

 

The Australian retail market for fur products is small, due to the

relatively warm climates lack of tradition associated with wearing fur

garments and the high cost of finished garments. Therefore, most furs from

feral cats are exported. The main end use of cat fur is to line gloves,

jackets and collars, although they are also manufactured into garments.

 

The principal importers of Australian furs are the Federal Republic of

Germany, followed by the United Kingdom (table 16.1). Most furs imported to

the United Kingdom are sold at auction in London and re-exported, mostly to

Germany. Since 198243, the largest quantity exported was 9161 furs in

1987-88, while the highest export earning was $128 000 in 1986-87 (figure

16.1).

 

 

 

 

 

Since 1982-83, the average export value of cat fur has ranged between about

$8 and $18 per fur (figure 16.2). It appears that the increased commercial

harvest in 1987-88 was due to increased supply in anticipation of the higher

prices received in the previous year. This response suggests that supply of

feral cat fur will increase rapidly when market conditions are favourable.

 

 

 

Trade in feral cat fur can be controversial (Anon. 1986) because it is not

possible to distinguish between furs from feral cats and furs from the

common domestic cat. Further, the feral status can vary from

semidomesticated cats living in urban areas through to truly feral cats

living in remote rural areas. It is likely that some cat fur entering the

commercial trade originates from domestic cats.

 

World demand for fur products has declined in recent years in response to

diminished demand for high fashion fur garments. No exports of raw cat fur

skins have been recorded by the Australian Bureau of Statistics since 1988

89. The long-term trend in demand for fur products remains unclear; however,

it will be some time before any improvement in demand will influence feral

cat fur production.

 

Non-commercial harvesting

 

It is worth noting that Aboriginals in many rural communities in Northern

and Central Australia include feral cats in their diet. Indeed, some groups

consider feral cats to be a delicacy and make special efforts to hunt them

(Macfarlane 1978).

 

Although feral cats are not declared pests in Australia, they are perceived

as a potential threat to small native animals. Therefore, government pest

control agencies will take actions to control feral cats in problem regions.

The main method of control is by poisoning, although shooting and trapping

are also used (Mawson et al. 1990).

 

The extent of baiting for feral cats is very low and records of the quantity

of poison used are therefore difficult to retrieve. For example, in Tasmania

during the five-year period between 1984-85 and 1988-89 inclusive, baits

were laid specifically for feral cats on only five occasions. The main

purpose was to control feral cats on Macquarie Island where predation by

cats is thought to have contributed to the extinction of some native animals

(Taylor 1979). The poisons used included 1080, alphachloralose and pindone.

The number of cats killed in Tasmania and other States by vertebrate pest

control agencies is unknown. A few feral cats may be killed on mainland

Australia during baiting programs for other carnivores such as the European

red fox.

 

Biological control of feral cats has been attempted by South African

conservation authorities on sub-Antarctic Marion Island (Van Rensburg et al.

1987). Feline panleucopenia, a highly infectious viral disease, was

introduced to the feral cat population on the island in 1977, resulting in a

29 per cent annual rate of decrease in the population over five years (from

3400 cats in 1977 to 615 in 1982). Once infected, mortality is high.

However, cats that recover remain immune for life. Feline panleucopenia is

endemic in Australia, and could already exert some control on feral cat

abundance.

 

Diseases

 

Feral cats are capable of distributing the infective stages of parasites

that cause diseases in humans and domestic livestock (Hartley & Munday 1974;

Munday 1975; Langham & Charleston 1990). The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma

gondii is of particular concern because it can cause congenital

abnormalities if pregnant women are infected.

 

Toxoplasmosis causes abortion and perinatal mortality in sheep (Hartley &

Munday 1974). The disease also threatens the conservation of endangered

small native mammals such as the Eastern barred bandicoot Perameles gunnii

(Obendorf & Munday 1990). Gregory and Munday (1976) found 51 of 53 feral

cats serologically positive to Toxoplasma gondii in Tasmania.

 

Another protozoan parasite that is spread by feral cats is Sarcocystis spp.

It causes economic losses to the sheep meat industry in southern Australia

because macrocysts must he trimmed from the carcase and heavily infected

carcases are condemned (Munday 1975). The main option for control of these

parasites is to reduce the density of feral cats (Callow 1984).

 

Conclusions

 

Commercial use of feral cats in Australia is negligible, although it could

increase significantly with higher market prices. As most cat fur is

exported, the scale of harvesting will remain sensitive to changes in

overseas demand for fur products. Fur products are now out of fashion, and

the long-term prospects remain uncertain.

 

There is growing concern about the damage that feral cats may be causing to

native fauna populations. If more evidence of the adverse impact of feral

cats on populations of small native animals emerges, greater efforts may be

needed to control cats in environmentally sensitive regions.

 

© This material is sourced from the book Commercial Use of Wild Animals,

published by the Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra. It is available from

BRS for $20.

Phone (02) 6272 4114, fax (02) 6272 5050 or email info.pubs

 

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