Enumerating a continental-scale threat: how many feral cats are in Australia?

Legge and colleagues tackled a foundational question for cat management by estimating the total feral cat population across Australia. They compiled density estimates from dozens of sites and modelled how cat numbers vary with environmental conditions and rainfall, finding that densities are generally low and fluctuate strongly with conditions, particularly after rain-driven prey booms. Their analysis produced a continental estimate in the range of a few million feral cats in natural environments, rising substantially in good seasons, plus additional cats in highly modified landscapes. By providing rigorous population figures and showing how numbers respond to climate and resources, the study underpinned threat assessment, predation estimates and the design of control programs, replacing speculative figures with an evidence-based picture of the scale of Australia's feral cat problem.