Research overview: feral cat predation impacts on island fauna

A survey of the documented and ongoing impacts of feral domestic cats on island vertebrates, among the most damaging examples of introduced-predator effects. Feral cats have contributed to dozens of bird, mammal and reptile extinctions on islands and continue to threaten seabird colonies and endemic species, with impacts amplified by prey naivety and the cats' dietary flexibility. This overview synthesizes estimates of prey consumed, the species and life stages most affected, the role of cats as both predators and disease vectors, and the outcomes of island eradication programs that have allowed prey recovery. It connects feral-cat predation to mesopredator and invasion ecology. The topic is central to island conservation and to managing the global ecological footprint of free-ranging cats.