Feral cat

A feral cat (Felis catus) is any cat that is living in the wild. True feral cats are those that are born in the wild. Semi-feral cats are those that have been cared for by humans before straying; being released; or being abandoned.

Feral cat is a restricted invasive animal under the Biosecurity Act and must not be moved, fed, given away, sold, or released into the environment.

Where they live

Feral cats are able to thrive in many different types of terrain. They are known to occur in many areas of the Sunshine Coast.

Problems caused by feral cats

Feral cats, with their strong hunting instincts, are a serious threat to many native animals. This includes small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and even fish.

Feral cats are opportunistic predators. They also pose threats to small livestock, domestic pets and poultry both through predation and through spread of disease.

Protecting against feral cats

Under the Biosecurity Act all Queenslanders have a general biosecurity obligation to manage feral cats on their land.

To get help to protect your place from feral cats visit the managing invasive animals web page.

Further information

For more information on feral cats:

• download the feral cat fact sheet (PDF, 5.9MB), or
• visit the the Biosecurity Queensland website.