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When Cats Cause Extinctions

When Cats Cause Extinctions They seem harmless, silent, almost invisible. But in Australia, feral cats have already caused more extinctions than any other modern predator. Can you imagine a domestic animal being one of the biggest threats to the biodiversity of an entire country? Since the arrival of European colonists in the late 18th century, something changed forever in the natural balance of Australia. Cats, which did not exist there, were introduced to a territory where the fauna never learned to flee from a feline predator. The result was catastrophic. Without natural enemies and surrounded by vulnerable prey, these cats multiplied rapidly, occupying almost the entire continent. Today, there are millions of feral cats scattered throughout Australia. And each one of them is a highly efficient hunting machine. In just one night, a single cat can kill several native animals. Now multiply that by millions every day. The annual impact is staggering: around one billion mammals die, nearly 600 million reptiles, and over 300 million birds disappear every year because of them. And the cruelest part of this story is that many of these species have no way to fight back. Small mammals, with slow reproduction rates, that evolved without large predators, have become easy prey. Since European colonization, at least 34 species of native mammals have already become extinct. And several others are on the verge of the same fate. Faced with this scenario, the Australian government has adopted extreme measures. Large-scale selective culling has been implemented, with goals to eliminate millions of feral cats using snipers and poisoned bait. In conservation areas, huge cat-proof fences have been built to create true havens where native fauna can survive. In some regions, even lethal solar-powered robots are being tested to locate and eliminate the felines. All of this raises a difficult, almost uncomfortable question. How can such a common animal, so beloved in homes around the world, become an ecological villain? The answer lies in the difference between domestic cats and feral cats. Feral cats were born or raised without any human contact. They are not recently abandoned, they are not lost animals. They live and hunt like wild predators, despite being genetically identical to pet cats. Domestic cats that live indoors are not the main focus of the problem, although their owners are encouraged to keep them in controlled environments to prevent escapes and the formation of new feral populations. This is not a story of hatred towards cats. It is a story about imbalance, unexpected consequences, and difficult decisions. In Australia, the fight for the survival of native fauna happens far from the spotlight, silently, night after night. And while the debate continues, one question remains: how far should humanity go to correct a mistake it created itself? Because at its core, this crisis is not just about cats… it's about human responsibility. Each unplanned introduced species carries a domino effect that can take centuries to reverse. In Australia, this effect has turned into a race against time to save what remains. Scientists warn that, if nothing is done, dozens of other species could disappear in the coming decades. Some already survive only on isolated islands or behind artificial fences, protected not by nature, but by man-made structures. It's a cruel paradox: to preserve the natural, it was necessary to make it artificially isolated. At the same time, the issue divides opinions worldwide. For some, the measures taken are necessary and urgent. For others, they are too extreme. But the reality is simple and harsh: ignoring the problem means accepting new extinctions as inevitable. And perhaps the most disturbing point of this story is realizing that this scenario is not unique to Australia. In different parts of the planet, invasive species continue to be introduced, intentionally or not, repeating the same cycle of silent destruction. In the end, Australian feral cats become a powerful symbol. They are not monsters, nor conscious villains. They are simply animals following their instincts in an environment that should never have been theirs. The real warning of this story is not in the claws or teeth, but in the human choices that shape entire ecosystems. The ultimate question is not whether cats should exist in Australia or not. The real question is: what are we willing to do to protect native life before it disappears forever without a trace, without a sound, and without a second chance?