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The growing threat of feral cats

30 June 2022 by Julia Leave a Comment

Feral cats are becoming a big problem in many parts of the country. But the ‘cat conversation’ can be contentious. Save the Kiwi National Predator Control Advisor John Bissell discusses why feral cats are becoming more of a threat, and why this observation isn’t an attack on domestic cats.

Feral cat out at night in our territory and, above, another one spotted in broad daylight

He says: ‘Feral cat numbers in the landscape have boomed in recent years. I know of projects that are removing them in the hundreds each year, when they used to remove them in the tens.

‘Why is this? Quite simply, it’s because of food. Milder winters are growing their prey populations quite nicely and feral cats are riding on the crest of that wave.

‘Cats ride the top of the food wave and ferrets come along in behind.’

Incredibly, a few irresponsible owners of domestic cats and kittens sometimes dump them in the Kawekas and other rural areas around Hawke’s Bay.

This isn’t just cruel to pets and a threat to wildlife. It is also a crime under the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

  • Te Ngahere are doing a fine job checking the trap lines in the Kaweka Forest Park. Their Facebook post on 29 July tells us about the cats they have been catching with great success.

Filed Under: Stories

About Julia

Julia is an ECOED trustee and SOKK volunteer. She edits the website

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Stories

That’s another fine mess you got us into, Stanley*

Banner Photo: Stanley, caught by RobynThe ever-positive Fiona decided it was a good time to go find Stanley, despite Labour weekend madness and a … Read More

We’re expanding the trap line network in the Kaweka Forest Park

Banner Photo:Cobb was tasked with the placement and staking of the trapsSave the Kiwi, in declining our request for financial assistance, cited … Read More

The ‘zombie’ kiwi is alive, kicking – and now reporting in correctly!

Banner Photo: Julia holding Mr JCYou could call Mr JC a zombie kiwi. His transmitter was reporting him dead, but he continued to wander about. … Read More

Cute freshly hatched kiwi photos incoming in 3 … 2 … 1 …

The 2023/24 hatching season has officially started at the Crombie Lockwood Kiwi Burrow, with the arrival of four kiwi eggs.Two eggs came from a … Read More

A Japanese flavour to our day

Banner Photo: Checking Huripari's weight gainLast week, four of us headed off the Kaweka Road to do the first health checks on two new young kiwis … Read More

About us

The Environment, Conservation and Outdoor Education Trust (ECOED) was established in 2002 to halt the decline of North Island brown kiwi in the Kaweka Forest Park. At that time, the estimated kiwi population was about 200. In response to the crisis, ECOED initiated the Save the Kiwi Hawke’s Bay Project, which is now known as Save Our Kaweka Kiwi, or SOKK.

Our goal is to restore a healthy population of kiwi in the forest park.

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