Thread: Is it possible to permanently deter a stray cat from being on your property?

Around 25 years ago we were in the Bungle Bungles area,and saw a wild cat.

The next day day we were talking to a National Parks Ranger,and told him about it.

No cats around here,he said.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Rather to my surprise, almost sixty years ago, in 1966, I encountered a large feral cat in the middle of the Simpson Desert. There is no way that it was descended from a recently dumped pet. It is perhaps worth noting that Macassans were visiting the north coast of Australia from about 1400. Their boats would have frequently, if not always, carried cats (for keeping rat and mouse numbers under control on board), and since they were beached rather than anchored as often as not, it is virtually certain that some cats would have preferred a shore life to shipboard life.

Similarly, from the sixteenth century a number of Portuguese and a century later , Dutch, ships visited Australia and many were wrecked on the Australian mainland. All of these would have carried cats, and some would have survived shipwreck.

In fact, I seem to remember reading quite a few years ago that a study showed that genetically feral cats in northern Australia came from SE Asia not Europe, as is the case for those that arrived with the English colonisation.

Agreed - and there's actually an island in QLD that has chooks on it from a boat wreck in the 18th Century - but they're like jungle fowl, not modern chickens.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Similarly, from the sixteenth century a number of Portuguese and a century later , Dutch, ships visited Australia and many were wrecked on the Australian mainland. All of these would have carried cats, and some would have survived shipwreck.
....those that arrived with the English colonisation.

This may explain the reason why cats fight a lot, between themselves. I remember overnighting at a rellie's place in inner Brissie and the cats' fighting at night was ****ful!

In fact, I seem to remember reading quite a few years ago that a study showed that genetically feral cats in northern Australia came from SE Asia not Europe, as is the case for those that arrived with the English colonisation.

As far as I can ascertain All of our pet, wild and feral cats originated in the Middle East (the fertile crescent ) about 7,500BC.
Regardless of their origin feral cats are an invasive species Not native to Australia that do imesurable damage to our native fauna and need to be eradicated.
Nobody seems to have a problem with eradicating cane toads Why should feral cats that do more damage be treated any differently?

Both species have shown themselves very resistant to elimination, even in limited areas.

Wife showed me a photo yesterday of a feral cat that was shot near some water, they cut it open and its guts was full of small lizards, at least 40 of them.
Even if they are catching mice they would most likely be native ones out in the bush not your normal European ones you find in the burbs.

Originally Posted by Arapiles

Agreed - and there's actually an island in QLD that has chooks on it from a boat wreck in the 18th Century - but they're like jungle fowl, not modern chickens.

That's really interesting, do you have any more info?
I might look into it..

Sorry for going off topic...

Originally Posted by Arapiles

Agreed - and there's actually an island in QLD that has chooks on it from a boat wreck in the 18th Century - but they're like jungle fowl, not modern chickens.

Norfolk Island? It has a feral population. Chooks, I mean!

If you're referring to NW Island, near Gladstone, I thought the chooks had all been removed, ages ago. Is there another?