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The Savannah cat ban in Australia is wrong. The more I read about the Australians and their attitude towards domestic cats (and feral cats) the more I think it is simply wrong and muddled. This is a story about one of the most glamorous purebred pedigree cats (and I love the Savannah cat) and a cat at the bottom of the social order, the feral cat. Which is in need of help?
Australians have a problem, or so they think, with feral cats. I have talked about the feral cats of Australia (new post). From a humane perspective and my perspective, Australians as a whole (not individual Australians) mistreat feral cats. As I understand it, Australians are allowed to shoot and poison feral cats (see Ground Shooting of Feral Cats). This translates to killing anyway they want. This to me seems simply barbaric. Please don't misunderstand me. I like animals and I like people. I also like good behavior towards other people and other animals.
There seems to be a consensus in Australia, probably originating in government, that feral cats wantonly kill their precious native wildlife. From what I have seen and read there is no hard evidence to support this. The surveys don't support this assertion and if they do they are probably biased surveys. However, one point seems to have been missed. The most important aspect of feral cats in Australia is that the Australians caused the problem and now the cat is being persecuted and punished as a result of people's errant behavior. This is typical of human behavior I am afraid to say. The people who are irresponsible should be punished and feral cats should be treated humanely and controlled gradually through a disciplined and long term approach (TNR - a tried, tested and humane method). People should show more humility and tenderness towards other animals (and less arrogance). It seems Tasmania is adopting a more humane approach by the way (see desexing feral cats).
I mention this because the feral cat "problem" has colored the decision making of the government and it is one reason why the Savannah cat ban in Australia is wrong. The Australian government has imagined large (maybe very large) Savannah cats (possibly first or second generation) being abandoned and mating with feral cats to make a super feral cat that wipes out native Australian wildlife at an unheard of rate.
OK, I can see the argument and understand the fear but it is, I believe, misplaced. The problem is that the authorities had already approved (some 2 years earlier in 2006) the importation of the Savannah cat, which encouraged or allowed the Australian breeder (Glenn and Karen Parker, of Benowa) to contract with A1 Savannahs, the premier and founding breeder in America for the purchase of Savannah cats. That contract is now jeopardized or worse, the Australian breeder is forced to be in breach of contract with A1 Savannahs. The authorities cannot change their position and disregard commercial transactions made in good faith and within the law.
Further, the Savannah cat that is to be sold by the Australian breeder will be neutered/spayed so there will be no chance of a Savannah mating with a feral cat should one be abandoned or escape, which is unlikely anyway.
In addition Savannah cats at SBT level (Stud Book Tradition) are 5th generation Savannahs and I am going to presume that is type of cat that Glenn and Karen Parker would sell. In other words they are restricted under contract (with A1 Savannahs - I am guessing here though) to sell "pets" to Australians and not sell breeding Savannahs to other breeders. Savannah cats generally are no different to other cat breeds. They are well balanced cats, carefully bred to be family pets like the Bengal cat.
The Bengal cat breeders are already established in Australia. There is no difference between and SBT Bengal and an SBT Savannah in my view in terms of wildness (i.e. wild blood content). What will happen to the Bengal cat breeders and keepers?
All these factors support my argument that the Savannah cat ban in Australia is wrong. It is also wrong for the government to have been so dilatory in respect of the control of feral cats until it became an overdue problem forcing the government to propose inhumane steps to control it.
Glenn and Karen Parker are now considering suing the Australian government, a tall order but forced on them and A1 Savannahs are also considering taking legal action on more than one level. It may get messy. Something that could and should have been avoided.
Update: There has been two really good comments from an anonymous visitor and I agree with a lot of what he/she says. The situation is really a mess brought on the government of Australia for not dealing with feral cat problems much more proactively and earlier and now using the Savannah cat as a means to get themselves off the hook and divert attention from their dilatory behavior in respect of feral cats. I think it is down to a responsible "ownership" and breeding. If people can't adopt such an approach there should be regulations. The vast majority of cat breeders it seems to me are highly responsible. There also needs to be more accurate research on the impact of feral cats on native species.
From what I've read some of the research is designed to serve a purpose (perhaps funded by the government); to attack the feral cat as a pest. As far as I can see, no Australians have attacked or taken proactive steps to control or punish people who act irresponsibly in relation to cat keeping. Are there plans in place to regulate the keeping of cats such as spaying and neutering and obligatory microchipping? Maybe the problem is now too big and regulations impossible to enforce. There needs to be more rational thought and less cat hating. Lastly there isn't enough hard evidence it seems on the status of the permission granted to the Parkers for the importation of Savannahs into Australia. Did they have written permission? And if so will they get compensation?
Update - 8th September 2008: the hypocrisy and arrogance of Australian people who criticize the feral cat for killing Australian wildlife is reinforced by the fact that humans created the feral cat problem in the first place and humans are by far the biggest killers of wildlife in Australia, primarily because of habitat loss, a classic example of which, is the burning of forest/woods and felling of trees to create grazing land (commercial reasons) in Northeastern Australia.
WWF, the conservation charity say that 2 million mammals will be killed, some in a horrible way, (due to burning the forest) and this figure includes 9,000 koala bears as a result of the tree clearance. Some old story, I am afraid.
Update - 14th September: A petition is circulating online which some people have no doubt seen. It is really about putting the record straight on the Savannah cat which has been maligned, there is no doubt about it. I think that the petition is being driven by the Parkers and good for them. It is nice to see a fight back.
One last point, I don't want people (Australians) saying that I am being naive; I am not. I understand the problems. I am able to stand back and see the wider picture. Plus I don't have a gung-ho shoot 'em up attitude.
Savannah cat ban in Australia is wrong - Update - 5th October 2008: the mass and inhumane slaughter of feral cats as proposed by the authorities is not going to work anyway. This is because of the vacuum phenomenon. I would ask the Australian authorities to think again and do this properly in a controlled, moral and sensible manner. Tony Peacock the CEO of Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre would seem to agree that killing feral cats will not solve the problem. He has left a comment below.
Savannah cat ban in Australia is wrong - Update - 8th October 2008: It occurred to me that I haven't clearly or fully said what I think should be done. This is it. The Australian government should set up a National Feral Cat Action Group that sponsors local communities who'd like to get involved in a trap, neuter, release program. If people were reluctant funding should be forthcoming. It is cheaper ultimately to run this scheme than to slaughter feral cats.
Trap neuter release includes administering medication to cats that need it (limited to certain treatments for financial reasons), euthanizing cats that are very ill (FeLV, FIP for example), re-homing some for whom re-homing is suitable and returning neutered cats. Peoples' involvement can help create community spirit and it will be improving the lives of cats and people, while building an awareness of the need to spay and neuter. An obligatory microchipping regime can be introduced simultaneously in cooperation with state funded (for this particular task) veterinarians. People who let their cats become feral should be punished - a fine for example plus restrictions on future pet ownership. Private sponsorship could be considered (e.g. from large pet food suppliers etc.).
Tony Peacock the CEO of Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (comment below) makes the point the human population of Australia is so thin that it would make TNR unrealistic. I wonder? Most feral cats inhabit urban areas don't they and form colonies? I'd be surprised if feral cats survived in areas where human population was low as feral cats depend on human activity.
Update 9th Jan 2009: Here are the two reports on the importation of the Savannah cat (and wildcat hybrids generally) by the researchers for the Australian Government:
Risk Assessment on the importation of hybrid cats
The conclusion is that importation of F4-F5 Savannah cats is alright. That precludes higher fillial cats that I presume the breeder in question needs to import.
Draft Environmental Assessment of the suitability of the importation of the Savannah cat into Australia
Both these reports are really general information documents on wildcat hybrids. They do not as far as I can see refer to or address the issue of the impact on Australian wildlife of the importation of F1-F3 Savannah cats, which seems to be the issue. Wrong? Please leave a comment.
Savannah cat ban in Australia is wrong to Savannah Cat
Savannah cat ban in Australia is wrong - Note about the photograph: this picture is published with the permission of A1 Savannahs. I am pretty sure that theage.com.au which has published the same picture has not obtained the same permission.
How many Google Blogger sites do you know with an Alexa ranking that this one has?
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She is a champion cat. Not surprising. Photo copyright Helmi Flick - please respect copyright.
22 comments:
Australia has the highest mammalian extinction rate in the world. The unique wildlife does not have good defences against the feral cat or the European red fox.
There are 12-18 million feral cats in the country and it is a genuine problem. I don't understand how you can say they aren't a problem - they devour thousands of tonnes of wildlife every year (species that only occur in Australia like mala, bilbies, boodies, woylies etc).
Of course a country can change its regulations to protect its wildlife. The Savannah cat didn't exist until two decades ago - the Australian government is just catching up.
The Parkers had never received permission from their State Government, Queensland anyway. Any new animal coming into that State is classified as a Class 1 pest anyway. Australian states can regulate these animals, the same as some American states ban them. The Parkers took a business risk and it didn't come off.
They were offering breeding animals for sale, by the way. Read their website - it offers breeding animals; as do the other two prospective breeders in Australia.
Hi,Thanks for your useful comment. However, I am not saying that the feral cat is not a problem. I am saying that, on my research, there is inconclusive evidence that the feral cat is having a significant impact on native wildlife and in any event the problem was created by people (i.e. the human not the cat is at fault) so people should not therefore go around killing feral cats inhumanely and in a cruel manner. The people who are irresponsible should be punished, not the cats, and the cats should be dealt with humanely.
We need to look at ourselves more honestly.
Also, on my reading of the Savannah cat issue, the government agreed the importation and then changed its position to the detriment of the contracting parties. That indicates a muddled approach.
This is a postscript to my last comment. If the Parkers were going to sell breeding cats (say F1 and F2)to other breeders, I would have to agree that that presents a potential problem because somewhere down the line there may be an irresponsible breeder. If I have misread the situation I apologize but the central issue is that the feral cat should be treated humanely as this animal is no less or more important than any other and as I said we made the problem.
The cats have to eat something out there - the daily dietary requirement of the feral cat population in Australia is over 2000 tonnes a day. A lot of this diet is made up of introduced animals, that's true, but a lot is native wildlife. (See Wildlife Research 27(3) 223 - 235
The impact of cats and foxes on the small vertebrate fauna of Heirisson Prong, Western Australia. II. A field experiment for one example).
I agree that they must be dealt with humanely. At the moment, there aren't good enough ways of dealing with the cats, so most Australian Governments are ignoring them except in high conservation areas, or where a culling program has the chance of a long-term impact (like islands). Governments won't provide money for programs that are ineffective.
The Parkers were quick to post anything favourable on their website, so I doubt they had government approval. They posted a consultant's report that was favourable - I reckon if they had written approval, it would have appeared on the website too. (If they had formal approval from both the Queensland and National government and then the ruiles were changed, I wouldn't have a problem with them being compensated).
The Australian government did take time to react to hybrid cats. But so did cat registries. The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy registered the Bengal but refuses the Savannah and any further wild-cat hybrids.
It was clearly the Parker's intention to backcross to serval genes. The myth that F5's contain 3.125% serval exactly is just that, a myth. The breeders select for serval looks at each generation, so they are selecting for serval genes. Hence the boast on their website that their F5s "look like F3s" is probably valid - selection has raised the serval content.
And that's the worry when these cats get into the bush. Those genes are likely to be naturally selected then. Conferring better hunting skills on Australian feral cats is not a good outcome. That's why the Australian government said no.
Hi, Thanks for this well informed comment. I appreciate the time taken to do it. I'll digest it and make a post about it.
Most people agree that the underlying issue is pet owner responsibility, not nescicarly particular breeds. Savannah (or Chasie, or Safari) owners who spend thousands on their pets are usually extremely committed and responsible and are probably willing to pay the Australian government for a permit to own them. That reoccurring revenue could be used to A: check on Savannah pet owners to make sure their cats are indoors and desexed, and B, give more money back to fight the feral cat issue in general. Win, win.
Hi thanks for the last comment. The bottom line is that there is a better way, a more sensible and humane way of dealing with the domestic cat generally. The Australian government are just jerking around governed by short-termism, politics and plain bad thinking.
The cats aren't at fault - but the Australian ecology is not adapted to survive them. feral cats are just as dangerous and destructive as the rabbits, foxes, and cane toads.
Although I have no opinion one way or the other about responsible Savannah cat ownership in Australia, I believe that sweeping statements denying the destructiveness of feral cat populations, especially when made by people with no direct experience of the country or ecology in question, are irresponsible and underinformed. If the government of Australia, under advisement from highly trained ecologists and environmental scientists, believes that introducing breeding Savannahs represents a danger, through possible interbreeding with feral cats or through any other mechanism, then I'm inclined to agree.
Hi, and thanks for the comment. I am the person who made the post. I for one am not saying that feral cats aren't a problem. I am saying that it has not been established that they are a significant problem in Australia and secondly, even if they are a problem as alleged, they should be treated with more respect and controlled humanely.
a cat is a cat, no metter if is domestic or feral, they only sleep and kill. One simple solution, domestic cat indoor, and feral cats killed without mercy. Cats are the most disgusting creatures.
Hi, thanks for the comment. Although I can't help but feel that you might benefit from a little bit of education on cats. Do you kill other animals without mercy?
I don't think TNR is viable in Australia, but there are people interested in trying. I posted a discussion recently - which got a couple of passionate reactions.
People forget Australia is almost the size of the 48 States but with a population of LA.
"Australians" certainly aren't allowed to just poison cats. Poisoning has to be done by strictly controlled authorised officers and I honestly don't think there are any programs underway. There is research going on, but not really active control.
We have extremely restricted firearms availability so shooting is pretty rare too - hunters certainly do shoot cats if they see them, but it would be no different to many places.
I'm pretty sure microchipping is mandatory in all States these days.
Cats spread through the 1800s, but there wasn't an Australian Government until 1901. Ironically, one of causes of the spread was to try and control rabbits, which we introduced in 1859!
You are straight up wrong about feral cats not killing "precious" wildlife (you condescending little, little thing, you!) and your entire analysis is hopeless, although there is value in what you say about neutering domestics.
Hi Townsville, thanks for the comment but not for insulting me. I am not condescending and I am not little. I am just presenting my views forceably which is why this blogger post is ranked where it is and gets the comments it gets.
Please produce sound independent evidence that feral cats kill large numbers of wild animals. All the studies I have seen worldwide indicate that feral cats do not kill anywhere near the numbers that some Australians believe. Human activity, as I have said, kills far, far more.
I am tired of hearing people say the feral cat kills significant numbers of wildlife without supporting evidence. It is not good enough.
Hi Freddie,
I note Alaska has confirmed its ban on Savannahs. I don't know how many times during the Australian Savannah debate it was claimed that these cats wouldn
t escape - the recent case of Simon the Savannah in Anchorage shows otherwise.
In your earlier response to one of my comments you indicated Australian feral cats would form colonies, and not live in low density across the landscape. That isn't true.
Over 4000 hectares at the Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary, Stage II, there were only eight cats. There isn't enough food for them to aggregate - they are very territorial in the Outback.
I'm also interested in your view on welfare. Servals have a 10-day longer gestation that domestics. Because F1 matings are always males servals over domestic females, they are borne prematurely. The breeders refer to the "miracle" of raising these kittens. Knowingly conducting a breeding program that results in premature births is wrong from a welfare perspective, in my view.
Cheers
Hi Tony
Thanks for the comment, it is appreciated.
I've just done a blog post on feral cats - Freddie, you probably won't agree, but it adds to the debate.
Cheers
It's on www.feral.typepad.com
Hi Tony
Thanks for the comment. I'll take a look and leave a comment!
Tony, I have just discovered that the shooting of feral cats in NSW is encouraged by the authorities.
See this post:
Ground Shooting of Feral Cats
When are Australians going to behave in a dignified and civilized manner regarding feral cats, a problem they brought upon themselves?
It is the cat owners fault, I am an Australian cat owner and the way people handle their cats is bad for the cat and bad for the environment. I adore the Savannah's and it makes me angry that the irresponsibility of many, takes away the privilege of those cat owners that will do the right thing.
My cat is only allowed out under supervision or on a lead, he has managed to escape me a couple of times, but I’m lucky in that he knows he can’t go far, he always returns within a short period of disappearing and then he comes back inside.
If people dislike their cats being inside then the owner needs to have an area that is sectioned off so the cat can’t escape. People wouldn’t keep their pet rabbits or guinea pigs out in the backyard without a pen, why is a cat different? Just because the rabbit and guinea pig have more chance of not returning?
Pet cats can be run down by cars, poisoned, trapped and put down by people that hate cats, on top of that the number of feline diseases is increasing, it amazes me how lax people are about this, it really does.
Besides those points, even small domestic cats can take down large prey. I have seen domestic cats killing rabbits, chickens and possums (which are rather vicious), larger cats would take down basically the same prey items that the small cats do.
I don’t see the government changing their minds on this, but it is unfair to myself and others that would be responsible.
Jen, thanks for a nice comment. I agree people should build enclosures and be more responsible or not have cats at all.
Just some of the evidence showing the negative effects of feral cats on native fauna:
Adams, PJ. Elliot, AD. Alger, D. Brazell, RI. (2008) Gastrointestinal parasites of feral cats from Christmas Island AUSTRALIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL Vol.86, Iss.1-2; p.60-63
DEWHA (Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts), (2008), Threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats, DEWHA, Canberra. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/tap/cats08.html
Dickman C R, (1996), Overview of the impacts of feral cats on Australian native fauna (for the Australian Nature Conservation Agency),
Dieffenbach, E. (1843). Travels in New Zealand. John Murray, London.
Edwards, GP, De Preu, N, Shakeshaft, BJ, Crealy, IV, Paltridge, RM (2001) Home range and movements of male feral cats (Felis catus) in a semiarid woodland environment in central Australia AUSTRAL ECOLOGY Vol.26,Iss.1;p.93-101
Iverson, JB.(1978) The impact of feral cats and dogs on populations of the West Indian rock iguana, Cyclura carinata Biological Conservation Vol.14,Iss.1;p.63
Matias, R. Catry, P.(2008),The diet of feral cats at New Island, Falkland Islands, and impact on breeding seabirds, POLAR BIOLOGY, Vol.31,Iss.5;p.609-616
McLeod R (2004). Counting the cost: impact of invasive animals in Australia, 2004, Cooperative Research Centre for Pest Animal Control, Canberra. http://www.invasiveanimals.com/publications/downloads/Counting-The-Cost.pdf
Medina, FM. Lopez-Darias, M. Nogales, M. Garcia, R. (2008) Food habits of feral cats (Felis silvestris catus L.) in insular semiarid environments (Fuerteventura, Canary Islands) WILDLIFE RESEARCH, Vol.35, Iss.2; p.162-169
Medina, FM. Garcia R. (2007) Predation of insects by feral cats (Felis silvestris catus L., 1758) on an oceanic island (La Palma, Canary Island) JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION Vol.11, Iss.2; p.203-207
Moseby KE. & Read, JL,. (2006) The efficacy of feral cat, fox and rabbit exclusion fence designs for threatened species protection Biological Conservation Vol.127,Iss.4;p.429
Pontier, D. Say, L, Debias, FO. Bried, J. Thiobuse, J. Micol, T. Natoli, E. (2002) The diet of feral cats (Felis catus L.) at five sites on the Grande Terre, Kerguelen archipelago POLAR BIOLOGY Vol.25,Iss.11;p.833-837
Robertson, SA. (2008) A review of feral cat control Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery Vol.10,Iss.4;p.366
Seabrook, W. (1989) Feral cats (Felis catus) as predators of hatchling green turtles (Chelonia mydas)Journal of Zoology Vol.219,Iss.1;p.83-88
Veitch, CR. (2001) The eradication of feral cats (Felis catus) from Little Barrier Island, New Zealand NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY Vol.28,Iss.1;p.1-12
Weggler, M. Leu, B. (2001) A source population of Black Redstarts (Phoenicurus ochruros) in villages with a high density of feral cats (Felis catus) JOURNAL FUR ORNITHOLOGIE Vol.142,Iss.3;p.273-283
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