Feral Cats and their ecological impact

Feral Cats (Felis Catis) and Their Role As An Introduced Species


Introduction

Here in Hawai’i there is great concern about the state of our native ecosystem. Many news reports have been done about many of the invasive species that have been allowed to proliferate on our islands. Most of these animals, such as the Coqui frog and Jackson’s Chameleon are “exotic” species that many people recognize as a nuisance. Yet, there is one invasive species that is so familiar to us, we may not even realize the possible threat that it may have on our native ecosystem, as well as the native ecosystems around the world. This animal is none other than the feral cat. Feral cats are offspring of domestic cats born in the wild that are wary of human contact. They are organized individuals that live in family packs; some have even compared them with Lions. This paper discusses the concern surrounding feral cats, the methods of controlling them, examples of feral cat eradication...