Feral Cat Control and Bowhunting in WA

The numbers are staggering. Feral cats kill an estimated 1.5 billion native animals across Australia every year. In WA that includes critically endangered species — numbats, woylies, western ringtail possums, ground-nesting birds, reptiles, and small marsupials that have no evolutionary defence against a cat-sized predator.

A single feral cat can kill between five and thirty native animals per week. In arid areas where populations are already thin, one cat can wipe out an entire local colony of a threatened species. DBCA (the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions) spends millions on baiting programs, but feral cats are notoriously difficult to bait — they prefer live prey and often ignore manufactured baits.

Feral cats also carry toxoplasmosis, which affects native marsupials, livestock, and even humans. On farms they can predate poultry and young lambs, though this is far less common than the damage done by foxes. The real harm is to wildlife, and it’s happening across every landscape in Western Australia.

Feral cats are declared pests in WA, which means landowners can manage them on their property. But — and this is a big but — you need to be absolutely certain the cat is feral and not someone’s domestic pet. In rural areas the distinction can be unclear. A tabby cat two kilometres from the nearest house might be feral, or it might be a wandering pet.

The legal framework requires explicit landowner approval. Don’t assume general pest control permission covers cats. Have a separate conversation with the landowner specifically about feral cats. Get it in writing if you can. This protects both you and them.

Local government cat laws also apply. Many WA shires have cat control bylaws that require domestic cats to be contained or registered. Understanding your local shire regulations helps you know what’s considered domestic and what’s considered feral in that area.

The bottom line: if you’re not 100 per cent sure it’s feral, don’t draw. That’s not just legal advice — it’s the ethical standard we hold as a community.

Even if you never take a feral cat with a bow, you can contribute to the broader control effort. Trail camera data from hunting properties is valuable for DBCA and local biosecurity groups. Reporting feral cat sightings to the landowner and local authorities helps build a picture of where populations are concentrated.

If a landowner specifically asks for help with feral cats, take the time to do it properly. Confirm with trail cameras. Discuss the legal requirements. Make sure the landowner understands the distinction between feral and domestic cats on their property. Then plan your approach carefully — a ground blind over a confirmed travel route, during legal hours, with the landowner informed of when and where you’ll be.

The rest of the time, focus your energy on species where you can make the biggest difference: pigs, foxes, deer, and rabbits. Those are the species where bowhunters make the biggest impact, and where access is simplest to arrange through the field guide process.