Question – Feral Cats in Tasmania & Multiple Cat Permits

Questions asked by the Hon Meg Webb MLC on 11 August 2022 and answered by the Minister for Primary Industries and Water on 24 August 2022  

Mr President, in regard to feral cats in Tasmania, does the Government have:

Question 1: An estimate of the number of feral cats in the state?

Answer 1: The department does not have an estimate of the total number of feral cats in Tasmania.  The number of feral cats in Tasmania and their population density fluctuates spatially and seasonally across the landscape in response to factors such as prey resource availability and climatic conditions.  The size of cats and the density of vegetation cover in Tasmania makes it impossible to accurately estimate the number of feral cats in the state.  It is unlikely that any meaningful extrapolated figures could be derived across the entire state.  Only in confined geographic locations, such as islands, is an estimate possible but again, this is difficult to determine and depends on the size of the island, topography and vegetation cover for visual sighting or trapping et cetera.

Question 2: An estimate of the cost to primary producers caused by feral cats?

Answer 2: The department does not have an estimate for the total cost of feral cats to primary production in Tasmania.  Nationally, the cost to livestock production by toxoplasmosis and sarcocystosis is estimated at $11.7 million, ranging between $7.67 million and $18.3 million.  An unpublished 2015 Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment assessment of the costs imposed by toxoplasmosis in Tasmania estimated annual economic losses of approximately $1.7 million. 

Question 3: Records of instances of identified toxoplasmosis either within the agricultural sector and/or wildlife? 

Answer 3: Toxoplasmosis is widespread throughout Australia and it is a significant cause of mortality in captive marsupials.  There is no targeted surveillance program for toxoplasmosis, as it is not a nationally notifiable animal disease.  Infection has been reported in free-living, herbivorous, omnivorous, and carnivorous marsupials.  Introduced animals affected include; sheep, goats, and to a lesser degree, cattle, pigs and deer species.

Question 4: How many multiple cat permits have been applied for since the most recent amendments to the Cat Management Act 2009 came into effect in March 2022 and how many have been granted?

Answer 4: In regard to the issuing of cat permits, there are two types of multiple cat permits, namely individual and organisational.  Each application requires assessment.  In individual multiple cat permit applications, as at 12 August 2022, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania have received 55 applications from individuals for an individual multiple cat permit.  There have been no individual multiple cat permits granted to date as applications are still being assessed.

Question 5: Of the multiple cat permits granted, what compliance monitoring has subsequently been undertaken or is planned to be undertaken?

Answer 5: Organisational multiple cat permit applications as at 12 August 2022, NRE Tasmania has received 10 applications from organisations for an organisational multiple cat permit.  There have been no organisational multiple cat permits granted to date as applications are still being assessed.

Question 6: How many breaches to the general conditions of multiple cat permits have been recorded since their introduction? What penalties have been applied?

Answer 6: Assessment of organisations for suitability to hold an organisational multiple cat permit requires, in addition to the general conditions of a multiple cat permit, an assessment of the animal welfare and husbandry capacity of the organisation.  All applications will require a site visit as part of their assessment.  No multiple cat permits have been granted as applications are being assessed.  Once permits are granted, random compliance checks will be conducted on permit holders to ensure compliance with the conditions of the permit.

See more of Meg’s Questions to Parliament.