Species Introduced during Colonisation
Cats in Victoria: From Companions to Night Hunters
The domestic cat (Felis catus), beloved companion to many today, is also one of the most ecologically damaging animals in Australia. Introduced by European settlers in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, cats adapted rapidly to Australia’s landscapes—becoming skilled predators across bushland, farmland, and desert (Rolls 1969).
Initially introduced as pets and for rodent control, cats soon established feral populations that preyed heavily on native birds, reptiles, and small mammals. Their presence represents both colonial nostalgia and ecological disruption, with deep cultural and environmental consequences for Indigenous peoples across Victoria.
Introduction to Victoria
Arrival: Domestic cats arrived with early European ships and settlers in the late 1700s and early 1800s, accompanying colonists to control rats and mice on voyages and in settlements (Coman 1999).
Early spread: Cats were recorded in Port Phillip and Melbourne by the 1830s. As farms, homesteads, and mining camps expanded inland, cats escaped or were released, forming wild populations across Victoria.
Purpose: Initially valued as house pets and pest controllers, cats were deliberately released around ports, warehouses, and rural properties to keep rodent populations down (Rolls 1969).
Rapid adaptation: Within decades, feral cats had spread across southern Australia, surviving in forests, grasslands, and coastal dunes. By the late nineteenth century, they were established from Gippsland to the Mallee (DELWP 2021).
Cats on Wadawurrung Country
For the Wadawurrung and other Indigenous nations of Victoria, the introduction of cats represented a new form of imbalance. Unlike the dingo—an ancient native predator with a defined role in ecology and story—cats were animals without law or place in Country.
Disruption of ecological order: Cats preyed upon small mammals, birds, and reptiles that had long coexisted with people on Country. Bettongs, bandicoots, and ground-nesting birds such as curlews and quail suffered steep declines (Woinarski et al. 2019).
Loss of food sources: The reduction of small mammals and birds removed important sources of food and disrupted hunting practices passed through generations.
Cultural interpretation: Cats were seen as creatures of imbalance—foreign predators that killed for sport, unlike the purposeful hunting of native animals within Indigenous law. Some oral histories describe cats as “night spirits” that disturbed Country’s rhythm, hunting even when full.
Symbol of colonisation: The cat, like the fox and rabbit, became an emblem of the broader ecological and cultural transformation imposed by settlers—a household companion turned environmental invader.
Ecological Impacts
Predation on Native Wildlife
Cats are estimated to kill over one billion native animals across Australia each year (Woinarski et al. 2019).
In Victoria, they have contributed to the extinction or severe decline of small mammals such as the eastern barred bandicoot, smoky mouse, and potoroo.
Ground-dwelling birds—including quail, curlews, and wrens—are particularly vulnerable.
Cats also prey on reptiles and amphibians, reducing biodiversity across ecosystems (DELWP 2021).
Synergy with Other Pests
Cats thrive in environments already degraded by rabbits, livestock, and land clearing.
Foxes and cats often coexist, both benefiting from reduced vegetation and abundant prey in disturbed areas.
When fox numbers are reduced through control programs, cat predation often increases—a phenomenon known as mesopredator release (Saunders et al. 1995).
Disease Transmission
Cats are carriers of Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite dangerous to wildlife and humans.
The disease affects marsupials’ behaviour, making them more vulnerable to predation, and can harm livestock and human health (Coman 1999).
Colonial and Modern Attitudes
Nineteenth century: Cats were prized as domestic companions and pest controllers. Early settlers saw them as symbols of comfort and civility in the wilderness.
Early twentieth century: As feral populations exploded, farmers and naturalists began to recognise their damage to wildlife.
Scientific awareness: From the 1970s onward, ecological research began quantifying cat predation impacts.
Public division: Cats occupy a complex cultural space—cherished as pets, vilified as pests. Conservationists and local councils have struggled to balance welfare, ownership, and environmental management (DELWP 2021).
Indigenous Perspectives
For Indigenous communities across Victoria, cats are seen within the broader story of colonisation—beings that arrived alongside land loss, new laws, and foreign animals.
Loss of ecological connection: As small mammals and birds disappeared, so too did certain ceremonies, songs, and stories tied to those animals.
Balance and Country: Cats are viewed as “lawless” predators—beings outside the reciprocal systems of giving and taking that define Country’s balance.
Modern response: Indigenous ranger groups across Victoria and Australia today participate in feral animal management programs, combining scientific and cultural knowledge to restore balance.
Population Then and Now
At colonisation (pre-1800s): No cats existed in Australia; the dingo was the only large terrestrial predator.
By 1850: Cats were widespread in Victorian settlements and rural areas, with feral populations established across farmland and forest.
By 1900: Cats occupied nearly all of Australia, from coasts to deserts (Rolls 1969).
Today: Millions of feral cats exist across the continent, including hundreds of thousands in Victoria. They inhabit nearly every environment except dense alpine forest (DELWP 2021).
Symbolism and Meaning
For colonists: Cats represented domesticity, pest control, and companionship—symbols of “home” in the colonies.
For Indigenous peoples: Cats symbolised imbalance and the breaking of natural law, killing beyond necessity and altering Country’s order.
For modern society: The cat embodies duality—cherished and destructive, adored yet feared for its ecological impact.
Conclusion
The story of cats in Victoria reflects a dual legacy of affection and destruction. Introduced for companionship and control, they evolved into one of the continent’s most powerful predators. Their spread mirrors the broader story of colonisation—unintended consequences transforming landscapes and lifeways.
For the Wadawurrung and other Indigenous nations, cats represent an enduring reminder of imbalance: a creature without place in law, whose survival depends on human expansion and ecological disruption. In restoring balance to Country, understanding the cat’s impact remains vital to healing both environment and culture.
References
Clark, I D 1990, Aboriginal Languages and Clans: An Historical Atlas of Western and Central Victoria, 1800–1900, Monash University, Melbourne.
Coman, B J 1999, Tooth and Nail: The Story of the Rabbit in Australia, Text Publishing, Melbourne.
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) 2021, Invasive Species in Victoria: Cats, Victorian Government, Melbourne.
Rolls, E C 1969, They All Ran Wild: The Animals and Plants that Plague Australia, Angus & Robertson, Sydney.
Saunders, G, Coman, B, Kinnear, J & Braysher, M 1995, Managing Vertebrate Pests: Foxes, Bureau of Resource Sciences/CSIRO, Canberra.
Woinarski, J, Legge, S & Dickman, C 2019, Cats in Australia: Companion and Killer, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
Written, Researched and Directed by James Vegter (16 September 2025)
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Magic Lands Alliance acknowledges the Traditional Owners, Custodians, and First Nations communities across Australia and internationally. We honour their enduring connection to the sky, land, waters, language, and culture. We pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging, and to all First Peoples’ communities and language groups. This article draws only on publicly available information; many cultural practices remain the intellectual property of their respective communities.