New Zealand Launches Ambitious War on 2.5 Million Feral Cats by 2050 to Save Native Wildlife

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka announced the inclusion of feral cats—wild, human-independent hunters unlike domestic pets—into the program launched in 2016, which already aims to eliminate stoats, rats, possums, ferrets, and weasels. These cats, growing up to 1 meter long and weighing 7 kg, kill birds like the nearly extinct southern dotterel on Stewart Island, bats (over 100 short-tailed bats in one week near Ohakune), lizards, frogs, and insects such as wētā, while spreading toxoplasmosis to dolphins, livestock, and humans. Potaka emphasized that pet cats remain exempt, urging owners to microchip, desex, and keep them indoors.​

The strategy seeks to protect New Zealand's biodiversity, home to species found nowhere else, by boosting native populations and preserving ecological heritage. Past efforts faced backlash, like environmentalist Gareth Morgan's 2013 "Cats to Go" campaign, but recent Department of Conservation feedback shows 90% public support for feral cat control. A detailed plan is due by March 2026.​

Control methods include testing meat-based baits: harmless attractants followed by 1080 poison, sausage baits, or spray poisons, alongside emerging genetic solutions. The SPCA calls for humane alternatives and national cat management laws, amid controversy over lethal impacts on non-target wildlife.​

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This marks the first predator addition to Predator Free 2050 since its inception under former Prime Minister John Key, reversing earlier exclusions despite 2023 election promises, with funding partly from the International Visitor Levy.​

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