In suburban Australia, a cat sits in a window, gazing indolently through the glass at fairy-wrens and thornbills popping about in the shrubs. Domesticated in the temples of Egypt around 4,000 years ago, cats were so popular that people transported them around the globe, including Australia. However, these beloved pets also rank as one of the most potent hunters, able to wipe out entire species when arriving in lands whose native inhabitants are unfamiliar with feline hunters.
Worldwide, domestic cats are responsible for over a quarter of modern mammal, bird and reptile extinctions.
Australia is now leading the world in finding ways to reduce their impact.
