Parasitic disease spread by feral cats likely to be killing native wildlife

Researchers say eradication of feral cats is required to reduce the prevalence of the parasite and the disease

Feral cats are not just predators that kill large numbers of Australian wildlife, they may also be spreading parasitic disease to native animal species, according to new research analysing the impact of cat populations in South Australia.

The study, published in the journal Wildlife Research, examined Toxoplasma gondii (T gondii), a cat-borne parasite that can cause the disease Toxoplasmosis in a range of species.