Overview
- Conservation Minister Tama Potaka confirmed the policy shift, calling feral cats "stone cold killers" and defining them as animals that live independent of humans.
- Options under consideration include poisoned sausage baits and tree‑mounted devices that spray toxins as cats pass.
- Domestic pet cats are excluded from the target, and the government urges desexing, microchipping and keeping pets away from wildlife.
- Government reporting links feral cats to major biodiversity harm, including more than 100 short‑tailed bats killed in a week near Ohakune and pressure on the southern dotterel on Stewart Island, as well as the spread of toxoplasmosis.
- An updated Predator Free 2050 strategy detailing operational plans is scheduled for March 2026 after a consultation in which over 90% of nearly 3,400 submissions backed tougher feral‑cat management.