Seeing the hunt through a feral cat’s eyes: why mammals are most at risk

Feral cats have been implicated in the extinction of more than 22 Australian mammal species, and the decline of many more (add reference link). But why are mammals hit so much harder than reptiles, birds, or insects?
New research from Arid Recovery ecologist using video cameras on feral cats (essentially go-pros attached to the collars) has provided a rare predator’s-eye view of how cats hunt. Researchers fitted 36 feral cats with video and tracking collars, captured 188 hours of footage. Video showed 169 hunting attempts, with 68 successful kills. Cats were largely inactive during the day, spending around 60% of their time asleep or stationary, with most hunting occurring at night.
When cats were active, they averaged around 1.2 kills per hour. When scaled across a full day, that equates to an estimated 12 animals killed per cat per day.

Prey included:

• 24 small mammals

• 18 reptiles

• 21 insects

• 1 rabbit

Different prey, different hunts

The footage showed that cats do not hunt all prey in the same way.
Small mammals were the most deliberate hunts. Cats typically stalked them for longer, covered more ground, always pounced, and usually killed with a precise bite to the back of the neck. They were also more likely to carry mammal prey away from the kill site before eating it.
Reptile hunts were shorter and less consistent. Cats only stalked in about a third of hunts and often bit reptiles through the abdomen rather than the neck.
Insects were different again. Once detected, they were easy to catch. Cats rarely stalked or pounced on insects, and they were always killed and eaten on the spot. This suggests insects are easy to catch once detected, but are only hunted at very short distances and are likely a secondary prey compared to mammals.
Despite these differences, most kills were over in seconds.
Cats rarely chase prey over long distances. The success of their hunting strategy depends on detecting prey early, and for mammals, they are exceptionally good at doing so.

Mammals are detected from further away

The most important difference wasn’t in how cats kill, it was in how they detect their prey.

The study found that cats detect and begin hunting small mammals at significantly greater distances than reptiles and insects, even when the prey are the same size. For example, a 10-gram Bolam’s mouse might be detected from around nine metres away. A knob-tailed gecko of the same size might only be detected from three metres. That difference dramatically increases a cat’s “effective hunting zone.”

Over the course of a night, this means cats are likely encountering and initiating hunts on many more mammals than reptiles. Detection distance also increased with body size, meaning larger mammals could be spotted from even further away.
This helps explain why Australian mammals, particularly those between 35 grams and 5.5 kilograms have been disproportionately impacted by feral cats.
Small mammals are typically more mobile than reptiles. They produce more sound and movement. Many rodents emit ultrasonic vocalisations. Their higher metabolism means more activity, and more cues for a stalking predator.
Mammals also provide more energy per gram than reptiles, potentially making them more “profitable” prey. Cats may be willing to initiate a hunt from further away if the reward is higher.

What this means for managing feral cats and protecting threatened species
Australia has the worst mammal extinction record in the world and feral cats are a major driver. This research helps explain the mechanism behind that impact. It shows that cats are not just opportunistic predators, they are particularly effective at detecting and targeting mammals.

Understanding how cats hunt helps us better predict which species are most vulnerable and strengthens the case for effective feral predator management.
At Arid Recovery, this knowledge underpins everything we do; from maintaining our 123 km² predator-proof fence to supporting broader landscape-scale solutions beyond it.
Feral cats continue to exert immense pressure across Australia’s landscapes. Research like this informs how we manage them, but protecting native species relies on sustained feral cat control, both inside and beyond the fence.
You can support predator control, threatened species recovery and the research that guides it.
Read the full article published in Biological Conservation (add link)