A notorious feral cat, named "Nine Lives" for its three-year evasion of trappers, has been caught and killed in New Zealand. The large grey tabby is estimated to have been responsible for the deaths of dozens of rare pāteke, or brown teal ducks, which constitute 1% of their population.
The cat was also believed to have killed kiwi chicks, native geckos, and other native wildlife while roaming the Purerua peninsula, near the top of the North Island. Andy Mentor, project manager for Pest Free Purerua, described the cat's behaviour as "very erratic," making it difficult to track.
Conservationists had introduced 20 pāteke to the peninsula in 2023, but within a week, the first death occurred. Cameras identified the cat, which subsequently killed another 15 pāteke. After a further release of 20 birds in 2024, the same cat killed 15 more.
The team eventually noticed the cat appearing at a quarry for three consecutive nights at the end of July. They used salmon, fried chicken, and rabbit to lure the animal into traps. On 30 July, the cat was captured in a cage and "humanely shot."
The animal's stomach contents will be examined, and its body will be taxidermied for educational purposes, highlighting the impact of feral cats on native species. In November, the New Zealand government announced that feral cats would be included in its Predator-Free 2050 strategy.