New Zealand Plans To Eradicate Feral Cats, Sparking Major Global Backlash
New Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 Program is a national, government-run initiative aimed at killing introduced species that the Department of Conservation considers threats to native wildlife. The original list of targeted species included rats, mustelids, and possums. However, in 2025, the Department announced the possibility of adding feral cats to the program.
That possibility has sadly now become official. The Department of Conservation has formally added feral cats to its Predator Free 2050 kill list, a move that not only sanctions but actively encourages New Zealanders to participate in hunting feral cats.
Earlier in 2025, Alley Cat Rescue challenged this decision in a formal letter opposing the targeting of feral cats. The letter was signed by 178 scientists, veterinarians, and animal control experts, and presented scientific evidence demonstrating that eradication of feral cats across New Zealand is both inhumane and unachievable. The experts emphasized that large-scale sterilization campaigns would be a far more effective and humane solution. Despite the breadth of professional support, none of the individuals or agencies to whom the letter was sent responded.
In response to the Department of Conservation’s decision, Alley Cat Rescue is now bringing the issue to the global public. The nonprofit organization is urging individuals worldwide to sign and share a petition to pressure New Zealand’s government to halt the mass killing of cats and implement a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program instead.
Alley Cat Rescue President and Founder, Louise Holton, explains, “Killing cats is not a solution – it’s an illusion of action. The vacant territory left behind is quickly re-populated, breeding restarts, and the problem returns. This approach wastes resources, as well as guarantees failure.”
Alley Cat Rescue is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats and advocates for humane, nonlethal population control methods. More information can be found HERE!
Please sign the petition to stop New Zealand’s feral cat massacre HERE!
