A Tasmanian scientist has caught on camera a feral cat killing and eating a four-kilogram pademelon, providing the best direct evidence of feral cats killing mammals heavier than two kilograms.

Scientists suspected that feral cats were capable of taking down the larger animals after the remains of three- to four-kilogram animals were found, but until now a feral cat had not been caught in action.

University of Tasmania researcher Bronwyn Fancourt told 936 ABC Hobart the event was caught by accident.

"We were using these infra-red, motion sensor cameras to do some surveys following the bushfires out past Dunally," she said.

"We discovered this series of images of a feral cat coming in and killing and eating a four-kilogram pademelon.

"We estimate that it was about four kilos because it was obvious that it was an adult female, and we do know they are sexually mature around that size. So it's a fairly large mammal for a feral cat to take down and kill."

The images showed an adult pademelon, similar to a small kangaroo, hop in front of the camera to graze before the cat pounced on its back and killed it by biting into its neck.

The cat then dragged the pademelon carcass off camera where it made a meal of its kill.

Eight hours later the cat is seen dragging the mutilated body back into frame, where the predator continued to feed.

The images were first published in the CSIRO publication Australian Mammalogy.

Ms Fancourt said the revelation had not come as a surprise to researchers who had been studying the growing threat from feral cats.

"We're fairly familiar with what formidable killers feral cats can be," she said.

"We tend to think ... things like foxes and dingos are more likely to take the larger animals whereas feral cats usually go for small rodents, reptiles and lizards.

"We don't know how often they would take down a large mammal but this is pretty convincing evidence that they are capable of taking down something bigger if they want."

She said the reason there was so little evidence of cats killing large marsupials on the mainland was because so many large marsupials had been wiped out by foxes.

Researchers fear this development means that even if fox populations are controlled it might not be enough to stop the decline of medium-sized native marsupials.

Loading...