Cats first arrived in Australia with the British settlers in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. These early cats were likely domestic shorthairs, brought aboard ships as mousers to protect food supplies from rodents. As British settlement expanded across the continent, so did the population of cats.

In addition to the domestic cats brought by settlers, there were also feral cats that lived in the wild in Australia. These feral cats were likely descended from cats that had escaped from ships or from early European settlements. Over time, the feral cat population grew and spread throughout the country.

Today, there are an estimated 10 million feral cats in Australia. They are considered to be a significant threat to native wildlife, as they prey on a wide variety of animals, including birds, mammals, and reptiles. Feral cats are also responsible for the extinction of several Australian species.