What kind of big cats live in Australia?
Madison Flores
Published May 19, 2026
.
Keeping this in consideration, can you own big cats in Australia?
The law defines “exotic” as “animals that do not occur naturally in the wild in Australia” – which actually includes dogs and cats. However “domesticated mammals”, which also covers cows, sheep and other farm animals, are generally legal to buy and own.
Likewise, are there any Panthers in Australia? The Blue Mountains Panther is a phantom cat reported in sightings in the Blue Mountains area, west of Sydney for over a century.
Also Know, why are there no big cats in Australia?
Well, the most likely possiblity is a lack of suitable prey. There are not a lot of large animals in Australia to begin with, and what few exist (namely kangaroos) are very hard to bring down.
Does Australia have any native cats?
Cats are kept as pets in Australia and are also one of the major invasive species that are causing detrimental effects to indigenous wildlife due to predation. There are now an estimated 2.7 million domestic cats and between 2.1 and 6.3 million feral cats in Australia.
Related Question AnswersDoes Australia have cougars?
Cougars in Western Australia. The premise that there were cougars in Western Australia was widely believed during the 1970s. There are several theories as to how they were introduced. Nonetheless, in 1981 an A$20,000 reward was offered for the capture of a cougar in Western Australia, dead or alive.Are there any lions in Australia?
Ten species of seals and sea lions (superfamily Pinnipedia) live off the southern Australian coast and in Sub-Antarctic Australian territories.Is there Pumas in Australia?
Australia. Sightings of exotic big cats in Australia began more than 100 years ago. The New South Wales State Government reported in 2003 that "more likely than not" there was a number of exotic big cats living deep in the bushlands near Sydney.Can you own a Savannah cat in Australia?
Savannah cats are kept as pets and bred for showing in parts of the USA, but cannot be imported into Australia or kept in Queensland. If wild populations established in Queensland, savannah cats could have serious environmental impacts, including increased predation on small and medium-sized native species.How big are feral cats in Australia?
These traits have allowed feral cats to adapt to some of Australia's harshest conditions and invade almost all parts of the continent. Feral cats weigh about on average 3–4 kg, with body lengths ranging from 40–60 cm. Males are usually larger than females.What pets are legal in Australia?
Currently only dogs, cats, rabbits, horses and selected species of birds from approved countries may be imported as pets and only when strict conditions are met. No other vertebrate animals are approved for import into Australia as pets.Vertebrates
- turtles.
- tortoises.
- snakes.
- lizards.