Elusive feral cat dubbed “Nine Lives” finally captured and killed after three-year hunt

A feral cat known as “Nine Lives” was trapped and shot on New Zealand’s Purerua peninsula, ending a three-year period of predation on rare native wildlife.

After eluding trappers for three years, the feral cat nicknamed “Nine Lives” was captured and humanely shot on the Purerua peninsula in Northland, New Zealand. The grey tabby is believed to have killed dozens of the country’s rarest mainland duck, the pāteke, accounting for about one percent of the species, along with numerous kiwi chicks, geckos and other native fauna. Project manager Andy Mentor of the Pest Free Purerua initiative described the cat’s erratic appearance patterns, which hampered tracking efforts despite extensive camera surveillance and additional trapping.

The breakthrough came when the animal was lured with bait to a quarry and caught in a cage on 30 July. Officials will analyze its stomach contents before preserving the specimen for educational displays, highlighting the broader issue of feral cat predation as the government expands its Predator-Free 2050 plan. Conservationists view the capture as a significant, though partial, victory in protecting vulnerable wildlife.