Smoky mouse

Pseudomys fumeus

Blamed on cats

IUCN status: Vulnerable

EPBC Predator Threat Rating: Very high

IUCN claim: “The species is significantly preyed upon by introduced Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes), wild dogs (Canis lupus dingo), and feral Domestic Cats (Felis catus).”

Studies in support

Cats hunt smoky mice (Cockburn 1981).

Studies not in support

No studies

Is the threat claim evidence-based?

No studies were found linking cats to smoky mouse population trends.

Evidence linking Pseudomys fumeus to cats. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Pseudomys fumeus and cats. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that cats contribute to the decline of Pseudomys fumeus, negative studies are not in support. Predation studies include studies documenting hunting or scavenging; baiting studies are associations between poison baiting and threatened mammal abundance where information on predator abundance is not provided; population studies are associations between threatened mammal and predator abundance. Gold borders indicate studies that meet qualities of scientific rigour. See methods section in Wallach and Lundgren 2025 for details on evidence categories.
Evidence linking Pseudomys fumeus to cats. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Pseudomys fumeus and cats. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that cats contribute to the decline of Pseudomys fumeus, negative studies are not in support. Predation studies include studies documenting hunting or scavenging; baiting studies are associations between poison baiting and threatened mammal abundance where information on predator abundance is not provided; population studies are associations between threatened mammal and predator abundance. Gold borders indicate studies that meet qualities of scientific rigour. See methods section in Wallach and Lundgren 2025 for details on evidence categories.

References

Cockburn, A. 1981. Population regulation and dispersion of the Smoky Mouse Pseudomys fumeus. II. Spring decline, breeding success and habitat heterogeneity. Australian Journal of Ecology 6: 255-266.

EPBC. (2015) Threat Abatement Plan for Predation by Feral Cats. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Department of Environment, Government of Australia. (Table A1).

IUCN Red List. https://www.iucnredlist.org/ Accessed June 2023

Wallach A.D., Lundgren E.J. (2025) Review of evidence that foxes and cats cause extinctions of Australia’s endemic mammals. BioScience. DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaf046