I remember reading that too Ian, but I believe that the introduction of
cats from SE Asia has been discounted.
One of the factors that had me doubting the hypothesis was that Aboriginal
words for cats are generally based on English words, eg *putjika*(pussycat) and
*wi:lyka* (wild cat) [probably poor examples as both words are from the
Gibson Desert]. Words for dingoes are not based on English words.
Cheers
David
On Tue, Jan 8, 2013 at 9:52 PM, Ian May <> wrote:
> g'Day all
>
> Having spent a considerable amount of time in the Kimberley and Gulf of
> Carpentaria since the early 1970s, it has always struck me as interesting
> to observe the more uniform consistently smaller tabby appearance of many
> feral cats seen north of the tropic of Capricorn, compared to the generally
> larger and diverse coloured animals seen in southern areas such as Simpson
> and Strzelecki deserts. These northern cats appear to have the consistent
> appearance of a wild species compared to the mixed up look of domestic
> animals typically gone wild.
>
> I once read a paper suggesting there was a close DNA link between
> Kimberley feral cats and those found in Sulawesi Indonesia and suggesting
> cats were in Australia long before the First Fleet. It was implied that
> Macassan traders who sought trepang (sea cucumbers) off Australia's
> northern coast some 500 years before the First Fleet had brought cats here.
>
> It may not be a popular theory that cats have been on mainland Australia
> for many hundreds of years. However it is probably true and irrespective
> of the fact that they take native prey, the major ecological impacts have
> probably long passed.
>
> I can't remember the paper with certainty but I have seen a reference that
> I think was it.
>
> Baldwin JA (1980) The domestic cat, Felis catus L. in the Pacific Islands.
> Carnivore Genetics Newsletter 4, 57-66.
>
> I would be interested in a copy of the paper if anyone has access to it.
>
>
>
> Regards
>
>
>
>
>
> Ian May
>
> In smoky St Helens, Tasmania
>
>
>
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