We all know cats represent a major threat to native animals and birds. Australia’s 5.3 million domestic cats kill a total of 546 million animals each year in Australia. What’s less well known is that allowing your domestic cat to roam outside exposes them to considerable danger – and the risk of a short life.

About two-thirds of all Australian cat owners have had a cat die while out roaming. The top risks are road traffic accidents, fighting and falls.

Our recent research review found keeping your cat at home at all times isn’t just good for wildlife – it’s much safer for your cat.

Losing a cat is tragic. But there are other risks too. Many owners rack up large veterinary bills while their cats are left with lifelong health conditions. Our review also found this situation is not unique to Australia, but reflects the global risk faced by free-roaming cats.

What are the risks?

Cameras mounted on collars provide a cat’s-eye view of the hazards roaming cats face. In one study of 55 free-roaming felines in the United States, 25% risked poisoning by eating or drinking while away from home – any substance could be hazardous. Nearly half (45%) crossed roads, 25% encountered other cats, 20% crawled under houses and 20% explored storm drains.

This isn’t just American feline bravado. When cameras were fitted to 37 cats in New Zealand, 59% drank away from home, 40% ate away from home, 32% crossed roads and 21% risked falling by climbing onto roofs.

Australian cats are no exception. In one study, 428 radio-tracked cats averaged 4.8 road crossings per day.

What are the outcomes?

If you’re a fan of The Simpsons you might recall the fate of their family cats: Snowball I and Snowball II died on the road, Snowball III drowned, Coltrane (AKA Snowball IV) fell to his death, and Snowball V is still with us. The reality is uncomfortably similar. Our review found that trauma – mainly road traffic accidents, fighting and falls – kills or injures many free-roaming cats globally.

In a recent UK study, road traffic accidents were the leading cause of death for cats aged less than one year old all the way to eight-year-old cats.

This aligns with European estimates, which suggest 18–24% of cats are struck by a car during their lifetime, with around 70% of those incidents proving fatal. Victims are often under five years old and predominantly male. Risks are higher for those not desexed, as they tend to roam wider and more frequently.

Love and status offer no protection. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s cat, Paddles, colloquially known as New Zealand’s first cat, died after being hit by a car in 2017.

The dangers extend well beyond road accidents. Roaming pet cats face serious infectious diseases, such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), and frequently engage in fights, often developing abscesses that can kill and require expensive veterinary treatment.

While it’s hard to quantify the instances of deliberate human cruelty to cats, there is global evidence for deliberate poisoning and injury to roaming cats, many of which die before receiving medical intervention.

In one study tracking 55 roaming cats in Western Australia over just eight months, two were poisoned, one lost a front leg in a traffic accident, one fractured two canine teeth in a fall, and two required veterinary treatment for fight-related injuries.

Drawing all these factors together, we estimated outdoor pet cats have lives at least 2–3 years shorter than the population of contained pet cats. Those that survive accidents or disease may have lifelong disabilities.

How can you reduce the risks?

The simplest way to protect your cats is to contain them on your property, just as Australians do with other domestic animals. Extensive advice is available on how to keep cats happy and healthy while contained.

Importantly, containment doesn’t mean keeping your cat indoors at all times. Backyards can be modified with fence-top rollers to prevent escape. Some owners enclose part of the yard to create a “catio” – an outdoor cat enclosure – allowing their cats to enjoy fresh air and sunshine while remaining secure.

Many cats can also be trained to walk on a harness or leash, making it possible to take them for supervised outings. A recent report from Norway found providing controlled outdoor access is often important for maintaining cat wellbeing.

Cats need to be entertained when in the house. They enjoy outside views, toys, scratching surfaces, above-ground climbing and sitting spaces, and opportunities for play. They are naturally solitary animals, so places to hide are useful.

If cats can’t go outside to toilet, they will need two indoor litter trays. Because cats are fastidious, trays must be cleaned frequently. In multi-cat households, provide one litter tray per cat, plus an extra. Place the trays in separate, quiet locations, and never beside the food bowl.

Responsible cat ownership

Australians love their cats. In 2019, roughly a quarter of Australian households owned a cat. By 2025, that figure had risen to a third. Over the same period, households reporting they kept their cats indoors rose from 36% to 48%.

Perhaps we are finally valuing our cats as we do our dogs and listening to Aussie songwriter and singer Eric Bogle’s sage advice: “Oh you who love your pussy be sure to keep him in. Don’t let him argue with a truck, the truck is bound to win. And upon the busy road don’t let him play or frolic. If you do I’m warning you it could be CAT-astrophic.”

Terry Paton, who lives nearby, told the LDRS: “Whilst I appreciate the need for homes, this whole development is out of character for this suburban area – currently made up of two-storey family homes. The sheer scale and density should be a reason to turn this scheme down, and something more appropriate considered.”

In a truly remarkable story of hard work, endurance, talent and dedication, the pair are still at the top of the sport three decades later and will go head-to-head in the last 16 on Saturday.

Thirty years on from that first memorable Crucible meeting, O’Sullivan has seven world titles, Higgins has four, both having long cemented their positions as two of the greatest players the sport has ever seen.

“We deserve a great pat on the back,” added Higgins, who admitted he never thought he would still be playing so well at this age.

Higgins and O’Sullivan are both now 50, while they are joined in the last 16 by the third member of snooker’s fabled ‘Class of 92’, with 51-year-old Mark Williams still in contention for a fourth title.

O’Sullivan holds the record for being the oldest world champion after his most recent success four years ago, aged 46, but that could be beaten in the next week and a half.

After that first World Championship meeting in 1996, Higgins beat O’Sullivan 17-9 in the 1998 semi-finals on his way to his first title, before the Rocket got his revenge, winning 18-14 in the 2001 final for his first success.

Higgins then gained 13-9 and 13-10 wins in the quarter-finals of 2007 and 2011 respectively, before O’Sullivan won their most recent Crucible tie, 17-11 in the 2022 semi-finals.

They have played six times at the famous Sheffield theatre, with three wins apiece.

Ulster travel to Thomond Park for a crunch United Rugby Championship encounter on Saturday evening with both sides pushing for a place in the Last Eight

Munster, currently on 46 points, welcome Ulster, who have 47 points, to Thomond Park this evening, with both teams just one victory away from securing a place in the Last Eight.

While there has been evident upheaval behind the scenes at Munster, the squad has remained focused on the pitch, delivering an impressive seven-try triumph at Benetton last week. Their previous URC performance, securing two bonus points at Bulls, is increasingly proving its worth.

For Munster, this isn’t simply about hosting a derby or accumulating crucial points – it’s about Clayton Mcmillan delivering a commanding performance at the ground for the supporters, particularly given recent circumstances.

Ulster, meanwhile, are adopting a broader perspective, mindful that they’re competing on two fronts with a Challenge Cup semi-final at Exeter looming next week.

While Ulster indicated they might rotate their squad this week, few anticipated Richie Murphy would go as far as handing three Academy players – Aitzol Arenzana-King, Tom Brigg, James McKillop – their starting debuts, reports the Irish Mirror.

Here’s what you need to know about this fixture:

What: URC Round 16

Where: Thomond Park, Limerick

When: Saturday, April 25th

Kick-off: 5.30pm

What TV channel is it on? Premier Sport, URC.TV

Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scot) TMO: Dave Sutherland (SRU)

Table positions: URC – Munster are 6th, 46 pts; Ulster are 5th, 47 pts

Did you know?

* Munster ended a three game losing streak in all competitions, where they conceded 110 points, with a thumping win on the road to Benetton in Round 15 * Ulster have suffered defeats in their last two fixtures against Irish opposition (Connacht and Leinster)

* Munster have reached all four previous URC Play-Offs

* A visit to Thomond Park marks Ulster’s final away fixture of the season before hosting the competition’s top two ranked teams (Glasgow and Stormers)

* Munster have emerged victorious in four of their last six encounters with Ulster

* Ulster are targeting their first three-match away winning run since 2023/24 and their first league double over Munster since 2013/14

QUOTES CORNER

Munster captain Tadhg Beirne: “I think it was a badly-needed win, but more importantly, a badly-needed performance from us. Not just for the 23 that were playing, but everyone inside here, because we’ve been quite disappointed with some of our performances over the last probably a couple of months, not even just a couple of weeks and we had two long weeks to prepare for that game. And I think we had a good look at ourselves to bounce back and thankfully we got a good response.”

Ulster coach Richie Murphy: “We were at our best last week when we were able to move the ball away from the breakdown and get into the outside channels and bring the likes of our back three and our back rowers down those edges. We won’t change that, no matter what, do you know what I mean? Does it mean it’s easy to do in semi-finals? And these last three games will all feel like knockout games. Is that easy? No. But if that’s what you believe in, that’s what you should go after.”

Betting odds: Munster 1/40 draw 30/1 Ulster 20/1

Popular Bets: Handicap Ulster +28; Ulster to win by 1-7 pts 45/1

LINE-UPS:

Munster: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Andrew Smith; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Lee Barron, Michael Milne, Michael Ala’alatoa, Edwin Edogbo, Brian Gleeson, Ben O’Donovan, Dan Kelly, Alex Kendellen.

Ulster: Michael Lowry (capt); Aitzol Arenzana-King, Ethan McIlroy, Ben Carson, Ben Moxham; Jake Flannery, Conor McKee; Eric O’Sullivan, James McCormick, Bryan O’Connor; Harry Sheridan, Charlie Irvine; James McKillop, Tom Brigg, Lorcan McLoughlin.

Replacements: John Andrew, Callum Reid, Tom McAllister, Joe Hopes, Marcus Rea, David Shanahan, James Humphreys, Jonny Scott.

It’s now been 51 years since Jaws terrified a generation of cinemagoers with its tale of a murderous great white.

But despite the unsettling premise, some people’s obsession with watching blood-thirsty sharks target humans is still going strong.

This month Netflix added a brand-new film focusing on the creatures.

Thrash is a survival thriller starring Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor.

Directed by Tommy Wirkola (Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Silent Night), the film’s premise teases that a hurricane ‘is only the beginning for a South Carolina coastal town’.

‘Soon a shiver of bull sharks is swimming down Main Street, and some desperate townspeople find themselves trapped in an aquatic nightmare.’

Phoebe plays Lisa Fields, a pregnant woman trapped in her car as the storm hits, while Whitney Peaks plays Dakota Edwards, an agoraphobic young woman who doesn’t leave town in time to avoid the storm. Meanwhile Djimon Hounsou is Dale Edwards – Dakota’s marine researcher uncle who’s trying to make his way back to her.

Thrash was filmed in the Australian city of Melbourne and while the premise initially seemed far-fetched, the director said things took a turn once cameras started rolling.

‘What changed was that [global] warming accelerated,’ producer Adam McKay told Netflix’s Tudum. ‘What seemed like a heightened premise when Tommy pitched it to us has now become much more of a reality. Down in Australia, they had torrential, historic, climate-fueled floods. Bull sharks love dirty water to hunt. So, they had four shark attacks in a 48-hour period.’

Although it only holds a 41% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, critics and viewers have still said they enjoyed watching the guilty pleasure thriller.

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‘Nothing in Thrash is going to wow Steven Spielberg, and its adherence to plot logic is elastic to say the least. But as bloody, dumb shark thrillers go, it stays afloat,’ The Hollywood Reporter wrote in its review.

‘This is a Netflix and Chomp movie, just 80 minutes long (if you don’t count the closing credits), and the compact run time does more than keep Thrash from wearing out its welcome,’ Variety shared.

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‘If you like shark movies, Thrash is a solid survival thriller with a talented cast and visuals that had me locked in. Wirkola’s ability to balance horror, action, and comedy remains a praise-worthy feat. Dive into it,’ Mashable added.

Meanwhile a fan called it ‘five-star ridiculousness’.

The other shark movie that dropped recently on Netflix is The Meg 2: The Trench, a 2023 film that was a sequel to the 2018 film.

Other shark movies to watch on Netflix

Under Paris

Released in 2024, the French action-horror disaster film stars Berenice Bejo as a grieving marine biologist who is forced to face her tragic past in order to save Paris from a bloodbath when a giant shark appears in the Seine.

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Shark Whisperer

This 2025 documentary follows Ocean Ramsey and her work as a conservationist.

Deep Fear

The synopsis for this 2023 film teases: ‘A woman faces dangers above and below the ocean’s surface when her solo sailing trip in the Caribbean becomes a fight for survival.’

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The science fiction action film saw Jason Statham, Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, and Cliff Curtis reprise their roles. It again followed a group of scientists who must outrun and outswim megalodons when a mining operation ‘threatens their mission and forces them into a high stakes battle for survival’.

Although it was largely slammed by critics, it was a massive box office success – grossing $397.8million (£292million) worldwide.

While the film holds a 27% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the audience score ranked far higher at 72%. The consensus for the latter sums up the film as ‘delivering most of what viewers are looking for in a creature feature’.

‘If your hook is the promise of seeing Jason Statham go mano a mano with prehistoric sea behemoths, then leaning into the ludicrous is the only way to go,’ Slant Magazine wrote in its review.

‘The Meg 2 is a really solid action flick that understands its audience and delivers accordingly. The pacing is strong, keeping the movie moving without dragging, and the action sequences are consistently entertaining. It never overstays its welcome, which goes a long way for a film built around spectacle,’ fan Richard posted.

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‘There’s also a surprising amount of character depth for this type of movie. Jason Statham does what he does best, but the film gives him and the supporting cast enough personality and motivation to keep things grounded amid the absurdity. All in all, The Meg 2 is a fun, well-made sequel and an enjoyable watch from start to finish.’

Since dropping on the streaming platform, both have flown up the charts – with Thrash currently the most-watched film on Netflix UK, followed by The Meg 2 in the second spot.

Thrash and The Meg 2: The Trench are streaming on Netflix.

This article was originally published on April 15, 2025.

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Guy Martin, who is also a world class motorcycle racer, was seen in Yorkshire earlier this year when he headlined The Speed Show at Elvington Airfield on Saturday and Sunday, February 22 and 23.

The 44-year-old presenter was caught twice speeding on his Honda motorbike, including on the A43 near Brackley, near Bicester, Oxfordshire, travelling at 78mph while a temporary 50mph limit was in place.

Guy Martin at Elvington raceway, near York (Image: Agency)

Via a letter from his lawyers, Isle of Man TT racer also admitted riding his bike at 46mph on the A50 near Leicester when the limit was 40mph.

Court papers show Martin, who was born in Grimsby, reached at least 12 penalty points on his licence and he accepted that he must now serve a six-month driving ban.

The TV presenter achieved 17 podium finishes at the Isle of Man TT race during his career as a motorbike racer, and he has become known for his pursuit of speed records.

Guy Martin

In 2016 he made a bid to break the two-wheeled world land speed record, and he succeeded in setting world records for the fastest tractor, speediest soapbox, and fastest speed on a gravity-powered snow sled.

“He apologises to the court for his offending,” a partner at law firm Chattertons wrote on Martin’s behalf.

Guy Martin is famous for his racing exploits (Image: Agency)

“As a consequence of being convicted of the two offences, Mr Martin will fall to be totted up.

“He will not be opposing the totting up six-month disqualification.”

An official said Martin was sentenced at Loughborough Magistrates’ Court last week in private, with an order to pay a total of £1,329 in fines, costs and victim surcharges.

Raised around engines, Martin developed an early fascination with mechanics and trucks, later training as a truck fitter and working in the trade as well as racing. His father was also a racer and mechanic, which helped shape his interest in speed, machines and hands-on engineering.

Martin’s career was marked by both success and serious crashes. He broke his back twice in racing accidents, once at the TT in 2010 and again at the Ulster Grand Prix in 2015, yet he remained a popular figure in British motorsport. He retired from professional motorcycle racing in July 2017.

Beyond racing, he became a well-known television personality and author, admired for his down-to-earth style and enthusiasm for engineering, history and practical skills

Summer Robert, 28, thinks she has the biggest boobs in the UK. They’re so large that she struggles to cover them up, but she refuses to hide them just because they “offend people”

Some people like the idea of having large breasts, but one woman’s are so big that she struggles to fit on a plane these days. Summer Robert, 28, has previously confessed she’s proud to possess what she says are the “biggest boobs in the UK”; however, she’s tired of people asking her to “cover them up.”

Recently, she’s admitted people can criticise her simply for having big boobs. As she struggles to find clothes that fit, sometimes her cleavage can become visible, but she refuses to cover it up simply because it seems to “offend” people in ways that she can’t get her head around.

Perhaps this is because she can’t help how big they get. Earlier this year Summer, from Glasgow, explained just why her breasts will never stop growing.

Summer, who has over 200,000 followers on Instagram, said: “More often than not they’ll say to my face to cover up, tell me I don’t have the body for the clothes I’m wearing. Some will call me an attention seeker. I get a lot of disgusted looks from women mainly.

“⁠I just wish people could live my life for one day so they would understand. If I could get clothes that fit me, don’t you think I would wear that?

“I don’t think I should be punished for wanting to wear clothes that suit my age and style just because it shows a bit more cleavage than most. I can’t help it.”

Summer noted she’s often called out in the street simply for having big boobs. One time she claims she even had a drink thrown over her as her boobs, which now measure a size 30R, caused so much controversy.

“At the time, getting a drink thrown over me was super frustrating,” she added. “I definitely have cried over it and gotten angry but, after accepting faith into my life fully now when stuff like this happens, I just think of how sad it must be that women are so insecure over a young girl just trying to live her life.

“I don’t let it affect me too much anymore and feel empathy for them.” Though it has taken time, Summer has grown to love her body, though she still has to contend with passing comments from strangers.

Despite this, it won’t stop her from being herself and wearing the clothes that she wants to wear. Time and experience has allowed her confidence to grow, and now she won’t let anyone tell her what she can and can’t do.

Summer explained: “I used to let it affect me a lot more but, since accepting my body and realising that I can monopolise from it, it just makes me laugh. Obviously, if I’m in situations where I feel unsafe it affects me a lot more but the women aspect of it, I just feel sorry for them.

“They’ll be at home miserable and insecure whilst I’m on a plane flying somewhere hot.”

When asked what message she’d like to send to people who treat her in such a negative way, she added: “Look in the mirror, see one thing that you are insecure about and think ‘if someone judged me for this one thing that I can’t change, how would I feel?’

“Because that is exactly what you’re doing to me.” Little do they realise, Summer also has to face a lot of difficulties due to her breasts too.

The former restaurant manager has always had big boobs and they are only going to get bigger. She has a condition called Macromastia, which is the medical term for having abnormally large breasts, and it can lead to various complications like chronic back, neck and shoulder pain, headaches, bra strap grooving and difficulty carrying out daily activities.

However, in recent years, she turned to making saucy content in a bid to boost her confidence. Now she thinks it’s “amazing” that she manages to make money as a result of something that people can complain to her about so often.

Summer said: “⁠I love that people’s bitterness just makes me richer.”

For England, yes, but not for Arsenal.

In 14 appearances off the bench for her club, she has managed just one goal and two assists.

Team-mate Stina Blackstenius, an even more perennial substitute, dwarfs Kelly’s impact as a substitute. She’s come off the bench 24 times since Kelly’s debut and scored six times.

Indeed, Blackstenius’ 15 goals as a substitute in the WSL and Champions League for Arsenal since 2022-23 is almost double the return of any other player in that period – and she scored the winner in the European final last season.

If boss Renee Slegers is looking at her bench for a match-winner, Blackstenius tops the list.

Instead, the numbers suggest Kelly is far more effective for Arsenal when she starts, with 87.5% of her goals coming when she’s begun the game on the pitch.

Only fellow Lionesses Alessia Russo and Beth Mead, plus Mariona Caldentey, have more goal involvements for Arsenal since Kelly joined.

Nelly Korda is playing with so much control even her misses are right where she’s aiming. She birdied her last two holes on Friday with exquisite irons shots for another 7-under 65, giving her a daunting six-shot lead going into the weekend at The Chevron Championship.

Korda has made only one bogey through 36 holes at Memorial Park, missing a 3-foot putt on the sixth hole after a nifty chip from below the green.

Otherwise, the two-time major champion has been practically flawless in reaching 14-under 130 that makes her appear to be playing a different course.

“I’m comfortable with my game,” Korda said. “I think where I’m the most comfortable is definitely with my mindset of knowing when I mess up I’ll figure it out. Sometimes I think you get stuck in wanting to play well and wanting to be at the top always that you have this tension of not wanting to make a mistake.

“I think there is a power in knowing it’s OK to make a mistake and just bounce back.”

Patty Tavatanakit had another bogey-free round with a 69. Another shot behind were Ina Yoon (68), Ryan O’Toole (68) and Texas junior Farah O’Keefe (69), one of five amateurs to make the cut.

O’Keefe didn’t get her invitation to The Chevron until after the Augusta National Women’s Amateur three weeks ago, and she’s making the most of it. She played bogey-free in the second round, though she only managed one birdie on the par 5s.

But her scrambling saved her, and the 20-year-old didn’t seem all that fazed by Korda on the verge of running away with this major.

“I compared it to Rory (McIlroy) at the Masters. You never know what can happen in golf,” O’Keefe said, referring to McIlroy losing a six-shot lead on the weekend at the Masters before going on to win for the second straight time.

“There is so much random out there that you can get a bad break and it’s just kind of that thing,” she said. “My dad and I called it that golf is a staring contest and all you have to do is not blink first. So I’m just trying not to blink. Just trying to keep playing my game, and whatever that ends up at the end of the week is where it ends up.”

Korda, however, has hit her stride again. She won the season opener in a weather-shortened event, and has played in the final group in all four of her tournaments.

She looks calm and poised, and there is power.

Korda began her great closing stretch with a 3-wood into the wind from 221 yards that landed in the perfect spot to roll out 15 feet beyond the hole, leaving an eagle putt that grazed the right edge of the cup.

She missed an 8-foot birdie chance on the par-5 16th, and then finished with a flourish — a 7-iron that danced around the cup and settle 10 feet away for birdie, and then a 9-iron that again scared the hole and left her 4 feet for her 15 birdie in 36 holes.

It was the lowest 36-hole score in her career in the majors, and the third-best 36-hole score in LPGA majors behind Jeongeun Lee6 (127), Brooke Henderson (128) and In Gee Chun (129), all at the Evian Championship, the tournament in France the LPGA chose to designate as a major in 2013.

There was disappointment for England’s Mimi Rhodes, though, shooting a six-over round of 78 to miss the cut. Compatriots Charley Hull (-2) and Lottie Woad (+1) did make the weekend.

AP