Wasp, hornet or....??

[Innsaneink]

We are in Sydney Australia... Been seeing a lot more of these insects this summer, not sure what it is... Attachment below.
I think our cat ate one a few weeks back he was very sick for a week but thankfully OK now.
We have young kids visit regularly as well would hat for them to be stung

[Innsaneink]

Another image

20250101_102038.jpg (57.15 KiB) Viewed 335 times

[adamcotton]

These are spider wasps, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepsinae, possibly yours is the one pictured half way down the page.

These wasps hunt for spiders which they paralyse with their sting and take to a nest (usually underground) where their larvae eat the spiders.

They are a bit frightening to see, but normally will not sting people unless they try to catch them.

Also see the family Pompilidae page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_wasp for more general information.

Adam.