Has everyone forgotten what we just went through a few years ago?
I do not understand why the County Council allocated $50,000 to trap and kill cats and let it sneak through when the budget was announced, so no one had a chance to say anything. Then, they give the money to an independent contractor, instead of the Kauai Humane Society, since it is the only animal shelter on-island, where it could help lots of cats and dogs, versus one company.
Whose friend got the contract?
How many “community cats” that are already spayed/neutered and being taken care of are being trapped and killed?
Who would even propose such a horrible idea? Instead of trying to work with KHS? KHS is now associated with the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), the national “no-kill” organization, which is quite an honor and achievement. Kudos to KHS! I don’t understand this ideology that the answer is to “trap-and-kill” when TNR (trap/neuter/spay/return) has proven to work better because of the “vacuum effect.” When there is more space, more cats move into that area.
We had staunch supporters the last time for TNR. Everything got quiet and now “they” are starting this up again. These are our taxpayer dollars being used to trap and kill cats. I don’t approve of this. How about any other pet owner?
So, does every cat have a bounty on its head now? Even someone’s indoor cat that accidentally escapes?
BIG QUESTION: Is this even legal in the state of Hawai‘i?
Where do they go to be killed and how are they killed?
What about the feral pigs that destroy our yards/properties? This issue has never been addressed as far as I know, because we don’t see articles in TGI.
In my opinion, the money would have been better used by KHS over an independent contractor. What if you replace the word “cats” with “dogs?” Trap and kill dogs.
Wouldn’t people be up in arms? I think cat people love their cats, even community cats, just as much as dog people love their dogs. I sure hope the mayor and County Council know what they are doing. As the saying goes, “for every action there is an unintended consequence.”
•••
Joyce Ogmundson is a resident of Lihu‘e
Thanks to Ms Ogmundson for voicing her opposition to awarding a private contract out to trap and kill cats. This is pathetic. Those funds should be going to trap, neuter, release and to help supply cat food to colony feeders who volunteer to watch over cats. Neuter, don’t kill.
How about the feral chickens and other invasive species? You’d think that during a global pandemic that bird diseases would be a target to address?
Catch and release feral cats has proven successful in many locations so there really is no excuse for inhumane behavior towards them, even though they are the primary carriers of a parasite known to be the #1killer of endangered monk seals…..
Education is needed!!!
Killing off cats is not inhumane if done properly, they aren’t running around chasing them with shot guns.
Okay, So how would you feel if someone took away your right to live your life? Guess it’s okay for someone to take your life as long as it’s done “humanely”. Please.
TNR has proven successful no where, been trying it for decades. The ecosystem is already under enough pressure.
I only wish it was more money
Uhh… maybe the people who love birds and don’t want wild cat animals destroying our ecosystem and wonderfully rare bird populations? Put a bounty on Wild Pigs, disease spreading Chickens, and every Wild Cat, pay the local hunters $50 a pig, $10 a cat, and $5 a chicken, Use the Pigs and Chickens to feed the homeless, and the wild cat’s for dog food and fertilizer. Let’s solve these major ecological problems once and for all! Our Kauai is too beautiful and special to allow the wild animal carnage that’s going on now!
The feral cats are killing off all the endangered birds and monk seals Joyce. Is that what you want? Kauai with lots of feral cats and no endemic birds up kokee? No monk seals because of toxoplasmosis? That’s exactly what’s already happening.
You want to give us some statistics on that?
HOW MANY monk seals have died?
Consider that mongoose are also decimating our birds, there’s no way to prove which birds are killed by mongoose vs. cats.
Mongoose on Kauai? Why don’t we start with YOUR numbers.
Here you go:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/toll-toxoplasmosis-protozoal-disease-has-now-claimed-lives-12-monk-seals-and-left
So glad there finally addressing this issue. I love cats but I’m not some crazy old cat lady obsessed with them because I never had kids etc.
Cats kill birds, especially endangered birds.
Good job county, for you cat lovers, get over it.
I’m old. I love cats. I TNR and care for a feral cat community .That doesn’t mean I’m crazy nor does it mean that I’m childless. But making assumptions like that is pretty ignorant.
I agree this was a misguided decision. I understand the urge to protect Kauai’s songbirds; but the “spay, neuter & feed” approach is surely the better option. A cat who is cared for by Kauai’s wonderful volunteers will not be driven by hunger to hunt birds.
I don’t advocate killing wandering dogs either, even through a friend has been attacked by unleashed dogs while walking down a public road.
The wild pigs are a nuisance on a much greater scale. In addition to their general destructiveness, they are a danger to our songbirds, to various endangered species, and even to any human who comes between mother and piglets. (I was terrified when a group of piglets ran past me, leaving their mother behind). If those were killed, at least they could be auctioned off to provide food for non-vegetarians.
As for our other endemic escapees, the chickens–when I learned they eat centipedes, I became a fan.
Isn’t the community supposed to have the chance to provide input into the County Council’s decisions?
Here we go again is right…
Colonies of wild cats are much more prevalent than packs of wild dogs, which makes the threat they pose to native species more substantial. If left unattended, they, like the wild pigs, become an invasive species. Neutering doesn’t stop wild cats from killing rare and native birds, nor does it stop them from parading around the neighborhood crapping in people’s gardens and killing people’s chickens and inciting people’s dogs to incessant barking fits…
How do you distinguish feral cats from a pet cat that is either allowed outside or has escaped?
How would you like to have your beloved children kidnapped and put to death?
There’s gotta be a better way.
Look to Lanai for answers.
I’m pleased that something is being done about the overabundance of feral cats on this island. They have been responsible for killing our endangered wild songbirds and destroying nests. They also carry toxoplasmosis, a serious disease humans can easily catch. I’m also sick and tired of picking up cat poop in my yard and the disgusting smell. If people love cats, go to KHS and adopt one as a house pet.
I vote for catch and euthanize. There are too many feral cats and nobody wants them. I’ll take the birds and monk seals over the cats any day.
actually these wild cats and possibly even dogs, could provide a low cost source of protein for the homeless camps….. unless animals have priority over humans….
Does Kauai have any Meth Head Traps it can use?
Too easy! Haha
Cats kill monk seals??
#1 – there are too many cats on this island, Joyce. For all the cat and bird activists, do you not remember a few years back when those birds got killed by the cats the same people refuse to kill? You can’t have it both ways. It’s the circle of life. There is no where for these cats to go… it’s an ISLAND. For every 1 cat the humane society spays, 8 more are being born. It’s a loosing battle without terminating some. It’s not inhumane, it’s life.
#2 – Kauai Humane Society is a no kill shelter. They are also a pain in the okole to work with at all levels ranging from adoptions to surrenders to just answering their phones. I’m amazed they still have the support they do.
Wasn’t there a successful program that shipped feral-turned-tame spayed/neutered cats out to Washington & other states that would accept them? This program was related to the tourism industry & apparently it worked pretty well.
Once tourists come back, maybe this program can start up again.
Enforcing spay/neuter programs by fining people with dogs/cats who aren’t fixed or licensed should be where the money is going. A county enforcement officer that works with KHS should be the solution. It’s a no-brainer. Fine the owners, stop unwanted births, problem goes away. If you simply kill cats & not enforce spay/neuter, the private contractor will have a killer job for life & the taxpayer will pay for this never-ending fiasco.
And in response to the person who commented about giving money to “Colony Feeders”…. I came to work the other morning to find the “Colony Feeder” in the Puhi Industrial had left huge piles of food everywhere in front of our business. You “Colony Feeders” are a nuisance.
This is a move that is long overdue and I am so glad the county is finally taking action in removing one of the greatest introduced predators to Hawaiian native and endangered wildlife. Feral cats should not be a part of Kauai’s landscape when all they spread is destruction and disease. If you don’t want your cat to be trapped then the solution is simple – keep it indoors where cats belong. Considering Hawaii accounts for 15% of global bird extinctions in the last 700 years and is the endangered species capital of the world, we should be doing whatever we can to protect native species. Paying hunters a bounty for removal of introduced species, improving the state’s biosecurity protocols, and charging tourists a conservation fee on arrival to help fund programs like these are all necessary steps we need to take now to protect the remaining native environment Kauai has left.
This is a very divisive issue here on Kaua’i, and for obvious reasons. I think part of the problem is that people just pick a side and stick to their guns, no matter what. Ecology and conservation are immensely complicated fields, and the solutions are just as tricky. At this point in time, Kaua’i is fighting battle stacked upon battle in terms of conservation. With every species introduced by humans, another challenge mounts. Here, we have a number of introduced species collectively wreaking havoc on the environment. In an ideal world, well to be honest with you, humans wouldn’t exist, bringing with them these ecological nightmares. Barring human extinction, however, the solutions to these problems are not cut and clear.
Take, for example, Lehua. In 2009, an effort was made to eradicate rats on the island. Tons of rodenticide were airdropped onto the small island–the rats weren’t eradicated and loads of dead fish, as well as two whales, washed up dead. The same goes for this issue. For every action is a consequence. Leave the cats to breed, the ‘Ua’u and ‘A’o will decline on island. Kill the cats with poison, we may wind up with widespread poisoning of the native birds or other wildlife as well. Kill all cats (somehow without poison) and the rat population will skyrocket. (It should be noted that in the study linked below, rats committed the highest overall kill rate for cliff dwelling native seabirds). Not even to mention that the biggest threat to our Kaua’i forest birds is avian malaria, spread through non-native mosquitos.
So what is the solution? I think a great start is to work together to solve these issues. Humans kill birds with their powerlines and cars, dogs raid nests resulting in mass casualties, cats snipe the young birds, and rats go for the eggs. Mosquitos kill with avian malaria. Toxoplasmosis is found, at this point, in the tissue of most mammals, and the feces and tissues of these mammals is floated to sea in many ways. Not to mention that there were two or three monk seals beat to death, that isn’t the cats or the rats doing the beating. We are ALL the problem, and we ALL can be the solution.
Feral cats are just a piece of the puzzle, and I think we should all remember that. Humans are the ones who created this whole mess and now we need to be innovative and work together in order to achieve the best outcome.
Do I think feral cats should be eradicated from protected wildlife areas, even if that means killing them, absolutely. Do I also think there is a way to control the cat population without mindless killing (that may also be causing harm depending on the method) also yes. First of all, the number of people I know who “own” a cat they allow outside that is not sterilized is disgusting. Bring back free spay and neuter clinics often, and humans–take responsibility and fix your pets. Remember, we (the humans) are the biggest problem here. We let our cats outside, we let our dogs get “lost” when hunting, we brought the pigs and the rats here, we throw our garbage in the ocean and toss pesticides on everything we don’t like. HUMANS are at the core of this issue and we need to work together to fix our mess.
A model that I see working well to unite the “bird people” and the “cat people” is the Lana’i cat sanctuary. The feral cats are trapped and put in a fully enclosed area where they pose negligible risk to native species. No poison is needed, and no cat lovers are left up in arms. But at the end of the day, let’s not forget that this is one piece of a large, sprawling, human caused disaster. Let’s all live pono. We can solve more problems when we work together.
https://e360.yale.edu/features/what_is_killing_native_birds_in_the_mountain_forests_of_kauai
https://www.civilbeat.org/2019/12/deadly-mosquitoes-are-killing-off-hawaiis-rare-forest-birds/#:~:text=Over%20time%2C%20Hawaii's%20mountaintop%20forests,threat%3A%20mosquitoes%20carrying%20avian%20malaria.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/hawaiis-invasive-predator-catastrophe/
https://www.civilbeat.org/2017/04/ridding-lehua-island-of-rats-is-a-potentially-dangerous-challenge/
Thank you county council! About damn time.
So much love in these comments here…
Everything in moderation…on behalf of the island first…
We can have all of the critters…in Moderation…no killing
I would gladly trap the wild cats that are a nuisance in my neighborhood, and did so until the Kauai “Humane” Society chose to require a $90.00 payment to deliver them to their facility. If there is now somewhere I can take the caged animals for disposal. I would be glad to do so. Otherwise, I will have to deal with them in my own way…
Those cats are killed or taken care of at KHS? If they are killed, it is because they are sick. Lethal injection. One less expense. Unless someone wants them. I don’t.
Here’s a possible win-win-win: We trap the cats, DO NOT spay & neuter, but rather ship them to Australia to help control the mouse plague?
Many advocates of at-large roaming cats here are are being putative with the idea that rodent control is cat-dependent.
Cats are also known to be highly susceptible to the virus that causes COVID. That poses the same problem as with those ferrets at that European farm in which the virus mutations within the “UK variant” were first detected. Parallel chains of transmission in susceptible animals is very bad if anyone is serious about working against the threat of new mutations. Are we really going to throw a bunch of first-generation vaccines at this virus while at the same time leaving animal control completely out of control? Now there’s a decision that stands a real good chance of living in complete infamy, and being a complete shaking of the head for centuries to come.
I retract my suggestion of sending our cats to Australia. They’ve been killing their feral cats. No wonder they have a plague of mice!
You are failing your community and residents by supporting Trap-neuter-release (really Trap Neuter Re-Abandon) For it is a failure everywhere it has been implemented. Usually started by an over-emotional, highly vocal, zealous, and strident minority of people that pressures a community to adopt TNR. Shelters are under great pressure to reduce the euthanasia rate and TNR is a poor way to deal with it. It is unusual for a city to call for volunteers to deal with this issue. If large, corporate pet store chains are funding TNR, they need to be told to get lost. Explosions of feral cat populations follow them everywhere they go. In addition explosions of pest wildlife that feed at the feeding stations as well. Rats, raccoons, opossums, skunks all eat at feeding stations. In two years that’s what will happen in your town, and there will be calls to “adopt” un-adoptable cats. These super-sized corporate run pet stores, are determined to fill our nation with dumped, abandoned cats in order to fatten their bottom line, it is a HUGE money train for them to supply cat supplies, vet care and food. There are certain reasonable speculations and studies about the effects of toxoplasmosis on the human brain that add an extremely disturbing element to the nature of their actions. FYI: Toxoplasmosis is in the syphilis family of diseases and follows the same morphology, and is explained here: https://www.adn.com/opinions/2017/06/21/do-feral-cats-have-special-needs-or-is-their-plight-all-in-our-heads/ TNR advocates are acting like Big Tobacco of the 60’s and 70’s. TNR advocates ignore the science of the damage that TNR cat colonies do to wildlife, humans, neighborhood esthetics, quality of life, property values, and even the quality of life of the cats themselves. TNR needs to STOP before it is too late for our communities and wildlife.
Example: ONE cat destroyed an entire colony of Terns…….. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/7/445
KITC Gwalchmai9@aol.com
Chamundi, you are absolutely right and I will say : killing the cats and you will be killed by the mousses.
Great idea, KC! Relocate the cats to Lehua! They will hunt down the rats.
Why not get a little smarter? Reportedly, these cats are currently commuting 14 mile from Lihue, up the mountain to where the endangered birds live. Stop this and the cat murderers lose their most powerful argument Should be pretty easy, The must be using a pretty big truck and leaving very early so they can get back it time to taunt and parade before poor LMAT.
Although it may seem inhumane to kill feral cats. What about our native bird populations that are dwindling due to excess feral cats. The reality is feral cats are an invasive pest and need to be dealt with as such. I had a healthy population of beautiful Shama birds and Hawaiian Gallinules on my property until a pack of feral cats moved in and picked them off one by one. Every new hatch was killed as soon as they came out. Plus I don’t think anyone realizes how many crazy cat people we have with toxoplasmosis infected brains. This is a real threat and is very present. This is not only a dire threat to our native bird populations but a human health hazard. I say round up these cats and euthanize them. Just because some cats are pets doesn’t mean wild ones should be tolerated when they are destroying our native ecosystem.
I think it’s Bird flu (avian influenza) that leads to cat murdering as well as unabated and unsupported blather in local newspapers.
Too much talk. Tray and humanely euthanize. If they catch a cat that has a license or a microchip the owner will be contacted first. No license – too bad for owner. Take responsibility.
If the government formally allows the re-release of cats then they need to sued for the public health threat created by that, as do cat feeders or anyone who subsidizes the presence of at-large cats. The idea that other cats will move into any area where cats are removed sounds foolish as stated. You’re on an island and cats aren’t going to crawl up out of the ocean when you remove cats. I do believe certain people will breed more kittens in their house & turn them loose in an attempt to “prove” that trapping and euthanizing doesn’t work. Feral cats are a problem driven by human subsidization through illegal breeding, dumping and feeding. Organizations that can put public health and the environment 1st & 2nd belong in charge of animal control. Everybody else is part of the problem and a law enforcement issue.
It’s easier to kill than come up with actual smart ideas and to think of being kind and humane, realizing that we the people created this problem. These animals are living creatures that must be thought of as such. There should always be funds for spaying/ neutering/ creating a shelter like at Lanai and make it a much loved tourist attraction. But where are the politicians with brain and a sense of caring for all the creatures on this beautiful treasure of an island?
So glad for them killing these feral cats.
I can’t believe the stupidity that is rampant in these comments. As the saying goes, “There is no cure for stupidity and ignorance”. Too many people are making comments about cats and the environment who don’t have a clue as to what they are talking about. Yet that doesn’t stop them from talking. This way of thinking infuriates me. No one has the brains anymore to solve problems sensibly. It’s always….let’s get a gun and shot it. This is done with each other as well. Someone has a disagreement with someone and they right away want to shoot them. This is what humanity is all about apparently. We have not evolved past the cave man days. In fact, I believe we are getting worse! We can no longer live with the creatures of this world. We have to be dominant. Yes. Look at what a great job we are doing with all the pollution and sickness in the world. Yet, we look at ourselves as the intelligent ones…that is very questionable! Fact: The “endangered” birds are falling from the sky because they become disoriented due to all the artificial lighting on the island. Fact: The cats, as well as other predators, see this as an easy meal. Fact: When you are starving hungry, you are not too picky where your next meal comes from….whether those are endangered birds or not. What makes people think that the cats know or even realize that those birds are endangered? I mean really?! They are just trying to survive….just like any other creature would do, including humans. Cats will only eat a bird when they are very very hungry, because it takes more effort to eat a bird, because they have to pluck its feathers in order to get at the meat of the bird. If the cats had some supplemental food, they would be less likely to go after the birds. Now, this is not to say that some cats don’t go after the birds for sport in order to keep up their hunting skills. Again, not much different than some people. In addition, here’s a thought….what happens when you get rid of all the predators? You get an increase in rodents for one. So then there will be more (lots more) rats and mice running around, which just creates another problem. A similar situation was seen in the Colorado area (and other western states) as ranchers killed coyotes, because the coyotes were going after their chickens and other livestock…again, because the livestock was an easy target. Well, guess what? When the coyote population went down, the rabbits went up and then farmers had to deal with that. There is a delicate balance in nature and it seems “Man” is the one always upsetting this balance. In fact, the cats were introduced to the island by “Man”….were they not? It is a PROVEN FACT that TNR does work! Despite what others have said, but then again that’s ignorance talking. All over the world (not just the United States) there are community cats living out there lives with a little bit of care and help from their human friends. Once they are spayed and neutered they cannot reproduce. However, that doesn’t mean other people aren’t letting out or dumping their unspayed or unneutered cats back into the area and starting the whole cycle over again. Alley Cat Allies is a non-profit that works to educate and save these cat colonies. It seems that people for once in their lives and existence need to take responsibility for their actions, and do so in an intelligent responsible way. Back to the original problem….the birds falling out of the sky due to being disoriented by the artificial lights. The same situation occurs on the main land. Many migrating birds get disoriented by the lights of tall buildings in cities and will fly into the skyscrapers….killing themselves. Many of those lights in the office buildings are left on for no reason other than to illuminate the night sky. What a waste of energy and the lives of the birds. There is a reason that there is “day” and “night”. Perhaps, Human Beings need to learn to “turn off the lights” at a certain time so as not to disrupt the flight patterns of the endangered birds. In many cases, the lights are mainly for people’s entertainment….ah but yes, entertainment is a high priority to many. They would rather kill the cats than give up their entertainment.
Note: Comments by KC on March 19, 2021 are much appreciated and to the point….they also cut right to the bone of the matter. Thank you!