Question: Last year in Kokua Line there was a question about the legality of feeding feral cats under the heading “Feeding feral cats on Oahu brings duties of ownership.” The legality was addressed, and it was also stated that the Hawaiian Humane Society advises colony caregivers to establish feeding stations away from highly visible areas, to obtain the property owners’ consent and to ensure the area is kept free of trash and feces, as stated in its brochure “Help Oahu’s Felines,” 808ne.ws/brochure. What is advised when there is a serious failure of duty of ownership?

I ask because caregivers have chosen to use the area parallel to the street and fronting one of the city’s community gardens to feed cats that have gone through the Trap-­Neuter-Return-Manage (TNRM) program. At least twice a day, plastic bowls of water, plastic containers and Styrofoam plates of both wet and dry food are placed and then left as is. The five or six cats are more than well fed, which results in the leftover food attracting ants, roaches, snails and slugs, and most likely becomes a good meal for mice and rats, especially after the nightly feeding. This is of particular concern with the threat of rat lungworm disease. Also concerning are the bowls of water in regard to mosquito control. Because of the close proximity to the garden, the cats defecate in the community garden plots. The caregivers have also set up feeding stations in other areas along the same street. This is a severe health issue for the neighborhood. May I also mention the unsanitary and unsightly litter left behind, including the dirty Styrofoam plates blowing around in the breeze?

Answer: The Hawaiian Humane Society’s newly hired community cat program coordinator may be able to help. Josephine “Josie” Ka‘anehe is working with cat-colony caregivers, landowners, land managers and the public to humanely reduce the feral cat population.

We’ve shared your complaint, including the precise location near the Diamond Head garden, but suggest that you also contact Ka‘anehe directly to provide the times of day that people feeding the cats are most likely to be present. You can reach her at catinfo­@hawaiianhumane.org.

“Leaving excess food out for cats might seem like an easy, harmless way of helping stray felines, but it can unintentionally create more issues that put the cats at risk of retaliation from angry neighbors,” she said. “It also interferes with colony managers who need to control the food supply in order to trap cats in need of spay/neuter or other care.”

We also called the coordinator of the community recreational gardening program, which is part of the city Department of Parks and Recreation, but didn’t hear back. So we emailed DPR spokesman Nathan Serota, who said the coordinator retired recently and has yet to be replaced.

Serota confirmed there was a problem, saying, “Unfortunately, we have experienced issues with feral cat colonies within our community gardens and our parks.”

“The Department of Parks and Recreation has a policy within our community gardens that forbids gardeners from feeding animals, including feral cats, within the gardens. If they are caught doing this, or proof is provided of this activity, it can result in the revocation of the garden plot,” he said. “Our community gardens, and many of our parks, have signs posted restricting the feeding of animals, which is also reflected in our rules.”

We also contacted the Department of Health about your concerns but did not hear back by deadline; a spokeswoman promised a response this week.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.