According to a recent “PBS Insights” discussion, the cat community supports cat sanctuaries for feral cats in Hawaii as well as a capture, spay and release program. Sanctuaries can handle a few thousand cats, but with hundreds of thousands of feral felines across the islands, shelters do not begin to solve the problem.
Feral cats kill endemic birds, and feces from toxoplasmosis-infected cats kill dolphins and monk seals. Rain washes their feces into the sea, adding to the bacterial count in the water where we swim. People can get eye infections from toxoplasmosis and the parasite can also kill humans.
By not accepting the enormity of the problem, the very vocal cat supporters have clearly made their choice — they prefer feral cats over the lives of endangered animals. Otherwise, they would support realistic measures to control the numbers.
Lamentably, euthanasia may be the only answer. The longer the situation is ignored, endangered species will die and the toxoplasma parasite will spread.
When will the Legislature finally act?
Suze Salm
Kailua
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