Question: Lately on my weekly walks at Magic Island, I’ve noticed many mongooses feeding on cat food left by well- meaning people. The rock jetty along the perimeter of Magic Island houses both mongooses and cats. How will C&C monitor or control this population, which seems to be increasing?
Answer: “Our park staff are increasing their awareness of these feeding trays and will be removing them appropriately. Ala Moana Regional Park is not an appropriate place to feed animals. Particularly feral cats which have a known parasite in their fecal matter (that causes) toxoplasmosis, which is detrimental to native marine life and some people,” Nathan Serota, a spokesperson for Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation, said Wednesday in an email.
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the single-celled parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which many species, including cats, mongooses, pigs and chickens can carry — complaints about these animals proliferating in Oahu neighborhoods frequently cite health concerns. Cats are considered the definitive hosts because the parasite reproduces in their digestive tracts and spreads through their feces, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains at 808ne.ws/4mCUy4H. Not all cats are infected.
In Hawaii, spinner dolphins, monk seals and nene (Hawaiian geese) have died of toxoplasmosis, presumably having ingested the parasite through contaminated water or prey, according to news reports. T. gondii oocysts shed in the feces of infected cats are not immediately infectious, but once they become so, they are hardy and can wash out to sea in storm runoff and infect marine life. This is one reason marine conservationists oppose the feeding of feral cats near shorelines.
Humans also can carry the parasite; more than 40 million people in the U.S. are infected, although those with healthy immune systems generally show no symptoms and don’t spread the disease from person to person, according to the CDC. Pregnant women, their infants and immunocompromised people are more susceptible to severe disease, which might cause blindness or brain damage.
Read more about preventing infection on the CDC website, at 808ne.ws/4jp2BiM, which says not to undercook meat or eat raw shellfish; to wash or cook fresh produce; to wear gloves when touching soil or sand that may be contaminated with cat feces; to wash hands with soap and water after touching anything that may be contaminated; and, if you have a cat, to clean its litter box daily.
“Eliminate cat feces on a daily basis; T. gondii oocysts require one to five days after being passed in the feces to become infectious,” says the Companion Animal Parasite Council, a nonprofit organization the CDC refers cat owners to for more information about toxoplasmosis.
Q: For the past few days I have heard heavy helicopters. They almost sound like military, although not quite that loud. Definitely not tourist, I don’t think. I can’t see them from my window. I live near Kamiloiki Elementary School. Do you know what this is?
A: Yes. Hawaiian Electric is using a helicopter to replace utility poles and upgrade related equipment in East Oahu, flying above Kamehame Ridge and Kalama Valley, according to the company’s social media feeds. Flight paths avoid populated areas while carrying loads, but the noise can reverberate through nearby neighborhoods. The work is expected to continue through today.
Mahalo
In April, I passed out in the parking lot fronting Kahala Longs. A man and a woman came to my aid instantly. They both stayed with me until my husband arrived to assist me. God was watching over me and sent these wonderful strangers to my side. I’d like to send a great mahalo to them for caring for me and treating me like their ohana. — Aloha, S.T.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
