Feral Cat Concerns and solutions, In a Nutshell

Feral Cat Concerns and Solutions, In a Nutshell

Shannon Fujimoto Nakaya, DVM
Note: KSKC is not a 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit organization. 100% of donations to the Feral Cat Project go directly towards expenses associated with the Feral Cat Project and only the Feral Cat Project. The Feral Cat Project does not contribute to personal income. Itemized accounting for the Feral cat Project avaialable upon considered request.

Background: Feral cats are wild cousins to the domestic cats that we keep as pets. It is a bit of a tricky distinction because feral cats look just like pet cats; they can successfully reproduce with pet cats; and if feral kittens are socialized to humans from a young enough age, many of them can become companion animals. But for the most part, feral cats are wild. They are accomplished predators. They are wary of human contact. They do not let us pick them up and hold them. They will avoid, hide, or attack. As adults, they rarely adapt to living happily in captivity. Although they may look like a pet cat, feral cats are more like mongooses, feral pigs, squirrels (not in Hawaii), and other wild mammals with which we share the planet.

Background: Feeding feral cats does improve the nutritional status of a colony and indirectly helps to stave off disease; however, it also supports reproduction which increases the size of the colony. Just feeding feral cats without having them spayed and neutered will rapidly become costly (because they will eat more), environmentally unhygienic (because there will be a higher concentration of cat poop and pee), ecologically unbalanced (because they will hunt more), and simply unsustainable.

Background: Cats thrive in our tropical climate. They reach puberty at about 6 months of age. Many queens produce their first litter before the end of their first year and continue to produce one or two litters each year thereafter. Litter size can vary but is typically 3 to 6 kittens. At this rate, if half of the offspring are female, 2 cats can become 38 cats in 2 years. Cats in Hawaii have few natural predators; hence there is a tendency towards overpopulation.

Concern: Overpopulation leads to competition, which leads to stress, which contributes to more disease within the colony. Unhealthy feral cat colonies can pose a threat to the health of pet cats. They also pose a threat to human public health as potential reservoirs of zoonotic diseases (those that can affect both humans and animals) such as ringworm, toxoplasmosis, cat scratch fever, and H1N1 influenza.

Concern: Bird populations are particularly vulnerable to feline predation, and parts of Hawaii are home to endangered species such as the Nene or Hawaiian Goose, the A'ala or Hawaiian Crow, the Alae'Ula or Hawaiian Gallinule, and many, many native passerines such as the Apapane, Elepai'o, Akepa, Oma'o, and I'iwi. While these species may not be high profile to the general population, they are a precious part of Hawaii's natural history and biodiversity. If we lose them, we lose an irreplaceable part of what makes Hawaii a unique and special place on the planet. As part of the privileged population who gets to live here, don't we have an obligation to be proactive stewards of a threated ecosystem?

Concern: Some individuals do not appreciate cats in any number. Intact male cats have a distinctive and pungent urine odor. It is unpleasant when cats dig holes in nicely kept gardens, bury poop in children's sandboxes, yowl and scream at all hours of the night when they are in heat or having territorial warfare, or stalk songbirds at feeders. Less tolerant humans are moved to set up poisoned baits or shoot them. These actions are not only tragic for the targeted cats, but also pose a threat to other nearby animals, children, and adults who might become accidental victims.

Solution: The solutions are complicated and controversial. Animal shelters and rescue groups already have more cats than people looking to adopt a cat. Feral cats cannot be adopted out like domesticated cats. Many cats do not adapt well to overcrowing and communal living in confined quarters. And what about the cats who are sick or carriers of Feline Leukemia or Feline AIDS?

Solution: It is unclear exactly how many stray and feral cats are euthanized annually in the state of Hawaii. Euthanasia is method of population control. It is also a difficult one to carry out, particularly in healthy individuals who are merely carrying on as their nature intended.

SOLUTION: Spay and neuter programs can work, particularly in conjunction with mapping and management of feral cat colonies. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) refers to this as "TNR-M" or "trap-neuter-release-management." With community-wide cooperation and support, this type of program can lead to a healthy and sustainable island environment for cats, wildlife, and humans.

Hawaii island organizations offering or coordinating low-cost spaying and neutering: