State officials are investigating the deaths of several feral cats after their bodies were discovered at the Ke’ehi Small Boat Harbor in Honolulu.
On October 17, staff from the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation found the decapitated body of a single feral cat. Subsequently, on October 29, seven more cats were discovered at the harbor, exhibiting signs of injuries that appeared to be non-natural. DOBOR Administrator Meghan Statts condemned the killings, describing them as “cruel and inhumane behavior,” which is also illegal.
The department emphasized that feeding animals, including feral cats, is prohibited at all state small boat harbors. Although signs indicating this rule are posted throughout the harbor, officials often observe individuals feeding the cats. Many of the deceased cats were located near piles of food that had been scattered on the ground.
“We strive to educate the public as much as possible,” Statts stated in a news release. “The reason DOBOR implemented rules prohibiting the feeding of feral animals is that cats can carry the disease toxoplasmosis, which poses a deadly threat to critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals. Boat harbors are not suitable environments for cat colonies, and while the intention to feed may be well-meaning, people must understand that their actions could contribute to the deaths of one of Hawai’i’s iconic marine mammals.”
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