Hawaii County’s upcoming ban on feeding feral cats is set to take effect at the start of the new year, drawing strong pushback from residents who have long supplemented the animals’ food. The county framed the measure as a conservation effort aimed at limiting harm to native species, including the endangered nene goose, which officials say faces pressure from an invasive predator.
The conflict plays out in places such as transfer stations, where feral cats gather quickly and then rely on food left out by people. An AP report described cats emerging near parked trucks and bushes as soon as a familiar vehicle arrives for feeding, in a scene that could change once the law becomes enforceable on county property.
Hawaii County’s measure is designed to stop people from feeding feral animals on county land, and officials say it is meant to protect native species from a super predator introduced to the islands by Europeans in the 18th century. The law’s supporters say the cats can threaten native wildlife both by killing it and by creating conditions that increase contact between cats and native animals.
Biologists cited in the report said food left out for cats can attract native wildlife, which can bring native species closer to humans. The report also said cat feces can spread a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, a disease that has killed endangered Hawaiian monk seals and native birds.
The report pointed to recent nene losses and ongoing nesting. It said a male nene was struck and killed by a car as it crossed a road in Hilo, on the island’s eastern side, to reach a cat feeding station. It added that the goose’s surviving mate has recently taken on another partner and is nesting in a Hilo park, with the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources announcing the development.
Raymond McGuire, a state wildlife biologist, described checking for nene nesting near the Waikoloa resort area and said he found no nene nearby but did find evidence that cats were being fed. The report said McGuire is a cat owner who described a personal connection to cats, while arguing there is no room for them where native species are struggling to survive.
In his remarks, McGuire said he thinks about native birds and “my ancestors,” and he questioned whether people are honoring them through what they do. He also said Hawaii’s sensitive ecosystem has species that evolved without mammalian predators and are especially vulnerable, a point used to explain why cats can be particularly damaging on the islands.
Big Island Mayor Kimo Alameda said the county council passed the measure with a veto-proof 6-2 vote, and he said he chose to let the law take effect without his signature. The report said opponents had persuaded him it would harm the cats, and it added that Alameda said he hopes police will treat enforcement as a low priority, with violations carrying fines of up to $50 for a first offense and up to $500 for subsequent offenses.
Opponents also warned that the ban could lead to feeding efforts moving out of sight. Liz Swan, who told the report she has been feeding feral cats for 33 years, said she does not believe the cats should be exterminated at the expense of the nene and added, “They’re both living creatures.” The report also said Swan responded to the idea that cats might be left without food by saying, “I’m not going to let them starve.”
Cultural practitioners and other residents echoed the dispute in different ways. The report included comments from Makaʻala Kaʻaumoana, a cultural practitioner on Kauai, who said trapping, neutering and releasing cats makes no difference because cats can still hunt, and that “The cats have to be removed.” Other opponents, including Debbie Cravatta, questioned why a native species should outweigh the life of a domestic cat abandoned outside.