Nēnē Gosling Death Points To Disease Carried By Feral Cats

[terracore]

A reliable food source allows feral cat populations to grow quickly. This can lead to more cats than the environment can support, meaning more competition for resources and higher chances of disease spreading. Eliminating the cat food should (in theory) reduce the number of cats congregating and spreading diseases among the population and other animals. People who feed feral cats think they are doing them a favor, and perhaps they are helping some individuals, but they aren't doing any favors to all the other animals, artificially expanding a predator base that kills billions of endemic animals every year and is credited for playing a role in at least 26% of all animal extinctions in the last 500 years.

Several years ago there was a sick orange cat hanging around our farm harassing our chickens etc. It was really snotty and the eyes were so goopy and practically crusted shut that it wasn't having any success killing our chicks. I trapped him and we took him to the humane society. We didn't know the cat had an owner and considering how sick he looked, assumed that he didn't.

Later that day a "neighbor" (In quotes because they were squatters using and selling drugs and creating traffic and drama all hours of the day and night) was walking down the street and calling out a name. My wife went out and asked what she was looking for and she replied, her orange cat. She told her that we had just taken a sick orange cat to the humane society so she should try calling there. Unfortunately, the humane society told her they determined that the cat was so sick that it couldn't be allowed into their facility so they waived their normal hold period and euthanized it as soon as it was dropped off. So then we had a methed-out "neighbor" screaming at the top of her lungs that WE KILLED HER CAT. Our fault for breaking The Farmer's Creed. The screaming went on for a few hours, until she passed out I guess. Was the cat feral? No idea. It's owner certainly acted feral.

[HiloJulie]

Good points both MarkP and terracore!

I guess one could also ask, what’s worse - feeding “feral” cats or allowing a “domesticated” cat to roam free thus becoming “feral” - or even worse yet, just dropping little Felix off at the park because you don’t want him anymore?

[Wao nahele wahine]

#1) No definitive cause for the death has been established.
#2) The cited potential disease isn't carried solely by cats.

"Disease carried by cats, pigs kills 2 spinner dolphins in Hawaiian waters"
https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2022/11/17/t...-dolphins/

Officially, definitive cause of death was indeed toxoplasma. 

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=404990352491190&set=a.127695893553972

Not a big fan of using FB as a news source. It would be nice if the original news articles were either updated, or new articles posted with the new information, not assumptions, might be's, etc. Cats, feral or domestic, don't seem to be the only problem.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Cats, feral or domestic, don't seem to be the only problem.

Yes.
And feral cats have more impact on the environment than just this case of toxoplasma.

[Wao nahele wahine]

Cats, feral or domestic, don't seem to be the only problem.

Yes.
And feral cats have more impact on the environment than just this case of toxoplasma.

Agreed.

[HiloJulie]

#1) No definitive cause for the death has been established.
#2) The cited potential disease isn't carried solely by cats.

"Disease carried by cats, pigs kills 2 spinner dolphins in Hawaiian waters"
https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2022/11/17/t...-dolphins/

Officially, definitive cause of death was indeed toxoplasma. 

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=404990352491190&set=a.127695893553972

Not a big fan of using FB as a news source.  It would be nice if the original news articles were either updated, or new articles posted with the new information, not assumptions, might be's, etc.  Cats, feral or domestic, don't seem to be the only problem.

Absolutely agree, toxoplasma is not the only problem cats wreak on the environment along with other invasive species that have also been introduced into the wild over time. 

Including humans. 

And yes, in as much as about 99.9% of what is on Facebook is all BS, since it was posted by a Native Hawaiian Non Profit group, I think we can trust it as being real. And yes, I wish the local media would be more proactive in updating the news here, otherwise as one suggested, since I read it on the news I may just have to come over and inspect your property to make sure you are not feeding feral cats as I would have to report you!

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

I wish the local media would be more proactive in updating the news here,

The author’s name and contact is usually listed on the bottom of an article.
Send an email to them with your suggestion for an update or correction, with a link if possible.
Last week I contacted a writer on the KITV web page with a correction to an article.
The change was made that afternoon.
I even received a thank you email!

[Wao nahele kane]

The original official article is here...
https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/blog/2024/04/23/...%20Gardens.

After observing thousands of duckling, chick's and some goslings being raised in a 100% free range environment, the biggest threat is mongoose, period. No ands ifs or butts about it. The mongoose are responsible for more than 90% of all fatalities with another couple percent from sun-stroke and or other natural causes. We see about a 5% survival rate unless we intervene by caring for them in a secure environment.

I may be going out on a limb here, but I rather doubt it's any better odds for Nene gosling as the moment they hit dry land, they're targeted by mongoose. This doesn't include the eggs that are raided by mongoose which is also a high percentage unless kept up high and out of reach of mongoose. Nene are ground nesters, therefore mongoose targets and no, the mother isn't always on the eggs, especially while laying a clutch, not brooding till the entire clutch is laid.

Bottom line, until the mongoose are eliminated from the island, I'm not buying any nonsense about feral cats posing some sort of threat to the Nene population. Rubbish.

[HiloJulie]

Here is an updated news release. On the bottom of the release, there are several links for other information with the last one saying:

USGS Necropsy report:

Attached 

Yet there is no attachment. Taking HOTPE’s sound advice, I have emailed Mister Dennison asking to see if I could get a copy of it. 

https://governor.hawaii.gov/newsroom/dln...ay-1-2024/

And sorry Mr Wao, but with that attitude, I clearly have to fulfill my duty and report you to the authorities. 

Rubbish indeed.

[Wao nahele wahine]

HiloJulie...understand the difference between kane and wahine?