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Oʻahu cat nonprofit looks for a permanent sanctuary

Toxoplasmosis is found in cat feces, and raises alarms about feral cat colonies found near our shoreline.
Sara Lynn Paige
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Toxoplasmosis is found in cat feces, and raises alarms about feral cat colonies found near our shoreline.

There is growing concern about the threat of feral cats to endangered species like Hawaiian monk seals.

Recently, studies reported the death of two spinner dolphins, linked to the parasite toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is found in cat feces, and raises alarms about feral cat colonies found near our shoreline.

Pōpoki Place Oʻahu Cat Sanctuary is a newly formed nonprofit that aims to help to establish a cat sanctuary modeled after one on Lanai.

"I love monk seals. I love spinner dolphins. I love shorebirds. And I love cats," said Holly Holowach, the founder of Pōpoki Place. "And we want to create a way of saving them all."

She hopes to find a location, about four acres in size, for her proposed facility to help manage the cats.

This interview aired on The Conversation on Nov. 21, 2022. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.

Catherine Cruz is the host of The Conversation. Originally from Guam, she spent more than 30 years at KITV, covering beats from government to education. Contact her at ccruz@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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