This study explains how the number of feral/community cats on Kauai was estimated. In addition to the total number of cats, it’s important to address how many cats are located near coast and interior areas that may be habitat for endangered birds. Our president, Basil Scott, who is an engineer and spent his entire professional career in the scientific and engineering field, put this study together. Basil produced this study in 2013 for the Feral Cat Task Force; he had Dr. John Boone, of the Great Basin Bird Observatory, a Ph.D. biologist, review the study. This study provides a baseline number of cats WITHOUT reflecting population reductions from TNR (trap-neuter-return). TNR would reduce the total population located within human-populated areas. The study contains many technical details about how estimates were made, and what specific information was used to make the estimates.
The bottom lines of this study are:
- There are about 15,500 community cats on Kauai.
- Generally, cats are where people are, with nearly half in coastal zones — within one mile of beaches — around the island, and the largest percentage of those in developed areas.
- The study also presents how many cats are on private residential properties, on business properties, on hotel premises, and in interior wilderness areas.