Hawai'i Animal Advocacy - Treat All Animals Humanely, Especially Cats

Community Cat Population
Management Plan and Strategy

Here is a an excellent rough draft plan that we can begin to follow to move us towards our objective of very few to ZERO Community Cats!

This plan begins to educate all involved on what efforts it will take to;

1. Stabilize and Decrease the Pet and Community Cat Population,

2. Reduce Bird Predation Pressure giving any threatened and endangered species extra time to succeed,

The KEY FOCUS of this plan is "High Intensity, Targeted Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return/Manage - TNVRM".  

This will require everyone to work together to have a chance of succeeding.

Note: A Plan of Action for Pet Cats is in the works!

 

High-level strategy (why these actions)

  • Reduce births humanely (spay/neuter) so populations being to decline by attrition.

  • Keep managed community care (TNVRM) rather than indiscriminate trap/removal/kill, to avoid short-term increases in predation/rodent shifts and to reduce welfare harms.

  • Provide accessible veterinary care (vaccines, FeLV/FIV testing, medical triage) and foster/adoption to minimize increases to number of Community Cats.

  • Pair any feeding restrictions with funded, humane alternatives (TNVRM support, managed feeding stations, certified caregiver registries) so cats aren’t left to starve and volunteers aren’t criminalized. (Note: Hawai‘i County passed a feeding ban on county lands in 2025 that starts Jan 1 2026; the law is controversial and many advocates urge integrated solutions.)

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW - LET'S MAKE SURE CAT SUPPORTERS GET ELECTED TO HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL


Concrete recommended actions — prioritized and actionable

Immediate / short term (weeks–6 months)

  1. Scale free or low-cost spay/neuter capacity

    • Expand clinic days, mobile spay/neuter clinics, and voucher programs for rural areas. Partner with Island TNR groups and Spay/Neuter Providers to run weekend blitzes. Track the number of surgeries and focus on targeted neighborhoods.

  2. Formalize and fund TNRM (Trap-Neuter-Return-Manage)

    • Create an island-wide TNRM coordination hub (volunteer registry, trainer list, supplies bank — traps, gloves, humane carriers). Train volunteers on humane trapping, ear-tipping, vaccination, and post-op care. Use established groups as mentors.

  3. Designate and support managed feeding sites

    • Where feeding on county land is restricted, create permitted managed feeding stations in safe, non-sensitive areas with caregiver registration. Managed stations reduce roaming, make treating/triaging easier, and provide data for planning. Couple these with mandatory spay/neuter of colony cats. (Important: pair feeding ban enforcement with humane options.)

  4. Emergency medical & kitten care network

    • Establish staffed “kitten nursery” and transport pathways from remote parts of the island to foster/clinic for socialized kittens. This reduces euthanasia and increases adoption potential. Link shelter and rescue partners for transfers and foster care.

  5. Public education & clear communications

    • Run a culturally-sensitive public campaign: why spay/neuter helps, how to report injured cats, how TNRM works, and what the county feeding rules actually mean (exemptions, how to register as a managed feeder). Use social media, island radio, and community hui/assemblies.


Mid term (6–18 months)

  1. Community caregiver support & training

    • Offer monthly workshops and micro-grants to colony caregivers for traps, cat housing, veterinary care, and to incentivize sterilization and vaccinations. Registered caregivers get supplies and training in colony monitoring and humane euthanasia referrals (when medically necessary).

  2. Expand low-cost preventive care

    • Vaccination & microchip clinics paired with spay/neuter events, inform adopters/fosters.

  3. Policy revisions and humane enforcement

    • If enforcing feeding restrictions, pass implementing rules that:

      • Allow registered TNRM caregivers to continue managed feeding in specified locations,

      • Require sterilization of fed/managed cats within a set window,

      • Provide a phase-in and funded alternatives (e.g., mobile clinics).

    • Encourage county to fund the humane alternatives rather than punitive-only enforcement.


Long term (1–3 years)

  1. Data, mapping & measurable targets

    • Map colonies, capture effort, sterilization coverage, and wildlife conflict hotspots (use BIISC-style info and collaborate with conservation groups). Set measurable KPIs: % sterilization in targeted colonies, kitten intake reduction, wildlife predation incidents, shelter length-of-stay, and live release rates.

  2. Integrate wildlife conservation and cat welfare

    • Create joint working groups of conservation biologists, animal welfare groups, Native Hawaiian community representatives, and county staff. Where bird colonies are extremely vulnerable, implement buffer zones, deterrence for cats, and intensified TNR in surrounding buffer areas.

  3. Sustainable funding & capacity building

    • Seek grants (Best Friends Network, foundations), allocate County funds for community veterinary care, and encourage corporate partnerships (hotels, resorts, local businesses). Build volunteer leadership pipelines to avoid burnout.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW - LET'S MAKE SURE CAT SUPPORTERS GET ELECTED TO HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL


Practical operational details (templates / best practices)

  • Ear tipping: standardized ear tip at time of spay/neuter so managed cats aren’t re-trapped unnecessarily.

  • Data collection form: colony location, caregiver name, mapping coords, number of cats, sterilization status, medical notes, photos — keep this centralized and use established software solution.

  • Humane trapping SOP: quiet trapping times, pre-brief volunteers, post-op recovery instructions, use only vetted traps, limit time cats are confined.


Who to reach out to / partner with (Big Island)

  • Hawaii County Animal Control — shelter, community vet and spay/neuter programming.

  • Petfix, Aloha Oasis, AdvoCATS, Aloha Animal Alliance, local TNR groups — experienced in large-scale TNVRM.

  • BIISC (Big Island Invasive Species Committee) — for coordination where wildlife risk is highest and for mapping.

  • Best Friends / national partners — funding, training and network support.


Metrics to measure success

  • spay/neuter surgeries (monthly/quarterly)

  • % of known colony cats sterilized in target areas

  • Kitten intake to rescues (downtrend expected)

  • Number of registered managed feeding stations / caregivers

  • Wildlife predation incident reports in targeted buffer zones (downward trend expected)


Next steps

  1. Convene a one-day island roundtable (shelters, TNR groups, BIISC, County rep, community caregivers).

  2. Draft a 6-month plan to run mobile spay/neuter blitzes in 2 high-priority communities and set targets.

  3. Create a caregiver registration form + managed feeding site pilot (with mandatory spay/neuter timelines).

  4. Launch public outreach explaining the county law, the pilot feeding stations, and how the humane alternative will work.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW - LET'S MAKE SURE CAT SUPPORTERS GET ELECTED TO HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL

 

IMPLEMENTATION

OVERVIEW

Objective: Reduce free-roaming cat population humanely through large-scale sterilization, vaccination, and caregiver coordination—while ensuring humane treatment, health monitoring, and accurate data.

Duration: 6 months
Target: 1,000+ cats sterilized (adjust based on resources)
Focus Areas: High-density colonies in Hilo, Kona, and Puna districts
Lead: Local coalition 
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

  • ≥80% sterilization rate in target colonies

  • ≥30% reduction in kitten intakes at rescues

  • ≥90% vaccinated at time of surgery

  • ≥20 active, registered colony caregivers trained and equipped

MONTH-BY-MONTH CHECKLIST

MONTH 1 – Planning & Mobilization

Goals: Identify leadership team, secure funding, and map target colonies.
Tasks:

  • ☐ Form a Steering Committee (County, HIHS, AdvoCATS, Aloha Animal Alliance, BIISC).

  • ☐ Select 2–3 priority geographic zones (e.g., Hilo Bayfront, Kea‘au industrial area, Kona resorts).

  • ☐ Secure initial funding (county allocation, grants, corporate sponsorships).

  • ☐ Inventory existing traps, carriers, medical supplies, and clinics.

  • ☐ Draft caregiver registration form and managed-feeding permit template.

  • ☐ Develop public outreach plan (radio, social media, flyers).

MONTH 2 – Volunteer Recruitment & Training

Goals: Build trained volunteer base and finalize logistics.
Tasks:

  • ☐ Host island-wide orientation (humane trapping, data recording, safety).

  • ☐ Identify volunteer captains for each zone.

  • ☐ Schedule mobile clinic dates (coordinate with HIHS/Good Karma clinics).

  • ☐ Arrange transport logistics: drop-off points, recovery houses, veterinary partners.

  • ☐ Launch registration for caregivers (track name, colony, contact info, #cats).

  • ☐ Create online shared dashboard for tracking colonies and surgeries.

MONTH 3 – First Blitz (Pilot)

Goals: Execute pilot event, refine workflow.
Tasks:

  • ☐ Conduct 2-day spay/neuter blitz in highest-density zone.

  • ☐ Track: number trapped, sterilized, vaccinated, released.

  • ☐ Collect post-op recovery data (24–48 hrs follow-up).

  • ☐ Identify logistical bottlenecks (transport, recovery space, volunteer coverage).

  • ☐ Conduct debrief and adjust plan for future blitzes.

  • ☐ Begin micro-grant applications for caregivers (traps, food, meds).

MONTH 4 – Expansion & Outreach

Goals: Scale up to additional zones and engage broader public.
Tasks:

  • ☐ Hold 2–3 additional weekend clinics (target 100–150 cats each).

  • ☐ Distribute public flyers on benefits of TNRM and colony management.

  • ☐ Post ear-tipped cat education materials to prevent re-trapping.

  • ☐ Offer caregiver supply kits (food bins, ID badges, medical logbooks).

  • ☐ Coordinate with BIISC to avoid sensitive bird habitat areas and apply humane deterrents around those zones.

  • ☐ Begin periodic shelter intake monitoring with HIHS data team.

MONTH 5 – Consolidation & Data Verification

Goals: Ensure data integrity and stabilize colony management.
Tasks:

  • ☐ Audit colony data: confirm sterilization rates, update maps.

  • ☐ Visit colonies for wellness checks and photo updates.

  • ☐ Cross-verify data with clinic records and caregiver logs.

  • ☐ Evaluate wildlife conflict reduction (using BIISC or DLNR observations).

  • ☐ Begin planning for long-term caregiver mentorship program.

  • ☐ Start drafting interim 6-month report (numbers, photos, success stories).

MONTH 6 – Reporting & Next-Phase Planning

Goals: Evaluate outcomes, secure next funding cycle, and present results.
Tasks:

  • ☐ Compile 6-month report (targets vs outcomes).

  • ☐ Share results with County Council, community stakeholders, and media.

  • ☐ Hold recognition event for volunteers and caregivers.

  • ☐ Identify gaps: unsterilized colonies, low coverage areas, new kittens.

  • ☐ Draft proposal for 12-month expansion (add veterinary partners or permanent mobile clinic).

  • ☐ Apply for follow-on funding from Best Friends, Petco Love, or local grantors.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW - LET'S MAKE SURE CAT SUPPORTERS GET ELECTED TO HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL


SUPPORTING ELEMENTS

Equipment Checklist

  • Humane traps (Tomahawk, TruCatch, drop traps)

  • Transport crates and carriers

  • Cleaning and disinfectant supplies

  • Portable shade, tarps, tables, gloves, towels, litter boxes

  • Recovery cages with liners

  • Microchip scanners

  • Vaccines (FVRCP, rabies), ear-tipping tools, antibiotics

  • Food and water bowls

Data Tracking Template (recommended fields)

Field Description
Date trapped MM/DD/YY
Colony name / GPS Site ID
# Cats trapped M/F/Unknown
# Sterilized  
# Vaccinated  
# Eartipped  
Notes Health, injuries, temperament
Caregiver Name & contact


REPORTING METRICS

  • cats sterilized and vaccinated per zone

  • colonies registered and % sterilized

  • Kitten intake at HIHS (compare to baseline)

  • Adoption & foster placements

  • Volunteer hours logged

  • Public engagement (flyers distributed, posts, events)

🐾 SUCCESS INDICATORS (What's Working)

✅ Colony populations declining or stable
✅ Shelter intake and euthanasia reduced
✅ Increased public compliance and caregiver participation
✅ Wildlife predation incidents reduced near colonies
✅ Improved cat welfare indicators (body condition, disease incidence)

 

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW - LET'S MAKE SURE CAT SUPPORTERS GET ELECTED TO HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL