Hawaii's Zombie Cats
01/12/23 • 22 min
2 Listeners
Hawaii’s Kauai island is overrun by half a million feral cats, many of which are infected with toxoplasmosis. These infected cats pose an existential threat to the native habitat, including Kauai’s endangered monk seals. The island's animal-loving community has fallen into chaos; It's zombie-cat people versus everyone else. Paul Kvinta covered the story for Outside Magazine.
You can read the full story here: https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/hawaiis-crazy-war-over-zombie-cats
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hawaii’s Kauai island is overrun by half a million feral cats, many of which are infected with toxoplasmosis. These infected cats pose an existential threat to the native habitat, including Kauai’s endangered monk seals. The island's animal-loving community has fallen into chaos; It's zombie-cat people versus everyone else. Paul Kvinta covered the story for Outside Magazine.
You can read the full story here: https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/hawaiis-crazy-war-over-zombie-cats
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Story of the Week with Joel Stein - Hawaii's Zombie Cats
Transcript
Pushkin. The story of the week is Hawaii's Crazy War over Zombie Cats by Paul Cavinta. It was published in Outside magazine. This is an animal murder mystery, which I mentioned because I know that podcasts about murder do really well. Specifically, it's a story about feral cats. The articles called Hawaii's Crazy War over Zombie Cats, and the first thing it taught me is that cats are genocidal, and like genocides before them, not only did they mu
Hawaii's Zombie Cats Top Questions Answered
What is the fight in Kauai about?
The fight in Kauai is about cats, with cat lovers and environmentalists opposing each other.
Who leads the cat people in Kauai?
Basil Scott leads the cat people in Kauai.
What is the solution proposed by the cat people in Kauai?
The cat people advocate for trap neuter return (TNR) as a solution.
How many cats do Basil Scott and his wife have in their home?
Basil Scott and his wife have an enormous number of cats in their home.
What legislation passes related to the cat problem in Kauai?
Legislation addressing feral cat populations passes in Kauai.
Why do conservationists argue against the cats in Hawaii?
Conservationists argue that the cat problem threatens endangered species.
Who produced the podcast episode discussing this story?
The podcast episode was produced by Lydia Gencott and Nisheve Ncut.
What impacts have feral cats in Hawaii had on endangered species?
Feral cats in Hawaii have led to the deaths of endangered species due to toxoplasmosis found in cat poop.
What is the solution proposed by cat lovers to control the cat population and protect wildlife?
Cat lovers propose a solution called Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR).
Why is PETA against TNR?
PETA is against TNR due to its ineffectiveness in eliminating feral cat colonies.
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