Kerrill J. Kephart’s letter March 24 about cats and the AdvoCats organization was unfounded in facts, and encouraged crueltyand hate of one of man’s best friends.
First, these are homeless cats, not feral. To be feral would be born and raised in the wild, and would not come around peopleat all. Most of these homeless cats will beg food from you like a homeless person.
Second, Toxoplasmosis is spread by poorly cooked meat, and poorly washed salad fixings. Up to half the worlds population isinfected with the T.gondi protozoa, in some places up to 95 percent of the population has it. It causes no symptoms in adulthumans, but is more hazardous to folks with low immune systems and babies still in utero. Cats are known to carry this smallparasite as most are warm blooded mammals. It can affect the eyes and some brain functions. Cat feces could temporarilycarry it, hence the warning for pregnant women to avoid that kitty litter dust. Unless confined, cats bury their feces carefully,but claws could carry the protozoa temporarily. Remember cat scratch fever years ago? We all learned to disinfect scratchesfrom cats.
First discovered 1908 in rabbits in Tunisia and later in North African rodents, T.gondi has been much studied.
Researchers and authorities worldwide agree it is unreasonable to blame our cats.
To equate cats with mosquitoes and bottle flies (where did Mr. Kephart come from? No bottle flies here), is irresponsible andfalse. They are not a vector for any serious illness.
Finally, homeless cats do not often take birds, they are just a mouthful of feathers. Their natural food is the house mouse andboth species of rats in Hawaii.
Maybe Mr. Kephart is a rat lover!
Rollin Frost
Kailua-Kona