REYNA IWAMOTO & SKYLER CHUN
CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF & COPY EDITOR
It is easy for anyone on campus to notice the feral cat population living on school grounds. Whether it is in the parking lots or near the portables, students and teachers have varying opinions of the cats on campus, some thinking they are a nuisance, while others do not mind having the furry friends here at school with them.
On December 7, 2018, one of the cats on campus, previously referred to as “Blacky” by campus custodians, Nam Sun Gentry and Nam Sun Adena, was rescued by freshman Savannah Brennan.
One day Brennan and a few of her friends saw that the cat had a bad limp, so they approached him, however they immediately noticed that he had some serious health problems.
“So a little bit after that I texted my mom saying there was a cat on campus that really needs help, we need to do something before he passes...“I was not just going to let him die, that’s not humane at all,” Brennan said.
Brennan and her mother are involved with the cat rescue group, Cat People of Oahu’s and help to rescue and give the give cats the proper healthcare they need.
“We find cats that look like they are in need of help or cats that look like they are not spayed or neutered or anything and we take them to the vet. Then we either release or find them good homes,” Brennan explained.
Brennan’s mother then contacted other members of the “Cat People of Oahu,” who took the Blacky to the vet and treated his health conditions. After running tests, the veterinarians found that Blacky, later named Obsidian by his foster owner, was not blind or deaf after all, despite what was previously suspected. Obsidian was diagnosed with ear mites, worms, and hyperthyroidism, a condition that accelerates the body’s metabolism causing weight loss and an irregular heart beat. He was treated for his health conditions and was soon able to move into and live comfortably in a foster home for a while where he got his eyes and ears cleared, received help for his failing thyroids, and began eating regularly again.
Obsidian has been coined as Moanalua High School’s kitty by many of the teachers and students who have classes in the portables near the cafeteria. A few teachers who are located in these portables, including Alice Carpenter, Nancy Gouveia, and Gina Ontai, had all become close with the cat over the past several years and were sad to see him leave campus, but were hopeful for its recovery. They all generously contributed to the cat’s veterinary bill.
Gina Ontai, the teacher in P12A near the cafeteria, helped with the rescue of Blacky.
“[The students] felt the back [of the cat’s neck] and it actually had a microchip. The cat’s been here over three years so I would think that if you are able to read the microchip it [would probably show that it belonged to] a family that left or moved away,” Ontai said.
Senior Emily Ledbetter was present when Brennan found the cat and she explained that she is glad that it was at least put into a foster home.
“It was so sad because [when it was just a stray on campus] everyone would avoid it...” Ledbetter said.
However, this “christmas miracle” had an unfortunate ending as his health began to deteriorate once again through the new year, eventually leading to his passing on January 25, 2019.
Despite Obsidian’s passing, the kind actions of Brennan and the rest of the teachers involved in the rescue do not go unnoticed. The selflessness they have shown in the past few months in finding Obsidian the help and giving him the home he deserves, serves as a reminder that simple acts of kindness can change lives.
“My opinion on all of the feral cats on campus is that sometime- i know it's expensive, but we need to start taking these animals to the vet because this isn’t okay. Because Obsidian was infested with ear mites, he had worms, he had so many things wrong with him and just feeding them cat treats is not going to suffice the cat’s hunger and need for love and attention,” Brennan said.
Brennan went on to explain that if the cats on campus are in serious health conditions, it could also pose a risk to everyone on campus.
“If these animals are infested with worms, ear mites, that kind of stuff, it can also be a health hazard to us because we can become infested with them as well, so I believe that once in a while we should, even if we release them back on campus, take the time to trap them, take them to the vet, and do as much as we can to at least help them,” Brennan said.
“Even if that seems remotely impossible, it would be a wonderful thing to do...” Brennan added.
Obsidian’s rescue story is a remarkable one that could possibly apply to many of the other cats on campus and around the island. If you would like to learn more about the organization, Cat People of Oahu, visit their facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/catpeopleofoahu/ or if you would like to learn more about how you can help feral animals visit the Hawaiian Humane Society’s website at www.hawaiianhumane.org/.