The state Board of Land and Natural Resources has granted a three-month right of entry to the nonprofit Popoki Place Oahu Cat Sanctuary for 20 acres of land on Oahu’s North Shore as a possible site for the island’s first sanctuary for feral and homeless cats.

What You Need To Know

  • The area, zoned for agriculture, is next to the former Crawford Convalescent Home

  • The ROE allows the nonprofit to conduct due diligence — to access and investigate the property for three months for research, collecting data, conducting surveys and mapping, but does not allow for any construction or “ground-disturbing” activities

  • Popoki Place would build fenced enclosures on the property, as well as a visitor center, offices, caretaker housing, a spay-neuter medical clinic, parking, utilities and an approved wastewater system

  • The number of feral cats is imprecise, but the Hawaii Island-based Nene Research and Conservation group provided an estimate of 196,227 to 265,179 non-housed cats on Oahu per DLNR

The area, zoned for agriculture, is next to the former Crawford Convalescent Home.

The ROE allows the nonprofit to conduct due diligence — to access and investigate the property for three months for research, collecting data, conducting surveys and mapping, but does not allow for any construction or “ground-disturbing” activities.

The submittal provided to the Department of Land and Natural Resources Land Division states, “Popoki Place indicates its long-term plan is to locate land suitable for a large-scale sanctuary with multiple fenced enclosures for feral and homeless cats on the island of Oahu. The sanctuary will prioritize the intake of cats removed from areas where the state has concerns about negative interactions between cats and protected wildlife. In addition to housing cats, Popoki Place will be an educational program to teach children and adults about Hawaii’s fragile ecosystem.”

Popoki Place would build fenced enclosures on the property, as well as a visitor center, offices, caretaker housing, a spay-neuter medical clinic, parking, utilities and an approved wastewater system.

After conducting due diligence and the property is deemed viable for a cat sanctuary, Popoki Place will then comply with environmental laws and other regulatory requirements before returning to the BLNR with a request for a direct lease from the state, according to DLNR.

The number of feral cats is imprecise, but the Hawaii Island-based Nene Research and Conservation group provided an estimate of 196,227 to 265,179 non-housed cats on Oahu per DLNR.

DLNR Chair Dawn Chang said she is willing to consider the use of state public lands for a cat sanctuary that could be available to house cat colonies found near sensitive coastal and forest reserves where feral cats threaten endangered species.

Cats prey on wildlife and spread the deadly Toxoplasmosis disease, therefore the sanctuary would provide a win-win for feral cats and native wildlife.