Rarotonga’s cat population is believed to be decreasing drastically compared to two years ago, thanks to the Paws and Claws Sanctuary and its desexing programme.

However, more needs to be done, especially around education on the importance of cats, according to the sanctuary’s manager, Shannon Paul, who hasn’t had a kitten in eight consecutive weeks.

In a bid to increase awareness, a new education facility will be opened at the sanctuary on Monday by the New Zealand high commissioner to the Cook Islands, Tui Dewes.

The facility will provide education to adults and children about the importance of cats beyond keeping their homes free of rats.

Paul said: “We have been desexing now for two years and 20 odd days and I have not had a kitten come into the sanctuary for eight weeks now, so we’re getting on top of it but we just need the people to understand (the importance of cats).”

The facility has been funded by the New Zealand High Commission in the Cook Islands.

“They’re going to open it and we’re going to invite the schools to participate in it and learn a bit about cats and why we need to desex cats, how to care for cats, and more,” Paul said.

“Bring your (unwanted) kittens to us, we will desex them and then we will give them away to people that are going to look after them because sooner or later, you’re not going to have kittens readily available like this so when the dog kills your cat, you’re not going to be able to get a cat.”

The facility hosted desexing days in partnership with Te Are Manu Vet Clinic.

Paul said spaying and neutering cats was the best way to reduce the number of unwanted kittens on the island.

She explained that their desexing programme may be working, but the dog population needs a little bit of training in not killing cats. This can’t be taught if people can’t learn what a cat is and why they have cats, adds Paul.

“We’ve had people who come in now, they wanting cats because they have rats and mice at home and cats at home isn’t just for rats and mice, they can calm a situation.

“They are calm animal themselves; they can teach your children how to respect a living thing, and all those things too so that’s why we’ve decided we would have an educational centre to try and get a handle on it basically.”

Paws and Claws Cat Sanctuary’s initial goal is to see 85 per cent of cats and kittens on Rarotonga spayed or neutered and for the facility to no longer be needed.

The sanctuary officially opened on August 1, 2022, with 38 cats and kittens. On its first Christmas, they had 98 kittens plus cats. By last year’s Christmas, the resident number dropped to 46 kittens plus cats.

Paul is hoping the resident number is down to 20 cats and kittens by this year’s Christmas. They currently have 36 cats and 14 in the sanctuary.