In October 1999, a small cat jumped out of the C-130 when its cargo doors were opened shortly after landing on Johnston Island. Two Johnston Atoll Law Enforcement employees gave chase and caught it near the JACADS plant. It was placed in a box and shipped back to Hickam AFB that day on the same C-130 upon which it had arrived.
In April 2000, another cat was accidentally introduced to Johnston Island, this time via a container that had arrived on the monthly barge. When the container was opened at night in front of bldg. 876 along scientific row, the cat ran out and escaped. It was seen many times at night during the next two months in the headlights of JALE and other vehicles. Some "Have-A-Heart" cat traps were sent from Oahu and baited with meat scraps, and the cat was finally captured in one of them on 20 June. A fund was set up and collected $1140 from the island residents. One of the island residents agreed to adopt it and took it with him on the Aloha flight from JI to Honolulu on 28 June in the first class cabin, and subsequently to San Francisco where it was turned over to the owner of Safe Haven for Cats, who was to try and domesticate it. Only $40 was needed for the vet bill, the rest of the fund went to the Safe Haven for Cats. (It has been rumored that someone saw a cat with a wad of money at Reno though.)
U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service personnel did not find any evidence that the cat preyed on any of the birds during its two-month stay on JI. It was seen several times at the burn pit at night, presumably feeding on the abundant mice there. Mice are also very abundant in many other areas of JI so the cat would have had a lot of easy prey to catch during its stay.