Jakarta (ANTARA News) - About 50 stray cats were emasculated and sterilized in West Jakarta on Monday in order to reduce their population, a city official said.

West Jakarta Animal Husbandry Service Head Kusdiana said on Tuesday the cats were sterilized in cooperation with the Indonesian Veterinarian Association.

"Eight veterinarians and 6 paramedics carried out the sterilization on the cats while providing the animals with rabies vaccines to prevent them from being infected with the rabies virus," Kusdiana said.

She said the vaccination of stray cats was also intended to prevent people from being bitten by cats and infected with rabies in West Jakarta.

The increasing number of stray cat population had caused the animals to be often maltreated such as being kicked, hit, thrown at with stones and even soaked with hot water, she said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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