"Feral cats have become major carriers of rabies and their numbers are hard to control," the Head of Livestock and Fishery Office of West Jakarta, Eviaty, said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The West Jakarta Livestock and Fishery Office has neutered hundreds of feral cats wandering around the city`s local hospitals, bus stations, and neighbourhoods, in an effort to reduce their population and prevent rabies.
"Feral cats have become major carriers of rabies and their numbers are hard to control," the Head of Livestock and Fishery Office of West Jakarta, Eviaty, said here on Monday.
Female cats were spayed, while the male cats were castrated. The neutering process takes 15-20 minutes.
"The fur around the cat`s rear end is also trimmed during the process, because the faeces sometimes stick to the fur, which could harm pregnant women if their food gets contaminated with those," Eviaty explained.
She pointed out that feral cats multiply at a fast rate.
"An eight-year-old cat can give birth twice or thrice a year. If four kittens are born each time, there will be 12 more feral cats within the span of a year," Eviaty noted.
"Due to their vast population, feral cats are often abused by humans because they are considered as pests," she continued.
"These animals are always in search of food, as there is no one to feed them," Eviaty added.
The West Jakarta Livestock and Fishery Office conducted the sterilization program in cooperation with the Indonesian Veterinarian Association, which was led by Asentina Panggabean.
Fifteen veterinarians and five medical officers were assigned with the task of giving rabies shots to humans as well as cats, in a bid to prevent further spread of the disease.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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