In Jakarta, Indonesia, a lively black-and-white stray cat named Hitam has been spayed and returned to the care of Alvin, a local parking attendant. Every day, Alvin provides her with a meal of rice and fish.
Hitam is one of an estimated 700,000 stray cats that wander the streets of Jakarta. To help control the cat population humanely, several community-based organizations, including Let’s Adopt Indonesia, have initiated Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs.
Each weekend, volunteers like 28-year-old Vanya Afreenzha work hard to catch as many stray cats as they can. Equipped with cat food, long pole nets, and plastic carriers, they visit public places such as parks and train stations where cats are commonly found. The cats are then taken to a clinic in southern Jakarta for neutering by licensed veterinarians.
On a recent mission, volunteers managed to trap 80 cats, including Hitam. Among them was an aggressive female cat, whom Afreenzha named Aing Maung, which means “I am a tiger” in Sundanese.
Carolina Fajar, head of operations at Let’s Adopt Indonesia, explains that neutering helps reduce aggression and undesirable behaviors in cats. It also prevents them from causing damage while searching for food or trying to mate.
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Fajar emphasizes that TNR allows for peaceful coexistence with stray cats, without needing to remove them from the streets. By lowering their hormonal levels, neutering helps these animals live healthier and calmer lives.
Though the TNR program faces occasional challenges, including skepticism from some locals who question its effectiveness, volunteers like Afreenzha remain dedicated to the cause. For her, helping cats live better lives—so they no longer have to reproduce on the streets—is rewarding.
Afreenza is convinced that harmony between humans and animals is achievable, allowing both to coexist peacefully.