南丫島動物保護組織在「貓」方面的工作,除了拯救被遺棄的貓咪、為牠們找新的家外,我們的主力是放在為流浪貓管理計劃。南丫島上的流浪貓,都是被島上或外來的人所遺棄,認為牠們能在野外覓食。這些「野貓」,外表與家貓沒兩樣,同樣討人喜歡;但未經馴服的貓,大多數是不適合被收養的,然而,牠們郤是開枝散葉的能手;五個月大,或甚至更小年紀的雌貓已經可以生育,而且一年能生育3次。越多貓隻聚集在一起,就越容易互相傳染疾病、打架、製造噪音、滋擾居民。
早前估計,南丫島大約有700多頭流浪貓,若在無人理會的情況下,以貓隻的繁殖速度,數目可在短期間倍增。貓隻不斷繁殖是一個不容忽視的問題,自然的數量控制只有疾病和饑餓,捕殺牠們也不可行,因為其它的貓隻也會佔據被殺同類的領域。只有把牠們絕育,再釋放回到原來原居地才是可行的方法。
得到香港愛護動物協會的支持及漁農及自然護理署的配合,南丫島動物保護組識參予了一個既人道、亦經濟的「貓隻領域護理計劃」(Cat Colony Care Programme) – 簡稱 CCCP,這個計劃是以 「捕捉/絕育/釋放」 (Trap/Neuter/Release) 為基礎,的目的要控制貓隻的數目、亦同時要照顧到貓隻的健康。首先要找到貓群聚集的地方,每天餵糧與水,然後分開捕捉,為牠們進行絕育手術後,再送回原居地,由義工繼續餵飼及照顧牠們。有病的會由代養家庭暫時照顧,友善或年紀小的貓就盡可能為牠們找一個收養家庭。經過這計劃接受絕育手術的貓隻,都會在手術麻醉期間,以男右女左,剪去一邊耳尖的一小角,以識別貓隻已絕育。
With the support of the HKSPCA and the help of the AFCD, LAWC participates in the Cat Colony Care Programme (CCCP) a plan which is both humane and sustainable. Trap-Neuter-Release is the basis for CCCP. The aim is to control the number of feral cats,at the same time caring for their health. First we locate the dwelling place of the ferals. We provide them with food and water for some time. Then we trap them individually. After their spay/neuter operations, we return them to where we found them where voluntary carers will continue to feed and watch out for them. The sick ones will remain in our care and we will try to find homes for the friendly and young ones.
All CCCP cats have one of their ears tipped (right for boys and left for girls) as identification. This is done under anaesthesia during the spay/neuter surgery and is therefore painless.