In an attempt to save two species of endangered wildcats, a group of veterinary surgeons has decided to vaccinate and sterilize pet and stray cats on Tsushima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture and Iriomote Island in Okinawa Prefecture, organizers said Tuesday.
The veterinarians will vaccinate and sterilize the strays and pets in order to protect Tsushima and Iriomote wildcats from contracting the feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus through contact with domesticated cats.
The wildcats come into frequent contact with stray or pet cats, often fighting or mating.
Both Tsushima and Iriomote wildcats are protected species, and only 70 to 100 of each remain. FIV was recently detected in Tsushima wildcats, while a stray cat on Iriomote Island was found to be infected with the virus in 1999.