Greek island but without the strays

TreatTreat · 2025-07-19T18:18:37+00:00

I'd love to visit a Greek island. Is there one without any stray animals in the main resorts? It'd really upset me seeing them.

MaryBerrysFannyHammock · 19/07/2025 19:29

Are they strays? I thought they were hotel cats kept purposely for rodent management.

MaryBerrysFannyHammock · 19/07/2025 19:31

Also, why are they strays just because they are traditionally pets in the UK? Do you consider a squirrel a stray animal?

Butthechildrentheylovethebooks · 19/07/2025 19:34

Resort cats are always a bonus for us! In Cyprus everyone goes out of their way to feed the cats, locals and tourists. In an ideal world they would all have a home but I think its heartwarming to see them looked after by people that just care.
Just back from Ibiza where the hotel cat was well looked after and loved by everyone.

Butthechildrentheylovethebooks · 19/07/2025 19:34

Resort cats are always a bonus for us! In Cyprus everyone goes out of their way to feed the cats, locals and tourists. In an ideal world they would all have a home but I think its heartwarming to see them looked after by people that just care.
Just back from Ibiza where the hotel cat was well looked after and loved by everyone.

Butthechildrentheylovethebooks · 19/07/2025 19:34

No idea why that posted twice.

Conniebygaslight · 19/07/2025 20:05

We visited Skiathos recently, it’s stunning. There is a dogs home there but didn’t see any strays…that’s probably why.

MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · 19/07/2025 20:10

The cats everywhere are the best part! We saw so many when we went to rhodes. The majority are nice and healthy, but there are always some that clearly have health issues.

The animals are the Greek wildlife, like we have foxes and squirrels.

Itsnottheheatitsthehumidity · 19/07/2025 20:20

Athens has 100s of cats. I really enjoyed finding them at the ruins and down alleys. They are well looked after, either by their owners or by local charities that oversee them.

There's a ruin in Rome that houses cats by an animal charity. They get medical care and the population is controlled. There is also a colony at the Coliseum.

That's a derail, sorry, I just like the fact in some parts animal rights have improved a lot.

thecatneuterer · 19/07/2025 20:47

Christ, so much naivete on this thread. The strays in these countries are not ok. One female cat, unneutered, and breeding at a normal rate will be responsible for 21,000 more cats in 7 years if all the offspring survive. The only reason the cats in these places aren't a solid carpet of cats meters deep is that most of them die young and most kittens don't survive. Those that do make it to adulthood have a short and precarious life with no treatment in the event of illness and injury. It's deeply upsetting and I also can't bear to witness it.

Words · 19/07/2025 21:00

3000 kittens a year?,

modgepodge · 19/07/2025 21:03

Words · 19/07/2025 21:00

3000 kittens a year?,

😂 I can only assume the poster is including all the grandchildren (grand kittens?!) and great grandchildren that cat will also be responsible for?!

thecatneuterer · 19/07/2025 21:11

Words · 19/07/2025 21:00

3000 kittens a year?,

One cat gives birth twice a year , and average of four kittens in each litter. Half of those are female - they start having kittens at six months old, the original cat is having more etc etc. It's just maths.

lovemeblender · 19/07/2025 21:11

I can relate to this. Went to Istanbul last year, the millions of cats really added to the experience. They are strays, but well fed and in very good condition, there is a government scheme that helps vaccinate them and treats them when ill.
This year I went somewhere else, loads of cats, but many tiny kittens with eyes shut because of infection, dirty, flee ridden and abandoned by their mother. There was food out but many needed medical care and it really upset me.

thecatneuterer · 19/07/2025 21:14

I deal with colonies in London. A colony can easily get to 50 or 60 in around three years, from one original female - and that's with around 75 per cent of the kittens not surviving to four months old.

user1476613140 · 19/07/2025 21:15

Itsnottheheatitsthehumidity · 19/07/2025 20:20

Athens has 100s of cats. I really enjoyed finding them at the ruins and down alleys. They are well looked after, either by their owners or by local charities that oversee them.

There's a ruin in Rome that houses cats by an animal charity. They get medical care and the population is controlled. There is also a colony at the Coliseum.

That's a derail, sorry, I just like the fact in some parts animal rights have improved a lot.

I must have walked around the Coliseum with my eyes shut then, don't recall seeing any. Had no idea.

thecatneuterer · 19/07/2025 21:17

The only places I can bear to visit are Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Scandinavia. I was once relieved to see that Tenerife wasn't too bad, but then found out that the Government had had a campaign of mass poisoning.

TenaciousDeeds · 19/07/2025 21:43

Butthechildrentheylovethebooks · 19/07/2025 19:34

Resort cats are always a bonus for us! In Cyprus everyone goes out of their way to feed the cats, locals and tourists. In an ideal world they would all have a home but I think its heartwarming to see them looked after by people that just care.
Just back from Ibiza where the hotel cat was well looked after and loved by everyone.

This!! We holidayed in a resort in Kos in 2021. We mostly hated it, but LOVED the stray cats!

We had a ground floor hotel room with a little terrace, and three kept appearing regularly. My DD had been asking for a cat for two years, but we kept saying no. But after two weeks with these beautiful, humble, intelligent creatures, I just fell in love.

We now have two, and they are sort of our world.

AvidJadeShaker · 19/07/2025 21:51

I go to Turkey because of the cats!

itispersonal · 19/07/2025 22:05

I’d like to know, I have a massive phobia of cats and having strays near me puts me I edge! Have to eat inside in some hotels as the cats come to your table and under chairs and I’m running off and screaming! Waking up to a patio with cats is my idea of hell!

Sassybooklover · 19/07/2025 22:21

Greece always has lots of cats. Unfortunately, the poster who mentioned about the cats not being spayed producing multiple litters is correct. Male cats who aren't neutered, fight and roam to find female cats, and suffer terrible injuries. Some cats are supported by rescues and kind locals who feed them. Some rescues do a TNR (trap, neuter, return) to try and decrease the numbers. We usually find a local rescue online and take a small amount of supplies when we visit a Greek island - they cry out for flea and worming treatments. You will be hard pushed to find a part of Greece that doesn't have cats.

robinsnest1967 · 19/07/2025 22:24

I purposely pick holiday destinations for the most cats 🤣

Butthechildrentheylovethebooks · 19/07/2025 23:47

thecatneuterer · 19/07/2025 20:47

Christ, so much naivete on this thread. The strays in these countries are not ok. One female cat, unneutered, and breeding at a normal rate will be responsible for 21,000 more cats in 7 years if all the offspring survive. The only reason the cats in these places aren't a solid carpet of cats meters deep is that most of them die young and most kittens don't survive. Those that do make it to adulthood have a short and precarious life with no treatment in the event of illness and injury. It's deeply upsetting and I also can't bear to witness it.

I'm not naive. Clearly it would be better if every cat had a home. When we have been to Cyprus we buy food for the cats. There are neutering programmes there too. Obviously its a drop in the ocean as the cats will breed so quickly.
I find it sad the cats don't have a home, but the efforts to look after them are evident. Just because I don't find it 'deeply upsetting' doesn't make me naive.

MoonKiss · 19/07/2025 23:53

Itsnottheheatitsthehumidity · 19/07/2025 20:20

Athens has 100s of cats. I really enjoyed finding them at the ruins and down alleys. They are well looked after, either by their owners or by local charities that oversee them.

There's a ruin in Rome that houses cats by an animal charity. They get medical care and the population is controlled. There is also a colony at the Coliseum.

That's a derail, sorry, I just like the fact in some parts animal rights have improved a lot.

The place in Rome is called Largo di Torre Argentina and it’s where Julius Caesar was killed.

OP in many Greek and Cypriot resorts there are neutering/vaccination programs - you may spot animals with a little nick in their ear, this means they’ve been “done”.

DelilahBucket · 19/07/2025 23:57

There are lots of cats in Skiathos but they have an excellent cat protection charity who work hard to neuter and look after them all.
We went to Kefalonia last week and there were quite a lot locally but hotels fed and watered them and they were very tame.

Itsnottheheatitsthehumidity · 20/07/2025 07:27

MoonKiss · 19/07/2025 23:53

The place in Rome is called Largo di Torre Argentina and it’s where Julius Caesar was killed.

OP in many Greek and Cypriot resorts there are neutering/vaccination programs - you may spot animals with a little nick in their ear, this means they’ve been “done”.

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That's it! We'd go down there every evening to spot the cats!