Cyprus! A sunny, peaceful, Mediterranean island with clean beaches, scenic mountains, and an abundance of ancient monuments and relics. The population enjoys a relaxed pace and an excellent quality of life, but only if they belong to the human species. Life for the almost 1.5 million feral and stray cats does not fare so well!
Despite the widely believed local legend that cats were introduced to the island by St. Helene to kill the poisonous snakes that at one time infested their land, modern Cypriots, or their government, do not have in high esteem the descendants of those heroic snake fighters! The small annual government sterilization funding, of just €50,000, was cut completely since 2013 due to the economic crisis. In the favorable climate of Cyprus, a female cat can give birth up to three times per year, resulting in a chronic overpopulation.
Animal lovers, in every corner of the island, are struggling with very limited resources, to feed, heal, nurse, and neuter as many cats as possible!
