My wife and I very nearly adopted another cat yesterday in Greece. This is not the first time this has happened, because Greece is the terrain of adorable cats.
I almost said “stray cats,” which I suppose is technically true. But, for the most part, the cats we’ve been enjoying the company of don’t strike us as hard-up, scrappy tomcats. They appear, by and large, to be healthy and well-fed. Some are even pleasantly plump. All around the country, we’ve been spotting little “cat service stations” where locals put out food and water. One of them even came equipped with toys. Communal cat care appears to be the paradigm.
The potential adoptee in question approached us while I was snapping photos like mad at sunset, along a ridge lined with windmills above the whitewashed old town of Mykonos. This kitten was making the rounds from tourist to tourist for pets and head-scratches, when he turned his attention to us. After about 30 seconds of quality cat time, I began to wonder about the practicalities of legally transporting a cat Stateside… and how Poi and Welly, back home, might feel about a new little brother.
By the time he moved on to the next cluster of tourists, we’d given him a name: Mykonos, of course, or “Miko” for short.
This was far from the first time we’ve had this experience in Greece. Many years ago, at the Acropolis of Lindos on the island of Rhodes, we met an improbably friendly orange-and-white cat who somehow managed to upstage the dramatic ancient ruins upon whose steps he was basking. We still talk about “Lindo” as the one who got away.
The morning after we met Miko — just today, in fact — we made another feline friend, who lingered at the porch in front of our hotel. Getting to know her over breakfast, we named her “Elena” (after the hotel) and once again began Googling “quarantine rules for cat entering US” over our coffee.
This is a common theme for cat-lovers in the Greek Isles. You see feral cats all over the warm world, but Greece seems to have a particular affinity. We confirmed this over dinner with Antonis, a Mykonos tour guide.
“Yes, we Greeks love cats!” he said. “They are truly part of the community. You get to know specific ones and enjoy seeing them in the streets. Cats are favored over dogs for many reasons: They are very clean. They are quiet — no barking. They generally don’t bite or cause much trouble, and help keep rats and mice under control. Some people who work in the old center even bring their cats to work with them, let them wander the town, then take them home each evening.”
This is a far cry from the “inside-only” ethos that many American cat owners (including us) embrace. Keeping a cat indoors, feeding them a steady and predictable diet, and providing them with regular veterinary care is, no doubt, far better for the life expectancy of any cat.
But what about the quality of life? Recently, my wife and I adopted a new pair of kittens. Here they are, if you’ll indulge a proud cat papa:
As we’ve sorted out our cat-rearing philosophy, we’ve learned how many experts note that keeping a cat indoors 24/7 prevents them from pursuing their natural instincts to explore and prowl and hunt. They become couch potatoes; they gain weight; many develop odd behaviors and tics, which in some cases are treated by putting them on antidepressants.
In short, keeping a cat indoors lengthens their life, but runs the risk of making them neurotic. Just a few years ago, my wife and I nursed another pair of cats through their golden years. While we never regretted it for a moment, anyone who’s given a late-teenaged cat injections, infusions, pills, and inhalers (yes, inhalers) has to wonder if this is truly the natural order of things.
If we went through the effort to bring Miko or Elena or Lindo home with us, would we truly be “rescuing” them? Or would such a drastic change in lifestyle cause them more trauma than benefit? They appeared to be very healthy, led happy lives, and are looked after by the community. Maybe they already belonged to someone, or, at a minimum, they collectively “belonged” to the people of Mykonos. “I don’t ‘own’ a cat,” Antonis told us. “But I love cats. And I feel like, living here, I have many cats.”
Who’s to say that the US approach of pampered, medicated, geriatric cats is better than a short-but-sweet existence of carousing through whitewashed lanes? If you’re doing it right, travel challenges your assumptions. Often, it surprises you with a fresh take on something you thought you’d “figured out” long ago…even something as seemingly trivial as a cute kitten. I do believe there are many situations from which cats need to be rescued. (All four of our cats have been rescues.) I’m just not convinced the Greek Islands are one of those places.
And, I’ll admit, another reason for writing this post is purely as a gratuitous opportunity to share photos of the countless cute Greek cats I’ve encountered in my travels.
Here’s a true story: One time, after a particularly cat-intensive journey through the Greek Islands, I brought home all of my photographs for the company database. Soon after, my colleague responsible for cataloguing and keywording those photos came to my office. “Could I ask you a personal favor, Cameron?” he said. “Can you please, please stop taking so many photos of cats?”
I still take lots of photos of cats… certainly too many. However, I have stopped providing them to the database. I’ve been keeping them to myself… but now I’m pleased to share them with you.
Greek cats seem to have a knack for hanging out in picturesque locales.
One day, I was walking up a very tight whitewashed lane, when I looked up to see the legs of a napping cat poking out over the ledge directly above me.
He must have heard me snapping photos, because soon he woke up and peered over the ledge at me, with that air of perturbed judgment that only a cat can master.
Restaurants are, understandably, a particularly popular place for cats to hang out. At one charming café in Megalochori, on Santorini, the family of tabby cats (mom, dad, and five kittens) was clearly a big draw for tourists like us. And yet, nobody wants them sauntering across the tabletops. And so there was a delicate balancing act: They could curl between the legs of diners, even hop up for a nap on a chair…but never on the table.
“But, Cameron!” you may be saying. “Don’t you realize all that’s going on in the world? Strife and warfare, a generation-defining presidential election coming down to the wire! How can you be talking about cats at a time like this?”
Yes, the world feels like it’s unraveling. But that’s just when we all could all use a “moment of zen”…an escape from the blood-pressure-jolting headlines.
Travel broadens your perspective and makes you a better global citizen — and my current trip, overland through the Balkans from Sarajevo to Greece, has done that more for me than any I can remember. But travel also provides much-needed peace and gratitude. It can remind us to slow down our relentless pace, to clear our minds of stressors beyond our control, and to be present in the moment… scratching an adorable cat on the chin, as she tightly presses her eyes closed and revs up her whirring purr motor.
There will be time enough when I get home to worry about all that’s going on in the world. But for now… I’m just enjoying the hell out of these cats of Greece, for as long as I have with them.
Bye, Miko! Have a great life.
I typically make a photo book, using one of the online services, for every major trip I take.
The first time I was in Greece, I made two books. One of the sights and wonders, the other all cats. There were adorable cats on every island, wandering the streets, hanging out in outdoor cafes hoping for some scraps, and even in shop windows. Plus, there were cat images on clothing, pillow covers, purses, and all types of knick knacks. I loved them all, and took pictures of so many that I needed a separate book.
I love this article. We, too, have encountered many a cat in our travels through Greece and Croatia, as well as Costa Rica. We did take the plunge in Costa Rica and brought home Baby, aka Serena, aka Skittles, aka _____ (fill in the blank). She was the semi-feral house cat where we stayed in CR. There’s not a day that’s fine by that we ever regretted that decision and to date, I think we’ve got well over 200 photos of her. Your Ode to Cats is so completely relatable; thank you!
I Love,Love,Love cats, kittens… I have helped out colonies in the US spayed and nuturered them then left out food for them organized people to take over. I too have 100’s of photos of cats in all walks of life and I loved seeing these in such great scenic areas.
I, too, made a separate photo book, “Cats of Croatia.” Split, particularly, has a great many cats that are cared for by locals. I dubbed one square Cat Square, as there were a few little houses for them under trees in the raised, treed center, and I observed locals and tourists feeding them. In a residential area, I spoke with a Ukrainian transplant who cared for about 30 cats and provided vet care as needed.
I was recently in Prague and saw only one cat there, a huge and elegant beauty, likely a Norweigan Forest Cat.
Cat photo-captures are one of my favorite things about travel.
Cameron, thanks for a delightful article and fantastic photos!
Your post on the cats of Greece was so relatable. We had the good fortune to live in Greece for more than 3 years in a resort community, Vouliagmeni, on the outskirts of Athens. There was a local Greek woman the locals nicknamed “the cat lady of Vouliagmeni”. She got meat scraps from the butcher to feed to the street cats there.
Of course all the restaurants with their outdoor seating had their feline visitors.
Needless to say, we adopted two Greek cats who had the advantage of living outdoors in our indoor, outdoor apartment. We were on the top third floor which had full length room size sliding doors opening to equal length outdoor balconies, as well as, a wide sloping lighthouse staircase that led to a completely open terrace scanning the whole length of the eight room apartment. The outdoor terrace had in ground gardens on both sides, as well as, a beautiful wooden grape arbor extending the entire length of the terrace. Our male cat, Niki (our acrobat Olympian), would dash up the stairs to the terrace and then climb to the top of the grape arbor and parade around to his heart’s contend. To get Niki some female company, we acquired one year younger, Agapi (Agapi mou means my love in Greek). We had Niki neutered and Agapi spayed. They became inseparable soul mates. We brought them back to Greece and built an outdoor attached run for them accessible through a cat door window in our house. Not the great outdoors of Greece, but Niki still brought in critters and once a baby snake.
To quote Mark Twain, “a house is not a home without a cat”.
I absolutely love this. As a vet tech, cat lover, and proponent of nurturing the natural/outdoor life that cats so desperately need, I whole heartedly agree with your sentiments. I have never met a depressed owned outdoor cat.
I just wish there was a national movement in Greece to get them all spayed and neutered to at least reduce the population!
They are working on it in certain towns – but it is sad how many are not being captured and neutered and re-released or homed.
Is this the Mary we met in Germany last September? If so you were my buddy! Hope you are well!! Just came back from Greece. Yes adorable cats everywhere. But where are the birds? Almost none whatsoever. How can they ( birds and small mammals like squirrels) make it with an exotic predator ( domestic cats) everywhere? They don’t! ( Get them neutered and adopted not running wild catching every baby bird or small mammal that tries to fledge. Cats and me got to be a joke with my tour group this time with them thinking I am a cat hater. I am not but cats need to be kept indoors or there is no other small wildlife to enjoy.
I think there is Linda. I was in Greece a few months ago (Athens and the island of Andros.) Many, possibly a majority of the cats we saw had ear tips, which as a vet tech, I’m sure you know means they’ve been TNR’ed (trapped, neutered, and returned.)
There is! Go to www.welivetogether.gr and use the translate feature on your device. I’ve met with the veterinarian who coordinates the program and support them 100 per cent. Completely volunteer, non-profit.
I couldn’t agree more with the spay/neuter aspect! It was nice to see most of the Athens cats “ear clipped,” but frustrating and sad to not see the same on Santorini and Sifnos. Well cared for, yes, but irresponsible as the cats will overtake these places too quickly without proper spay/neuter in place.
Yes yes thanks we need this!!!!!
Cameron,
Your big, fat, Greek cat story was wonderful! My family and I are leaving for Greece in a few weeks and, as cat lovers, this gives us one more thing to look forward to! Thank you!!
I too have a collection of “Greek” cats that I actually made into a calendar when I got home. It was a hit! I also bought a small bag of cat kibble that I would hand out to the cats as I traveled.
I too take many images of cats and dogs on my travels. The photos always evoke a smile. We could learn much from them, be in the moment, take a deep breath and savor whatever life brings us….
I think the main reason to keep inside is to protect wildlife, especially if endangered.
Since I live in the country, I kept my cats in for their safety. We have bobcats and coyotes here.
Several years ago, I met and traveled with 3 other Edmondnites on the RS Greek tour. We spent a lot of time sharing our delicious food with the cats!!! I lost weight on that trip but gained 3 new human friends and an untold number of feline friends so cool!!!
Hi Cameron,
Your blogs are just to die for. You are one of the most eloquent writers ever!!! I am an avid dog lover, all animals actually but the the cat kids are the cutest ever. You really have a way with words & snaps!! God bless you & your wife! I truly hope Rick is doing well also.
Thanks for ‘An Ode To The Cats Of Greece’! I enjoyed it very much! Made my day!
I agree about how hard it is to resist adopting cats in Greece. I could have brought several home, as well as an adorable stray dog that wouldn’t be in a shelter here for more than 5 minutes after being eligible for adoption.
I also agree that most cats would prefer to be indoor/outdoor, but of all those that I’ve had over the years, only one made it to late teenage. The other issue for me is that I love birds and have hummingbird and suet feeders. I frequently urge along other people’s cats who would like to “hunt” in my yard. I don’t want mine to do the same, so she has to be content with talking to them through the screen door.
Turkey seems much like Greece in the attitude regarding cats. When I checked into my hotel in Istanbul, there was a cat sunning on the doorstep. When I asked the proprietor if the cat was his, he quickly replied “oh no,” then after a pause “but I feed it”. That was my introduction to the casual community care of cats.
Thanks Cameron for sharing ‘cats of Greece’ – my husband and I adore cats too and often thought on our travels to rescue one from overseas. But alas, there are many here back home to adopt. I make little music videos of our Europe travels (we’ve done 5 Rick Steves self tours, and Greece is next) and in each video I post pics of cats, real, in art etc from our journey and ask family and friends to see if they can ‘find all the cats’ in the video. Looks like when I go to Greece I’ll have more than enough to keep people counting. LOL
One of my favorite things to do on vacation is to see how many cats I can find and if at all possible… pet them! I loved this story and all the reasons it was written. Thank you!!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos and your love of cats. So many beautiful felines!! Our cats have been a mix of outdoor and indoor. We currently have four (down from eight). All indoor only because we have coyotes who come down from the foothills now and then. So, we all have to weigh the pros and cons of that indoor/outdoor question. Our indoor crew is thriving. Yay!! Thanks again for sharing those lovely cats!
I also take far too many cat photos while traveling! I haven’t yet made it to Greece, but your story makes me want to go there even more. So far, my favorite city for random cat-petting is Buenos Aires.
As a true cat lover, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the community cats when I visited Greece. Thanks for sharing all these beautiful cat photos!
We returned from Greece 3 weeks ago. I initially felt sorry for the cats – feral and homeless. One in particular seemed to be sick, with an eye infection. I fed it part of my meal – I couldn’t stop myself. One of the people on our tour said that there was a woman who lived down the street who gives the cats antibiotics if they need it. And our tour guide, Apostolos, told us that veterinarians will spay/neuter cats for free, if people bring them in.
Interesting. . . in my own experience with cats in my Colorado home – we had three. One was my daughter’s childhood pet, and the other two I brought home with me when my sister passed away. I allowed the cats to roam in our backyard – a new experience for them. When the last one died, I felt glad that I had let them explore outside, because they enjoyed rolling in mulch, sleeping in the shade, and preparing to pounce on “something.”
I do not feel sorry for the feral cats in Greece anymore. I never saw anyone mistreat them or shoo them away. For our feline friends, Greece just might be “cat-heaven.”
As far as I’m concerned, you can keep posting cat pictures any time! My daughter and I detoured out of our way when we discovered several cat “nests” in Nafplio, Greece so we could greet them and pet them. They seemed to enjoy the attention, especially the younger ones.
Cameron, I’ve always enjoyed your articles & I have yr book. Now that I know how much you like cats you are even more admired. When I visited Cuba a few years ago I was happy I’d packed kitty treats & sometimes felt like the Pied Piper as they followed me down the street.
I took many photos of the cats of Kotor, Montenegro last year; they even have little cat “neighborhoods” set up with food and shelter for them. Thank you for a lovely reminder of the unexpected surprises that come with exploring new places!
We recommend a cat fence to give inside cats some outside time, while protecting them from predators. Puurfect Fence makes excellent products to let inside cats enjoy the outdoors.
Thank you Cameron for such an awesome article! We love our rescue cats and travel! You are a wonderful travel writer. We just saw the eclipse on Easter Island
Barb
Thank you, Cameron! True confessions, this was the only thing I read of Rick’s recent posts, and I enjoyed it immensely. Good to remember that loving a cat takes different forms in different countries. Thank you so much for sharing this. Please keep up the cat pictures in the future!
Lifelong cat lover here. Looking forward to meeting Italian cats during an upcoming trip. I’m told the attitude there is much the same. The Italians call their towns a “comune” — the root word of the English word community. And cats are apparently are very much part of their communities in Italy.
Hate to be a spoiler, we’re in Portugal now and the same cat support system seems in place…however I just worry about the documented impact of cats on native bird populations.
Love this post! Thanks, Cameron. So many gorgeous pictures!
There is a local cat welfare/TNR (trap/neuter/release)/adoption non profit organization run by an extremely dedicated veterinarian on the nextdoor islands of Tinos/Syros. Go to www.welivetogether.gr (use the translate option on your device) to check it out. I seriously recommend supporting them. The island cats thank you.
I have discovered that cats r cared the same way in Italy and Morocco. It’s fascinating how different countries deal with taking care of their animals.
There are “community cats” in many countries around the world. Istanbul is famous for their many cats, and a beautiful movie, “Kedi” (Turkish for cat) is about them, and is a visual love letter to the city. However, on the issue of inside/outside cats, there are far too many predators and other dangers for cats here in the US (coyotes, racoons, speeding cars, awful people, aggressive dogs, etc.) and the cats themselves are a danger to birds. Cats also may dig or poop in neighbors’ gardens, which the neighbors usually are not too happy about. The solution? Catios, which are outdoor enclosures for cats. There are even catios that can fit on a window, and ones that fill the whole backyard. Google them, and allow your cats to live much, much longer without roaming free. I have a catio on my balcony, lots of interesting toys and games, and have had several long-lived, very happy cats.
I live in Southern California and we dare not let our cats go outside because they will be eaten by coyotes. Even small dogs need to be accompanied by their owner and on a leash to pull away from a coyote.
Keep taking those cat photos, Cameron. I, too, am cat obsessed. I liked your challenge to us about keeping indoor cats who are neurotic yet long-lived vs. having an outdoor cat who may have a shorter, but happier life. Provocative! And, it’s REALLY good to get away from the “bad” news and simply enjoy the cats around you. Thanks for a lovely blog post and wonderful photos.
I LOVED your cat photos and story.. right on. When in Ireland took way too many snaps of sheep and rocks, dogs in France and yes cats in Turkey and Greece, Italy and Morocco. I have never been without a cat or two and they live inside and outside at their whim.
I loved reading an “Ode to the Cats of Greece.” My cell phone is also filled with Greek cat pictures! I recognized your picture of the cat on the large rocks with the Kastro in the background in Chora, Naxos. When I travel in the Greek islands, I try to connect with and support the local animal rescues. On Naxos, the Naxos Animal Welfare Society (NAWS), is doing great work to care for injured and sick stray cats and dogs.
You might also enjoy the new book, “Cats of the World,” by Hannah Shaw (aka the Kitten Lady) and her husband, the cat photographer, Andrew Martilla. The release date is October 15th and the book includes gorgeous cat photos from Greece, Turkey, and other countries. Cheers!
Best article EVER!!!!
Well said, Cameron! We can’t spend all of our time worrying about the world’s woes and there’s no better way to take a break than by patting a cute cat in a scenic location. If you make one someone happy, you make the world a better place.
I forgot to mention “Kedi” the wonderful 2016 Turkish documentary about the much-loved communal cats of Istanbul. Sounds like a sequel could be made in Greece.
If I ever needed another reason to go to Greece (as if!), this is it! Thanks, Cameron, for the adorable article and pics of beautiful Greek kitties. I, too, believe in the “indoor/outdoor living” ethos for cats. Every creature on this planet deserves to live as naturally as it was intended to.
For me seeing a kitty illicites that immediate desire (and acted upon) to “talk” in that kitty voice that only they know demonstrated by their rolling, purring, and basically turning themselves inside out if you will just “please keep talking and petting me!” This has caused me to wonder at times if my American kitty voice translates for them but I’ve realized it evidently does and kitty love is the same around the globe!
I love this article! Thanks, Cameron for taking us away from all the political ads! :)
While traveling with Rick Steves in Split, Croatia, we came, across a colony of “unowned” (not feral) cats. One was a tiny black kitten, clearly ill, with oozing eyes. I went slightly berserk that night, with worry about this kitten. In the morning when I arrived at the colony, the kitten was gone, I learned from the local gelato dealer that someone had rescued her. When I got home I came to the realization that there were millions of unowned cat in the US. I immediately adopted a black kitten from the the local shelter and named her Hvala (“thank you” in Croatian) in tribute to her rescuer.
We love cats here. Also love birds. Is a bird left on the island? The cats, of course, are just being cats. I imagine they also keep the rodent population down. In some places in Europe, one hears and sees very few birds. That has always surprised me. How deathly quiet a place is, without birds. By contrast, much of Melbourne is a booming chorus of Dr. Seuss-sounding birds. There are bright spots. In Barcelona and Madrid, for example, parrots and parakeets (a subset of the parrots), which generally eat what the local birds (the remaining ones?) do not, can be seen and heard everywhere once one knows what to look or listen for. Directly next to the front door of the Prado, high up in a tree, there is a majestic parrot/parakeet apartment house made of sticks that looks to be at least 8 feet across.
I just got back from a month in Crete. Not sure where you were but my time was filled with a cacophony of bird choruses. Crows, ravens, swallows, hawks etc. So many birds…and cats…and dogs.
I’m returning in the a.m. from the delightful 7-day tour in Istanbul. My numerous cat pictures provide not only entertainment, but also a time/place stamp for my memory. What struck me though, with this admittedly limited exposure, was the absence of mature or middle-aged cats. The population seems to be mostly teenagers. While they are well cared for here, I have to wonder where the old cats are. Are there any?
As a dedicated cat lover, I fully relate to this article. I always take photos of the cats (and some times dogs) wherever I travel. I have folders of the cats of Greece, Croatia, England, Iceland, etc in photo files. My favorite was the cat in Istanbul sleeping on the ledge in front of an ATM on a busy street. People were just reaching over him to use the ATM and it didn’t bother him at all!
Thank you…that was a perfect read! Can’t wait to experience the cats of Greece.
Thank you for sharing the love of cats
Your stories about Greek cats are an extraordinary reads and I love all your cat pictures. Keep on talking about your peaceful cat stories! Elles font du bien, no matter what is going on in the world.
This works well for my very active indoor-outdoor cat:
https://www.birdsbesafe.com/
It was definitely a plus in my trip. I saw mixed colors I’ve never seen and they all looked good, relaxed, never heard a cat fight.
It was all good until I saw one dead on the side of the road walking around Mykonos. It’s the only one I saw around Greece but it made me so sad, wondering if someone was going to miss him, was anyone looking for him?
I hoped he had a happy life and a quick departure.
For our honeymoon, we took a cruise with stops in Italy, Turkey, and Greece. I snapped so many pictures of cats! In the photobook for this trip, the last page is a collage solely dedicated to these photogenic felines. My favorite was taken in Mykonos. An older Greek gentleman was walking down a deserted lane with a small bag of fish. A cat shadowed him and kept meowing. He looked back at the cat and tossed it a small fish, and the cat quickly pounced on it. I got a picture of the cat eating the fish while the man walked away. This interaction seemed like it was routine for these two.
My wife and just returned from Greece and loved all the cats. They are clearly part of the rhythm of the country. Cat stations with food and water are a regular sight. A restaurant owner in Athens told me that they have 25 cats in their area and have had all of them vaccinated and tested by a local vet. All the purring brings a sense of peaceful happiness to the country. Feline power baby!
I too, fell in love with the cats of Greece.. The wonderful people of Greece truly care about these beautiful creatures.
Hi Cameron,
from one cat lover to another, Wow, wow, wow, i just loved all the cat pics. Just brightened my day. I really needed to see this.
My cat Bella passed away after 18 years, and she was the most beauty of all Maincoons.
Have missed her soooo.
Meow from Canada
Nicki
Our dearly departed Sasha was also a Maine coon. She was a special one!
My Bella was a 19 yr. old Siamese, mutt rescue! She was the best cat ever! I miss her so much!!
I am an American of Greek descent. Spent many summers on a beautiful island visiting my grandmother and other relatives. There were cats everywhere including restaurants and cafes. They were friendly and affectionate, seemed to be healthy, and no one chased them away. Some cultures respect animals and don’t treat them like property. Americans can learn a lot ifrom other cultures. P.S. They love dogs too.
Oh mañana you get to worry about politics, war, and crypto currency. But today, my feline friend, it is today, and now, right now, I smell the sea and fragrance of your fur. Puuurfectly delightful. Your life is charmed. So is mine for having seen you. Another pose? Mañana, my friend.
Thank you for appreciating purrfection with fur.
I’ve got a great pic of two cat siblings spooning on a busy sidewalk that I snapped last week in Crete. Wish I could post to share.
The really fun thing is that Hellas has a cat breed that is considered rare outside of the country but plentiful within. It is the Aegean cat and we absolutely love them. They’re a naturally evolved breed and I’d love to see more of them in Hellas.
I was in Greece just this past June with my daughter and two grandsons, ages 9 and 5. The older one was in his glory- he loves volcanoes and Greek Mythology. The little guy- incidentally also named Cameron- was clueless about those things. But he made it his business to keep a running total of the cats we saw in Athens, Delphi, “Santo-weenie” and Rhodes. Final tally- 53 happy, healthy and friendly kitties.
Have you seen the documentary about the cats of Istanbul? Google Kedi to watch.
Lovely. And a reminder of why we love our Greek cats also. But there is a dark side as well. Too many cats in Greece are not neutered. This means, in practice, that there are far too may kittens every year.
I try to tell people that if the “ecosystem” can support 100 cats, and every year there are 120 kittens, then over the space of the coming winter, 100 kittens will starve, and 20 mature cats will starve or otherwise die. Next year, the ecosystem will be back to the 100 cats it can support, and as the tourists arrive and the spring kitten-season is upon us, the restaurants will fill with kittens and mothers, all too cute. And they will eat well for four months. And the restaurants will feed them after hours with the leftovers.
We love the cats, and there is a colony here in Thessaloniki that we have been feeding every day for four years. But we have neutered them, so for three years there have been no kittens (other than those that wander in and become accepted). When we see the strays kittens, out hearts bleed, because we know what it ahead for so many.
If you could add only one thing to your lovely article, I would beg you to encourage, right up front, the neutering of all the cats of Greece, as we have the “Cats of Chalkeon” (our FB group for our very little colony).
I agree completely. I did not mention this because I was not able to get clear information on each island what the status us, but clearly it would be best if as many of these cats as possible were spayed or neutered. I did see quite a few cats with snipped ears, which can be an indication that they’ve been “fixed” and released, but it also could just be from a fight. Keeping the population manageable is an important component of this; other comments have suggested that it’s happening in some places, but I hope it becomes the norm around Greece.
Alexandra
Your point is so well taken. The story of Greek cats is difficult as well as sweet.
Cameron
Please see my note below. There are programs to neuter male cats, but they involve bringing in British veterinarians, because Greek vets, at least in the past, have been reluctant to neuter male cats.
Same in Istanbul. In fact there is a great movie about their cats; Kedi
It is good that you had such a pleasant experience in Greece. Perhaps the specific areas you visited have been caring for the cats, which is good to see. However, there are many, many areas (most) all over Greece that have many strays without care. A lot of puppies and kittens are found daily with nowhere to go as there are no proper shelters in place and the rescuers that try to help are overwhelmed. You can look up some Facebook groups for example to see what I am referring to. Especially in the island of Crete, but this is common all over Greece. There are many with illnesses due to no medical care, starvation due to no food or water (some greeks poison them). Kittens are often found with infected eyes closed shut and about to go blind.
I lived in Greece for one year and have seen a lot. Strays are not properly cared for and there are many of them. Most places do not have feeding stations or water stations.
I have spent thousands of my own personal money to save a handful of them. Why? Because there was no place to turn to that would help them. I could not watch them get run over, live with illnesses or starve to death, while I just leave the country happily. So yes, I did rescue them. They would not be alive if I did not.
It is truly great that the places you went to are showing signs of helping the strays and it is good that those animals are healthy. The reality is however that majority of the country is not what you are representing in this article.
For example, just go to the Facebook groups crying out for help. They are finding puppies daily on the street alone about to die and there is nowhere to take them.
We need to raise awareness as to what is actually the reality in Greece so foreigners are aware and not misled. Then they can complain the the Greek government for positive changes. And they can also rescue those animals that need rescue. Yes there is a small percentage that are good where they are I agree with you. But there is an even larger percentage that is suffering daily.
If you actually want to write an informed article, speak with some local rescues in Crete for example and you will be writing a very, very different article.
I appreciate your love for Greece. It is a beautiful country and wonderful place to vacation. It is also a wonderful place to help those animals that are in desperate need, the ones that you did not see or photograph.
Thank you for this. I took replied to this article about the harsh reality for the strays of Greece. The cat picture looks so romantic and serene but the harsh reality is many of these poor creatures face starvation, illness and death. This is especially true when the tourist season ends and there is far fewer food and much more hunger. Greece truly has a problem with strays that it is ignoring.
We also fell in love with the cats everywhere we went in Greece. We also noted that the ears were snipped on most, indicating trap neuter release. It was interesting how they all staked out their places on ruins in different parts of Athens’ many excavation projects. They each had their own section of column ruins in one place. They were also very present throughout Crete at restaurants and shops. In Athens, I saw one that still had a shaved place that had healed on its side, where some stitches had been. He had clearly gotten vet care for an injury. When I got home, I realized just how many cats photos I had taken, and I was glad I did!
I have been to mainland Greece and many of its islands numerous times. While there are many well fed cats, there are many that you don’t see in pictures. Thin, gaunt, matted costed cats that certainly need vet care. There are few TNR programs and the cats are rarely neutered. So kittens are everywhere, eyes infected, and unvaccinated. This leads to infections among the feral colonies.i have asked multiple people why this is, and the answer seems to be Greeks view cats as not being pets, not being owned by people. They are outside animals, living at the mercy of humans for their food. While there are many healthy ones, Greece has an enormous epidemic of homeless dogs and cats. These animals deserve more. At the least, there needs to be population control and shelters. Adopting these animals, especially cats, is not the norm. Living outside is not always the picnic tourists assume.
Hi Lisa
Please see my note below about saving the cats during the off season. You can find a charity online.
My husband and I were in Greece in mid-September. We are cat lovers and have three recused cats at home. Our notable memories of Greece certainly included seeing and petting some of the cute street cats. We know they were cared for since most of the adult cats we had encountered have a clipped ear. There are also a few nicely built “cat hotels” and many food and water bowls scattered around for the feral cats. The ones hang out in the tourist-dense areas seem to be well-fed and in reasonable health. However, in the residential areas, we saw many hungry cats with infected eyes and visible skin problems which breaks our hearts. My husband quickly bought a 10-pound bag of cat food and some canned cat food so we can feed them while doing our daily sightseeing walk. Of the three islands we had visited, cats in Hydra seem more relaxed. We think it is because Hydra has almost no cars, no motorcycles and no ATV to scare these cats. We also donated a giant bag of cat food and some money to a pet store with a collection barrel in the storefront as a token to support the local community’s efforts to care for these cats.
We are just wrapping up 3 weeks in Greece – Athens, Peloponnese, and Kythira – flying out for a brief stopover in Istanbul today. I can say with confidence that the cats are not just popular on the islands, but on the mainland too. We saw them all over Athens and the Peloponnese. Hiking Mystras, there were even cats everywhere there. Most restaurants have names for the cats that frequent there, for sure Avli in Athens does. There hasn’t been one meal we’ve had or hike taken or town explored that didn’t involve a cat. It’s a wonderful perspective that I wish we embraced more in the US. I live in Portland OR and I can’t walk through our neighborhood at night without spotting a rat scurrying from one place to another. I’d much rather see cats.
I lived in Athens for a while and traveled to Santorini as well as other islands. Once when traveling to Santorini, I didn’t realize it was a holiday for the Greek folks and most places were closed. My travel companions and I were starving at the end of the day after hiking the island all day. We started our search for food and finally walked down a narrow cobbled alley, one where a donkey walked up towards us, like you would see in a TV program and we smelled food. We came across an arch doorway and I peeked in. A little old plump lady was busy cooking at a big stove and saw me and I asked if this was a restaurant and she said yes and ushered us in to the few tables she had. Every single table and every chair and even the white washed edge overlooking the water had cats sitting and lounging everywhere. It was magnificent. I am a cat lover, so I loved it. I have to tell you, that little old plump lady was only making one dish for anyone eating that day (just a small handful of people) and it was moussaka and it was the best darn moussaka I have ever eaten. So I had dinner surrounded by beautiful, well behaved, clean, well taken care of felines. Best day ever!
Loved the gàta’s of Greece!! Sooo cute they look so different than our cats too.
Loved this story!
I was lucky. My last cat Heshi, hated the outdoors with the heat of a thousand white hot suns. I was given her as a Christmas gift when she was a kitten. So, she had technically been outside, but I carried her to the car for her vet visits. When a nice warm spring day happened, I thought she would like being outside. I put her in her little harness (thinking she might run off, hah!) and carried her out onto our deck and set her down. She kept lifting her feet up like “eww, so much dirt”. I thought, oh she’ll love walking on the grass, so I picked her back up, went down the steps onto the grass and set her down. You would have thought I set her on molten lava! She climbed up my leg and onto my chest in record time and looked at me like “what living hell is this?” From then on, we could leave the door wide open and she would never cross the threshold.
Thank you so much for this wonderful cat zen break from the world that is much needed and appreciated! I enjoyed starting my day with this lovely story before heading out into the madness of daily living in a world that doesn’t carve out enough time to appreciate these kind of slower paced and deliberately observant experiences.
I’m a proud pet mom of two cats. Thank you for a wonderful story about the community cats of Greece. Such beautifully diverse cats made me smile!
I really enjoyed your article “Cats of Greece” and all the beautiful cat photos. I often travel in that part of the world and there is definitely an ancient love for cats all over the eastern Mediterranean.
I was in Delphi a few years back and I saw a cat that really got my attention the way she was sitting right outside the gate of the museum checking people going in and out. I wish I could have taken her with me (not that she would have let me ), but again, that’s where she belonged. I snapped a photo and I still go back from time to time and look at it.
I wish I could share the photo but I couldn’t find a place to upload it.
We were in Greece last month and came across many kitties. As “kat people” it made our trip that much more pleasurable
Your worth millions upon millions.. Why not fund a sterilization campaign for Greek cats? The average greek stray does not make it to two years so help them out by giving back like i do!
Thanks Stephamie. Please see my post about just that situation. Edward D Webster
I have a visit to Heraklion, Crete, Greece on my bucket list. Therefore, this cat story intrigued me. I plan to travel from Texas, USA someday.
Egyptian Siamese Bastet Meowth Goddess Ancestors play’s a key role with the human fossil DNA as well as Thai Australian and Thai American Relationship Role with Siamese Cat and Australian mist as well
I am a cat lover and have lived with Sofia and Kalliope for 18 and 22 years. Thank you for Ode to Cats. I have traveled in Greece several times and still remember a cat I fell in love with staring at me from a rooftop in Naflion.
Thank you Cameron for bringing the cats back to travel. I’d like to share another angle on Greek cats. Twenty seven years ago my wife, Marguerite, and I spent almost ten months in Europe and we brought our cat with us. Felicia was 16, losing her hearing, and she really wanted to go to Europe on our adventure. In Kini on the island of Syros, Greece we stayed in the center of cat kindness. Our hostess, Trudy, not only loved the cats; she also saved many of them. When the tourists leave Greece and cafes close in the fall, it’s sparse pickings for the cats. Trudy not only bought tons of food for them; she also hosted British veterinarians who came to neuter the male cats. It seems that Greek vets are reluctant to perform this service. I wrote an article, “Who Will Care for the Cats of Kini,” which appeared in Your Cat Magazine (GB), Sept 2000. Since my wife is blind and we brought our cat along we made an interesting trio. My book, A Year of Sundays, tells the tale of our travels. There’s still at least one charity dedicated to saving the cats of Kini.