Posted on 10/14/2025 12:16:12 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
The island of cats has a cat problem.
Officials in Cyprus, the small island nation in the eastern corner of the Mediterranean, estimate there is roughly one feral cat for every one of its 1 million inhabitants — though activists contend the actual population is hundreds of thousands higher.
In late September, the island’s parliamentary committee on the environment was told that an existing sterilization program is too limited to contain the burgeoning cat population.
“It’s a good program, but it needs to expand,” said Environment Commissioner Antonia Theodosiou, noting that the program conducts only about 2,000 sterilizations annually on a budget of just 100,000 euros ($117,000).
While there is no official comparative data, Theodosiou said Cyprus has gained a reputation for having a cat population that is exceptionally large relative to its human inhabitants.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Apparently, they were brought there in the beginning to kill off a snake invasion:
https://saycyprus.com/holy-monastery-of-st-nicholas-of-the-cats/
LOL
The one problem they don’t have... A rat problem.
With all those cats, the mice and rats don’t stand a chance... I’d much rather have a cat problem than a rat problem.
Horribly sad. The picture is beautiful, but not typical of strays. We have four somewhat-tamed in our barn. We can lightly pet when eating, but that is about it for three of the four. All fixed, FYI. All healthy and have good lives patrolling the farm
Orange Boy is very skittish and shy. He hasn’t been coming around for some meals, and I am afraid the utterly viscous gray tom that took to hanging around has him terrorized.
I worry.
Oh gosh!
I’ve visited Cyprus a couple of times over the past two years and, yes, there are cats all over in certain areas. I didn’t really see it as a problem and didn’t hear from any locals that it was. They did seem to like to hang out near restaurants and get fed.
Lovely kitties.
We have a feral cat who lives on the property of our senior home deveopment. . His name is “Blackie” and he’s a gorgeous long-haired cat with a white spot over his heart. Two of is feed him every night and another neighbor is building him a warm place to sleep in the winter. That particular neighbor has a big black dog but he can’t stand seeing poor Blackie cold in the winter.
No clue what we could do this many cats without upsetting other neighbors who don’t like cats.
Interesting idea. Cat and dog birth control pills that tase like chicken might work.
Don't know. Hopefully whatever they come up with would be safe even if they ate too much.
I think it would be very hit or miss and possibly dangerous to the cat’s health; and oral contraception isn’t a once-and-done deal.
Deport all the blue hair lib lesbos to Cyprus.
Sounds like a pretty good problem to have, although the expense of altering all the "Welcome to Cyprus" signs to add "Must love cats" could wreck the budget.
Suppose the cats report a people problem?
Might be why they haven't come up with one yet.
They need to figure something out. We had a couple of stray dogs around when I lived in the sticks in Louisiana. They'd have at least one litter a year each. Also, didn't want to be caught.
All they need to do is import some Hatians or North Koreans
Problem solved
Just trading one problem for another potentially much bigger one. Just ask the folks in southern Ohio.
I noticed the Calicos, too. And LOTS of them! They must all be related, LOL!
That was taken at a local mall in Cyrus; those cats all look well fed.
...and then Tigers, and then Elephants!
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