Known as the 'Cat Island', Cyprus is currently facing a serious stray cat problem. Officials estimate that the number of stray cats on the island is almost equal to its one million residents, resulting in a 'one cat per person' scenario. Existing neutering programs have been criticized as too small in scale and unable to effectively control the explosive growth of the cat population.
According to an Associated Press report, the Cyprus Parliament’s Environmental Committee was informed that current sterilization programs only manage to neuter about 2,000 cats per year, with a budget of just 100,000 euros (49.29 million MYR). Environmental Commissioner Theodosiou said: 'It is a good program, but it needs to be expanded.'
In response to calls for increased funding, Environment Minister Panayiotou announced on October 4th, World Animal Day, that the government will raise the budget for cat sterilization to 300,000 euros (1.4786 million MYR) per year. However, Environmental Committee Chairperson Theopemptou warned that money alone cannot solve the problem: 'There must be a plan.'
Veterinary Association Proposes 4-Year Control Plan
Veterinary Association Chairman Epaminondas attributed the cat population explosion to uncontrolled breeding and the public’s well-intentioned feeding, which increases kitten survival rates. He stated that if the authorities set up a unified spaying/neutering plan and make it easier for private clinics to provide free neutering services, Cyprus’s cat population could be brought under control within four years. His association has proposed developing a smartphone app so anyone can help authorities locate large cat colonies.
Animal protection group Cat Alert leader Loizidou stated that her organization’s recent effort to catch 397 wild cats in central Nicosia was merely a drop in the bucket, but she still believes 'there are solutions.'