Cypriot Cat-tastrophe
Cyprus is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean region, between Greece and Turkey that is a tourism hotbed. One of the most significant draws bringing in visitors are the island’s many semi-feral cats that walk freely on its streets. In recent years, however, it has become clear that Cyprus is having too much of a good thing. Although the island has a 1000 year history of loving cats, the local authorities and residents have recently started ringing alarm bells about Cyprus’ cat population. The roaming kitties are slowly starting to take over Cyprus. With as many cats as there are human residents, it’s no wonder Cypriots are getting fed up. There isn’t naturally enough food on the islands for all the cats, but tourists have helped them prosper. Food gifts from tourists have kept the cats alive. This, however, causes a spiral of more kittens being born, and the number of mouths is going up all the time.
The island has long loved cats, and today there are many felines, tame and feral, roaming its streets. Too many felines. In fact, there are as many cats as there are people on Cyprus — if not more. Roughly one million people live on Cyprus, as do one million cats. Animal rights activists, however, claim that the official cat count is way below reality. According to their tallies, there are several hundred thousand more cats, with 1.5 million kitties being a more accurate estimate. Cat lovers might think Cyprus sounds like a paradise, but the massive cat population comes with its problems. The first is that you can’t go anywhere without running into cats, which can get tiring no matter how much you like them. Additionally, the cats have largely exhausted naturally available forms of food, such as rats. While a vermin-free society sounds nice, it again has its issues. Many of the cats survive almost entirely on food that tourists and locals give them. So, whereas natural environmental pressure should’ve already started culling the cats, they’re going strong with tourist people’s help.
Cyprus’ authorities are aware that uncontrolled breeding is pushing the island toward a cat-pocalypse. With that in mind, they announced in early October that they would triple the funding given for cat sterilization efforts from $100,000 to $300,000. Demetris Epaminondas, president of the Cyprus Veterinary Association, believes the cat crisis could be ended in as few as four years. If the government directs the extra funding toward private veterinary clinics so that they can offer free neutering without any bureaucracy. Neutering a feral female cat costs roughly $60 on Cyprus. A housecat’s sterilization, meanwhile, will cost its owner around $150 because of the extended care the cat gets. “People will be more motivated to get cats neutered if we make it easier for them to do so,” he said.
Free Kittens!
I told my cat that I’m going to teach him to speak English.
He looked at me and said, “Me, how?”
I have cat-like reflexes.
When I see a cat, I instantly like it.
I saw a missing poster for Schrödinger’s cat.
It had a $500 finders fee if returned dead and alive.
If cats could text you back, they wouldn’t.
November 6th Birthdays
1955 – Maria Shriver, 1972 – Thandie Newton, 1946 – Sally Field, 1988 – Emma Stone
1854 – John Philip Sousa, 1979 – Lamar Odom, 1970 – Ethan Hawke, 1918 – Adolph Sax