Why are there so many stray dogs and cats in Greece?

Why are there so many stray dogs and cats in Greece?

Animal charities say there are now more than a million strays in Greece because people are simply abandoning pets they can no longer afford to keep. There are fears it could lead to the spread of disease if the problem is not tackled soon, as Emilia Papadopoulos reports.

Whats the deal with cats in Greece?

Most of the cats in Greece are very friendly despite being feral. The community takes care of the cats. They feed them and work on getting them spayed and neutered. I noticed lots of cats with clipped ears – the universal sign they have been fixed.

How did cats get to Greece?

Often times the pharaohs enlisted the aid of Greek mercenaries, and they could have also helped in the spread of the cat to Greece. Unfortunately, compared to its height of worshipped goddess in ancient Egypt, the domestic cat played a rather small role in the history of Hellenistic Greece.

Are cats in Greece safe?

Most of them are friendly felines (or scaredy cats) when it comes to human interaction. If you see a cat that looks very ill or injured, don’t hesitate to contact the nearest vet or animal welfare group. In addition, poisoning, hurting or neglecting stray animals, be that cats or dogs, is against the law in Greece.

Why are there so many cats running around in Greece?

For the most part, the cats that you see wandering around Greece are usually strays. Since there are no harsh winters in Greece, this makes it easy for the cat to survive. In certain parts of Greece, they are able to easily find food, shelter, and water, and they are often helped by the kindness of humans.

What did the Greeks think of cats?

Cats were sacred animals and the goddess Bastet was often depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the war-like aspect of a lioness. Killing a cat was absolutely forbidden and the Greek historian Herodotus reports that, whenever a household cat died, the entire family would mourn and shave their eyebrows.

Why are there so many cats in Japan?

In Japanese folklore, cats have protective powers and symbolize good fortune. Today, business owners put “maneki neko” (beckoning cat) statues in front of their shops, in hope that the moving paw will bring in customers.

Are cats a problem in Greece?

In contrast with Northern Europe and the United States, where cats are expected to belong to someone or they are often considered a nuisance, stray cats are regarded as a natural co-habitant in Greece. They truly are community cats! The temperate climate and abundance of food makes it easy for them to survive.

Is there a Greek goddess of cats?

In ancient Greek religion, she was known as Ailuros (Koinē Greek: αἴλουρος “cat”). Eventually Bastet and Sekhmet were characterized as two aspects of the same goddess, with Sekhmet representing the powerful warrior and protector aspect and Bastet, who increasingly was depicted as a cat, representing a gentler aspect.

What do the locals do with cats in Greece?

If a cat decides to stop in the middle of the road. The locals will stop and wait until the cat decides to get out of the way. No one ever honks at them to get out of the way. People give the cats food and water in Greece. As you walk through the streets in Greece, you will notice little water and food bowls for the cats next to the colored doors.

Why are most cats in Greece descended from American Stray Cats?

So desperate were the Greeks that they followed the progress of the ship as it crossed the Ocean. When it reached Pireas thousands of them from all over Greece to get a cat to take home to their villages. So almost all cats in Greece are descended from those American cats. They are not really strays.

Do people give cats food and water in Greece?

People give the cats food and water in Greece. As you walk through the streets in Greece, you will notice little water and food bowls for the cats next to the colored doors. Don’t be shy to share your meal with a cat if one shows up at your table in a restaurant.

Is it okay for kids to play with Stray Cats in Greece?

And parents aren’t usually objecting to their kids playing with stray cats, in contrast to dogs. Animal protection in Greece is certainly not up to European standards, since it depends solely on charities. It tends to focus on dogs, on a municipal level, since they require more funds and receive more hostility and mistreatment by people.