For the past four years Network for Animals has been helping street cats on the Greek island of Ithaca and in Fiscardo on the neighboring island of Kefalonia.
In partnership with wonderful volunteers on both islands, we have created an informal network, we call Cats of Ithaca and Fiscardo (COIF). The big problem for street cats in Greece is that in summer the living is easy because of tourists who feed them. Winter is a different story. No tourists equals no food and so starvation and disease strike the cats.
Callous cruelty also plays a role because some island people treat cats extremely badly. Cats like Goldie who was rescued in Fiscardo after being kicked and stomped on so badly his jaw was broken and he was blinded in one eye. There is good news. Goldie was saved and has been adopted.
We’ll be there for the cats next winter and we’ve set aside some money for emergency medical treatment for the summer months.
We thought you might like to read about our efforts in Greece, it is only a small program, but for hundreds of cats, it’s the difference between life and death.
