Cyprus Battles Exploding Feral Cat Population: Authorities Scramble for Solutions

As of 2025-10-14T06:23:26+00:00, the Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus is grappling with an escalating feral cat crisis. Officials estimate the island has roughly one feral cat for every one of its 1 million inhabitants, though some activists argue the actual population is hundreds of thousands higher.

In late September, the island's parliamentary committee on the environment was informed that the existing sterilization program, which conducts around 2,000 procedures annually on a budget of just €100,000, is too limited to contain the burgeoning cat population. While Cyprus has long been known as a cat-loving nation, the sheer number of feral felines has become a growing concern.

To address the issue, the Cypriot government recently announced that it would raise the annual sterilization funding to €300,000, a significant step up from the previous budget. However, the chairman of the Parliamentary Environment Committee cautioned that money alone won't solve the problem, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive plan to tackle the crisis.

Experts warn that the large feral cat population not only poses a threat to the island's ecosystem but also risks causing undue suffering for the cats themselves, as they roam car-choked streets in search of food and shelter. With tourism being a key economic driver for Cyprus, the well-fed felines have become a major attraction for the millions of vacationers who visit the island each year.