Cyprus increases funding for cat sterilisation programmes

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The Cypriot government plans to raise sterilisation funding to €300,000 amid concerns that the island’s cat population—officially estimated at one million and roughly equal to the human population—may in fact be several hundred thousand higher, according to animal welfare activists.

At the end of September, the island’s parliamentary committee on the environment was informed that the existing sterilisation programme is far too limited given the fast-growing feline population. So far, only around 2,000 procedures have been performed annually.

“It’s a good programme, but it needs to be expanded,” said Environment Commissioner Antonia Theodosiou.

However, Charalambos Theopemptou, chair of the parliamentary committee, warned that funding alone is not enough. “We need a plan,” he said. “We can’t just move forward with sterilisation without a proper plan.”

Experts agree that, in addition to financing, specialised staff must be hired to collect stray cats, and a structured plan should be created so private clinics can offer free sterilisation services.

Cyprus has long been known as a cat-loving country, where feeding stations and clusters of tiny cat houses are a familiar sight along its popular promenades. The island’s bond with cats stretches back centuries—and today, they have even become a distinctive attraction for the millions of tourists who visit Cyprus each year.