You know those reels on Instagram with: I went to Greece to see the monuments? And then the monuments are… the cats? 

Well, when I first arrived in Crete and I saw them almost everywhere, I was kind of shocked, as I have never seen so many of them, minding their own cat business, even at archaeological sites.

Long story short, cats have been introduced on Greek islands by the Venetians, during their rule, so that they can keep pests under control. Remember that in the 14th– 15th century pests, especially rats and mice, where a huge threat to human health, as they were spreading a lot of diseases, some of them deadly (the plague, for example). The cats grew very popular among the locals and became second largest permanent inhabitants of the islands.

Today, in Crete, the cats are highly appreciated by the locals and by tourists as well. Expect to see them everywhere, from the accommodation (hotels – except 5 stars resorts, villas, airbnbs)

tavernas

city streets

monasteries 

archaeological sites (except Knossos, I haven’t seen them there)

 beaches (for them it’s the biggest litter in the world 😀 )

shops (sometimes inside the shops)

on the roads (causing road blocks 😊 ) and so on. 

I have seen a lot in Heraklion and surroundings, Rethymno and in remote villages. I haven’t seen any in Chania or in Siteia

---

I have asked around and these are the answers I have received:

· Taverna owners keep them around to keep pests away. There is a lot of food waste and it attracts rats, cockroaches, etc. Cats are hunters and remember some of the apex predators are felines (lions, cheetahs, tigers)

· Accommodation owners keep them to have the surroundings clean of “unwanted guests”, especially in the rural areas or remote locations. By unwanted guests I mean: rats, snakes, lizards (I did find a gecko in my room), grasshoppers or mantis

· Everyone said that they just love animals <3, both cats and dogs

---

Now, there are some things I would like to bring to your attention. Some are not so nice, but please keep them in mind

· They are fed. You will find bowls (usually large water recipients transformed in a bowl) of cat food on the streets. Also the tourists feed them, so they are not actually starving. You can refill their water bowls, they need that more than food

· They will beg for food at tavernas and restaurants, but they do it out of habit. And they have a veeeery convincing look, you know, they train for this everyday

· If you decide to feed them while you have lunch or dinner, please consider the following:

o Not all human food is good for cats. Citrus fruits are toxic (so don’t feed them fish after you spread lemon juice all over it) and avocado is deadly (a teaspoon of avocado can kill a horse)

o Do not feed them cooked meat, as it almost always has spices and they are not well tolerated by cats

· As they are used to be fed by tourists, they can become aggressive or even jump on your lap while you enjoy your lunch or dinner

· Look carefully at them. If you see dirt around their eyes, try not to pet them

· Be very careful when feeding them. Do not give them food directly from your hand as they can scratch or bite. 

· Their nails are not trimmed (as indoor cats) and they are extremely sharp. If you are scratched, wash the wound immediately with water and soap, disinfect it (although it will hurt like hell), apply a band-aid and seek immediate medical help in case of infection. Remember that most of them live only outside, walk on the streets, dumpsters and their paws and claws are full of bacteria ☹ 

· Three diseases can be contacted by humans: rabies, helicobacter pylori (a very resistant stomach bacteria that can be transmitted via saliva, if they lick your hands and you don’t wash thoroughly afterwards) and cat scratch disease (infection caused by Bartonella henselae, first symptom is fever). Of course, internal parasites are also a threat, especially for children

· Very few receive treatment against parasite infection, both internal and external. Better not to pet or hug them, as fleas and ticks can hide in their fur. You might see some with a huge infestation of ticks (as soon as they start to enlarge, they become visible on the cats’ fur) and you would want to stay as far as possible from them

· Be careful and supervise children, if you travel with them. Tell them not to play with the cats, as they can become aggressive, especially if they have traumas (not everybody loves cats and some “people” even beat them)

· Neutering them is expensive, but you can help with a donation to organizations and volunteers that are working on this goal. Takis’ Shelter is one of them and his story has also reached major publications (such as The Telegraph, The Washington Post, Greek Reporter). For cats, you can donate to The Cats Pyjamas Rescue

· If your accommodation has cats on their premises, close the doors and windows when you leave for the day. Your bed is extremely appealing and if they can shelter in a comfy and cool place for their afternoon nap, they will have no issues to invite themselves to your room 😊

· Those that have a collar around their neck are usually someone’s cats and they just wander around

· February-March and August-September are mating months for cats. You will hear their night serenades and trust me, they can be really uncomfortable (I have a male cat that has been neutered 3 years ago but he still responds to the outside music). Also, male cats mark their territory by spraying pee with very high levels of pheromones and the smell is very strong and unpleasant, very difficult to get rid of, especially from the streets and with high temperatures. My cat did that before he had his jewels removed and it’s an indoor cat. I had to wash everything, like walls, floors and furniture multiple times with a special detergent.

· You will notice a lot of tabby cats (mostly ginger), calico and black cats, as these are the most common fur patterns for stray cats. I haven’t seen any gray (such as British Shorthair colour) or full white cats. Their eye colour is mostly green-yellow or orange, but I have seen cats with heterochromia 

· If you know that you are allergic to cats, have antihistamines with you

Enjoy the furry-ness ❤