There were cats in the Nereus Hotel in Paphos. There does seem to be cats EVERYWHERE in Paphos - we saw them everywhere we went. Perhaps they help to get rid of cockroaches

we even saw them at the wateraprk

Ok there are many Ferrel cats in Paphos and just about any Med resort, they are often rounded up by a local private animal welfare (Pathiakos) ''Christine'' does here best on donations from the local ex-pats and Cypriots as there is no help from the Cypriot Government financially, it is a disgrace. this is a fact, but for this wonderful lady many animals would go without any help at all, Cypriots unfortunately do not regards animals in the same way as many of us do, our cat Dusty a pedigree Persion has been poisoned three times (Lanate) this is one thing we are trying to get stopped, it kills many cat's and dogs and not just wild or lose animals, this is laid down by local Cypriots in most villages, this also is a disgrace and one day may kill a child, they just cant see what there actions could do.....

You have to remember cats do keep the rats, snakes and mice at bay, what would you rather have running around?

Jim..

P.S... a lot of problems it that visitors in hotels and apartments feed these cats, this they should not do...

Just as a point of note, this problem is far from just a Cyprus problem. I have been to many Med resorts and there has been a cat problem in every one of them. I have no idea why, it just seems to be where ever you go!

I think the problem in places like Spain, Cyprus, even France is that neuting is not as common, therefore they breed and unlike many other animals maybe would be, their population is not controled.

I have just come back from paphos and we stayed at pagona hotel appartments, and they didnt have one animal in site, only place i did see cats was on our way to the main town, but they dont bother you at all. They seem to be scared of their own shadow. But may be wild, so be careful.

Glad we are not stopping in Paphos next year then-my hubby HATES cats!
Never seen any while we have been in Protaras, or even when we were sightseeing, must have just been lucky. Personally i like cats, but would not like them in great numbers where i was staying. Very off putting if you are eating, not very hygenic.

i was in paphos for two weeks i saw two cats at this was because we took shortcut home across a field.

Cromwell that made me smile do you really think Protaras is any different to any other part of Cyprus or any other Med resort...of course not..

In Cyprus this is island wide problem believe me I know, not just the lovely Pafos area.....no animal welfare in CY this IS the problem..

Jim..

Im sure there are numerous cats in Protaras jimbox, its just that i never spotted any.
You are right though, its a problem in many countries. We went to Playa de las Americas in Tenerife a few years ago, and there were cats everywhere! Even cats with kittens! Hard trying to keep my kids (little ones at the time) away from them as they looked so "cute".
Frightened they would get scratched or bitten.
Are strays looked after, or do they, as in some countries, "take the numbers down" when the tourist season has finished? What an unhappy thought.

There are a couple of private run and public sponsored care centres here on Cyprus, but alas far too few, the Cypriots wash there hands of this alarming problem of lack of animal welfare on the Island, we who live here know though it is a chronic problem and many perfectly healthy animals are put down, this is not the fault of those wonderful helpers here who do there best, it is an attitude of mind most Cypriots do not care to know about, I have Cypriot family I see how most hunting dogs are treated here, I will not go into this as it would upset many who may read it, and after all this is a holiday web site, but this is something all coming here should be aware of, and if you see some tin box's around with the local animal welfare on it...please give generously..

Thanks and regards

Jim...

off my soap box now.. ;0)

I hate to hear or see any kind of animal cruelty. If you do see tins, jim, with animal welfare on, does this all go to them? I would hate to think i was giving my money to somebody was was just reeping the benefits. I would want to know my money was been spent wisely. I will definately look into this when i go back to Cyprus next year. Thanks jim

It most certainly does... and thanks in anticipation..

I was in Paphos back in July and staying at the Cypria Maris hotel, there were a number of cats living around the grounds and generally along the main Poisedonos Avenue area. One even lept onto my sunbed as I was lying there reading and when I turfed it off it settled underneath the bed instead! I do love cats and I made a donation to the welfare centre via the hotel reception but it could be quite frightening for anyone with a phobia.

If you do travel to Paphos and dislike cats, you may do well to avoid the Rib Shack, as whilst you'll get great food, one night eating there I had a small cat trying to get onto my lap whilst eating! Didn't bother me and I just pushed it down several times, but I could see the looks of disgust from some other diners!

The other place I noticed heavily populated by cats (and agree with the other post) was the Aloe. I was sitting outside on the marble steps waiting for a friend to meet for dinner and was suddenly surrounded by 8 cats all sitting around!

I've been to many islands in the Med and can honestly say that they do all sadly have the same issue with stray animals. Zante was worse as the problem was with dogs, and they leave far more mess. However it is only by tourists travelling to these places and making donations that they can start to help.

Just to add my tuppence worth,been to Protaras/Pernera half a dozen times.First sign of cats was at the Vrissiana last year.Previous 5 can't recall seeing one!
Went to Paphos for the first time this year to the Avanti Hotel.Never seen so many cats in my life both in the hotel and as stated earlier along the main road into the harbour.Most of the restaurants and bars have at least one roaming about but to be fair they weren't a problem,certainly not for us anyway.
At the hotel they would gather around you at breakfast,especially early on when not too many people were about.If you did leave your table they would jump up on it so I always made sure one of us stayed or finished what I'd been eating/drinking before going for more.As Jim says I'd rather watch a bunch of kittens larking about than a swarm of coocarachas or a pack of rats sharing my meals.

Just got back from Paphos (12 August), so if there's anything you want to know just ask me.

yeah ask us, i went with him.....such a good holiday

I have to agree with Jim on this subject.
While there are quite a few cats around in most places in Cyprus they do control other things. Not just rats and mice either.
Go to Snake Georges and see some of the local wildlife, like snakes, scorpions and some pretty hefty looking spiders, all of which cats eat.
You might see cats around the hotels - is this preferable to some of the alternatives?
It's the same not just in most mediteranean countries but also in the Middle and Far East
Tourists, particularly the Brits, do tend to feed and encourage cats which, while well intentioned, doesn't help with people who do have genuine phobias about them.

There have been several reports in the Cypriot press about using Lanate to kill dogs and cats. It really is a horrible way for anything to die and it's also indiscriminate - domestic pets will eat the stuff too. Not exactly recommended when there are small children around, either.

There are animal welfare organisations but they are all run by the public rather than government funded. Perhaps now we are all in the EU this may change and we'll see humane controls on feral animals funded by the government.

Lastly, Cyprus actually has a patron saint of cats.....Agios Nikolas ton Gatou (St Nicholas of the cats). They even have their own monastery where they were introduced hundreds of years back to control the snake population.....very successfully by all accounts.
It's also a tourist attraction............

Not my cat..a good friends here in Pafos...her name, Molly, great rat catcher..

Our cat Dusty..now a great asset to our village of Trimithousa Pafos...less rats and mice around now!! also has a liking for lizards unfortunatly