Whether you’re in the heart of Athens, up in the mountains, or on one of the many islands, all over Greece you will find a plethora of cats that roam the streets.

It may seem strange that there are so many stray cats in Greece, but actually, it’s a result of overpopulation that has many causes. The general cultural perception towards both cats and dogs as house pets, is that they should still be free to roam as they please. So even if an animal is domesticated, often they are allowed to come and go from their homes as they please. Many also are against spaying and neutering because it takes away from the animal and it’s innate sexuality.

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So, yes, there are a lot of these strays (or wandering pets) in every part of the Greek streets. But there are also amazing organizations that take care of these animals by giving them proper shots, bathing them, and spaying/neutering them as to prevent overpopulation. The locals are so used to their presence that cats have no problem finding food, seeing as many residents leave food out for the strays.

Although different from other patterns of stray animal culture, I must admit, You can’t but fall in love with the cat culture in Greece!

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