Feral Cats in Spain
We’ve lived in El Hoyo for ten years now and love nearly everything about Spain; the weather, the food, our village, our neighbours. Even so, there is one thing that is difficult to come to terms with.
The problem is feral cats. Why don’t the Spanish neuter or spay cats as a matter of course? Cats aren’t popular in the village, but even those villagers who own cats don’t have them sterilised. When kittens are born, they’re either drowned or turned out. For the survivors it’s a hard life and only the fittest, healthiest, most cunning, survive. But even these don’t seem to live very long, disappearing without trace after a few years. In England our cats lived nearly 20 years, but village cats are lucky to reach their sixth birthday.
Our village is home to dozens of cats, and at this time of year their numbers increase with new litters. Just how many cats live in the village is evident when the fish van parks in the square and toots its horn. Cats of all colours and sizes appear from nowhere, hungry for any scraps the fishmonger might care to toss their way.
Three years ago, a semi-wild cat gave birth to three kittens on our doorstep. We took the whole family in, fed them, paid for inoculation, worming, neutering and pet passports. Thanks to a local animal charity, Alstrays, we managed to have them re-homed in Germany. But we can’t keep doing that. We don’t have bottomless wallets.
“Can you hear that mewling?” I asked Joe this month.
“Yes, I think it’s coming from the logshed.”
Upon investigation, we discovered Felicity, a black and white village cat who has claimed our garden as her own, curled up in the log box.
Normally she bolts whenever she sees us but this time she stayed put, her eyes huge and protective. One tiny, black kitten, looking like a fat little sausage, squirmed beside her. Thank goodness it was only one, but it’s yet another ownerless cat to add to the village population.
Felicity then decided that the log box was not a suitable nursery and moved her baby to the cupboard under our barbecue. The kitten has now opened its eyes and Felicity is a brilliant mother. When I peep into the cupboard, Felicity’s round green eyes stare back at me warily while her baby sleeps, oblivious.
Perhaps we shouldn’t, but Joe and I do put out scraps for Felicity, and her brother Snitch, but we try not to feed them on a regular basis, fearing their dependence on us. We can’t support them permanently as we travel a lot, and plan to spend a few months in Australia this winter visiting family. The cats must learn to fend for themselves.
We’ve had a succession of cats living in our garden, all of whom we’ve enjoyed watching. Felicity’s great-grandmother stole the fish from our barbecue and her grandmother was born in our chicken coop. We’ve never seen a mouse or rat in the village, and I’d be lying if I said I’m not looking forward to seeing the little black kitten emerging from the cupboard and playing in the garden. I suspect, when it’s old enough, we’ll catch it and take it to the vet to be sterilised.
So I guess we should just accept that we share our lives with feral cats. After all, this is Spain…
Do join me on Facebook to find out how we’re coping, day to day.
Carrie Compton
July 3, 2013 @ 1:39 pm
I so enjoy the monthly newsletter 😉 if I lived there I would be trying to feed them all. :-(. That is why we have 6 dogs here. I want them all lol
Victoria Twead
July 3, 2013 @ 1:46 pm
Thank you, Carrie! You always have something nice to say. Six dogs is a lot! 🙂
christina
July 3, 2013 @ 10:24 pm
Our pussikins are from Celia Hammond an ex Supermodel in the 60`s 70`s who has rescue centres that sterilise cats, and especially feral cats. On the area where the Olympic Stadium was built in Stratford East London, she went out with her team and caught and nuetered all the feral cats, re-homed those who were possibilities.She is an Angel.Looki her up on Celia Hammond Animal Trust (CHAT) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Victoria Twead
July 7, 2013 @ 11:55 am
Gosh, she does very good work! 🙂
Esther Rousso
October 4, 2013 @ 6:13 am
I have a ginger girl cat. They say dogs have masters and cats have household staff.in my place it is true. She has no problem letting me know what she wants (usually food)
Victoria Twead
October 9, 2013 @ 10:20 am
Hi Esther, cats definitely rule the place. 🙂
Geraldine Gregory
April 25, 2017 @ 9:58 pm
All this about feral cats doesn’t tell me what the laws on feral cats are in Spain. These are just comments from people about feral cats. My friend has been told it is against the law to feed them on an urbanisation on her own terrace as it’s annoying the neighbours and the police were sent for, they said she had to stop feeding them or they would come and remove them and she would get the bill.
Victoria Twead
April 29, 2017 @ 1:48 am
I’m sorry, Geraldine, I don’t know the answer to that. I imagine the laws are different for every region, too. 🙁