Author Vyacheslav Shpakovsky
04/16/2017 16:30 (Updated: 02/04/2021 18:58)
Science » Ecology » Nature
If someone suddenly thinks that we are now talking about a political conflict, or about how criminal groups divide spheres of influence on the island of Cyprus, then this is a mistake. In fact, we will talk about completely different owners and these owners are... ordinary cats!
And this is not an exaggeration, no. On this beautiful Mediterranean resort island, they are the owners, not people (no matter what class of society they belong to) - self-sufficient, walking on their own... cats.
So why do cats live and breathe so freely in Cyprus? One can understand - Egypt, the grain granary of the Ancient World, where cats were considered sacred animals from ancient times and where the death penalty was imposed for killing a cat. But what did they do to deserve such treatment in Cyprus? Let's try to figure it out. To do this you will need to go to the distant past of Cyprus...
Life and behavior of cats
Cats are rarely kept as pets. Only if the children really ask. Animals live on the street, eat near hotels, restaurants, shops. Tourists are also not averse to feeding the furry pussies and taking pictures with the Cypriot landmark.
It is impossible to find a rare breed among street representatives. They are all different, but street life has made them healthy and strong. The individuals on the island are large, of all colors, fluffy and smooth-haired. It is impossible to single out any breed that predominates.
Bring a souvenir from Cyprus
Many tourists have a slight problem: they want to buy something as a keepsake of the cats that inhabit the island. Souvenir shops in Cyprus satisfy the demand of tourists; they can purchase the following products with the image of a cat:
- bags;
- T-shirts of different sizes;
- souvenir figurines;
- towels;
- magnets;
- mugs.
Manufacturers apply tailed muzzles to textiles, ceramics and other materials. Such products are very popular among tourists.
Cat Monastery
To regulate breeding and prevent cruelty, Cypriot authorities ensure that cats are sent to monasteries. They are caught and taken to holy monasteries. Monks take care of the murki.
Caring for cats is the duty of the monastery
The most famous cat monastery is the convent of St. Nicholas, founded by Elena.
Here cats are considered sacred animals - for ridding the island of snakes and in memory of Helen. The nuns feed them and look after them. Fluffies are allowed to walk throughout the entire territory and even go inside. The purrs go out into the courtyard to have lunch. They know the feeding time, and gather as if by a wave of a magic wand.
More than a hundred pussies live here, and no more than 10 nuns take care of them.
How to get to the cat monastery
The monastery is known not only as a haven for four-legged friends, it is a historical monument. Tourists from all over the world come to see the shrine. You can get to it as part of a tour group or take an independent walk.
The building is located on the Aktotiri peninsula, 12 kilometers from Limassol. It is comfortable to drive a rented car. We will consider Limassol as the departure point. You need to follow the road, it will lead to the island of Aktotiri, the monastery building is clearly visible.
Or take a public bus to the Old Hospital stop, and then walk about 3 kilometers along the path. There are signs everywhere, it's hard to make a mistake.
Watch out for snakes!
Still, it’s not for nothing that we mentioned Egypt. Cats from the island of Cyprus are their distant relatives. And it was all like this...
Back in the distant 4th century AD, Queen Helena Augusta undertook a sacred campaign to the Holy Land, hoping to find the Life-Giving Cross and the Holy Sepulcher there. The royal route passed through Cyprus. At that time, there was unbearable heat on the island, drying out everything around. The hellish heat has been “delighting” the residents for the 17th year! It would seem, what or who could such weather favor? It turned out that there is someone. An incredible number of snakes have bred on the island. The creeping reptiles multiplied at such a speed that they became a real threat to the lives of local residents. Moreover, this crawling mass of reptiles began to squeeze people out of the island. People really didn't have enough space! Therefore, many, fearing for their lives and the lives of loved ones, began to leave the island in fear.
And then the queen ordered several thousand cats to be brought to the island. The cats came from Asia Minor and Egypt and were housed in the monastery of St. Nicholas. The monastery allocated money for cat care.
The next day for the cats began with an unusual breakfast, which was repeated in an equally unusual dinner: the animals were fed snake meat. Thus, the cats were gradually accustomed to food, which in the future they would get for themselves, and they would have no other food besides this. Some time later, the cats were released into the wild, where they enthusiastically exterminated all unnecessary small living creatures: mice, snakes, and at the same time, just in case, lizards.
Cat park in Tala
In Cyprus there is another paradise for cats - a park in Tala. Here tourists can admire especially large groups of pussies. The park is located near Paphos, on the territory of the monastery of Agios Neophytos. At first, the animals lived near the parking lot of the Cypriot monastery, but then the monks decided to allocate a separate landscaped area for them. Volunteers were happy to get involved.
Here they accept individuals from the population, having previously sterilized them. Otherwise there will be more cats than people. More than a hundred felines live in the park.
Cypriot cat shelter
You can visit a large cat shelter located in Cyprus freely and absolutely free of charge.
Those interested can pet the purrs, play with them, feed them, or leave a donation (both cash and food contributions are accepted).
On the territory of the shelter there is also a souvenir shop and a special area designed for photo sessions with mustachioed Cypriots. It should be noted that this place is very popular among tourists from different countries.
Capital cat house
The four-legged animals have not spared the capital of the island either. Pussies gathered in Nicosia in the park at St. Macarius Hospital. This is a medical facility for children.
No one specially collected the animals in this place; they chose their own shelter. Perhaps the choice of habitat is related to the large number of children in the park. Tourists often come here to watch the purrs walking around.
Cypriots claim that the cats remember frequent visitors to the park and come out to greet them.
The Pled
We invite you to Cyprus - an island of warmth, cats, small cozy streets and fresh, juicy fruits. Caressed by the sun and fresh sea air, it blooms and attracts many tourists into its arms. So Catherine did not stand aside and went to explore this beautiful island.
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Only after visiting each of the cities of Cyprus, you can understand how they differ from each other.
Cyprus
The trip to Cyprus was partly a planned trip and partly not. We knew when we wanted to go on vacation, but we didn’t know where. We were advised to go to Cyprus, namely Ayia Napa. And we have never regretted it! Like we never got enough sleep! Almost every morning we started at a bus stop, from where we went to one of the cities of Greek Cyprus. With transfers, in the heat, with long breaks between buses that never arrived on time.
We toured Protaras, Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos. All these cities are similar to each other with their laconic architecture, old streets, a lot of cats and greenery, the sea on one side and small, low white houses on the other.
Ayia Napa
There is no special architecture, monuments or museums in Ayia Napa. All its beauty lies in nature. Ayia Napa has amazing beaches. They are big, no one is lying on each other's heads, and the water is crystal clear. One day we learned that Ayia Napa is not only about the sea and parties, but also about stunning nature. We visited such beautiful places, where, moreover, there are no crowds of tourists yet.
And then, having climbed Cape Greco, we watched the sunset. It must be said that when you get to Cape Greco, you find yourself at the edge of the earth. You are surrounded by the sea on three sides, and cities and roads are visible behind you. The wind there is warm, but so strong that you can’t even hear your own voice. When you arrive there, be sure to face the sea, close your eyes and listen to the wind.
Protaras and Larnaca
Protaras is a very green and small town, with a cute church on the highest hill, which, having climbed, you can sit on a bench in the shadow of the church walls and admire the city. Larnaca is, on the one hand, a tourist city, where there are a lot of people on the beach and a lot of cafes on the shore. But if you go deeper, then in the city itself you can find small cemeteries that do not cause fear, but somehow look harmonious there. There are a lot of old houses around and cats at every turn. And if you get tired of walking in the heat, then in the city center there is a wonderful park where you can hide from the scorching sun and admire the bright fruits on the trees.
Limassol and Paphos
Limassol can be distinguished from other cities in Cyprus by its long, narrow pedestrian road that stretches across the city along the sea. Probably, most of the lives of the townspeople pass on this path. They walk, enjoying the sea air on one side and flowering bushes on the other. They run, ride bicycles, play cards in tiny cafes. Children torture cats, of which there, as in Larnaca, there are countless numbers.
Paphos is the easternmost point of Cyprus and a fairly large city. There, at every step, there are advertisements about renting or selling real estate in Russian and, for some reason, Chinese. One of the things that amazed me in Paphos was the boats with things. Boats and small yachts are literally littered with things, people just live there. They dry things, prepare food, feed their cats, who live with them in the boats. This is not a tourist accommodation at all, this is how locals live. It was interesting to walk along the pier and look at it all.
Nicosia
Then we went to Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus. It was the hottest and most unusual city of all. The city, in the middle of which there is a stone wall - the border of Greek and Turkish Cyprus. Walking the streets along this wall turned out to be very exciting. There are absolutely no people there, not even locals. But this made it even more interesting. Look at the dilapidated houses, old empty streets. Such moments are remembered most vividly.
You can also cross the border and go to northern Nicosia if you have a foreign passport with you. But it’s scary to go there without men. There are people there, there are markets, there is life, but there are only men there. And they look wildly because their women don’t wear shorts on the streets, even at +40. So we hurried back. If you move further away from the wall, you notice that Nicosia is a very lively city, with lots of shops, cafes, parks, squares and, of course, cats.
5 recommendations
- Go to Cape Greco and watch the sunset from there;
- Try the meze;
- Compare Greek and Turkish Nicosia;
- Choose one of the beaches of Ayia Napa and have a relaxing day there;
- Count all the cats in Cyprus!
Season: Summer
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Export ban and population control
No one counted the number of cats. To avoid uncontrolled reproduction, the Cyprus administration urges residents not to throw animals. Authorities require Cypriots to contact volunteers in advance. This is necessary for sterilizing cats. Otherwise they will fill the entire island.
Despite their numbers, it is prohibited to take cats out of the country. This is stated in the official law, and warning posters hang everywhere at airports. Authorities fear the sacred animals will be mistreated.
But, most likely, this is due to the great interest of tourists in gentle animals. They want to look at them no less than at architectural monuments.
If a tourist likes a kitten, it will not be possible to take it out without documents.
Rules for importing into the country
If you want to take a pet to Cyprus, you should find out about the import rules. The requirements only apply if you are not the owner of a super rare breed.
You will need:
- import permit;
- A certificate from a veterinarian stating that the pet has received all vaccinations.
- certificate that the pet is vaccinated against rabies.
It is recommended to make inquiries in advance, but indicate the date no earlier than 3 days before travel. Otherwise, the certificate will be considered invalid.
If you are carrying pussy with you, you should notify the Cypriot authorities. A veterinarian will meet the tourist at the airport, examine the pet, and only then will he allow further travel.
