Reuters AlertNet Lite - Cyprus seeks to cut wild cat population in capital

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Cyprus seeks to cut wild cat population in capital

15 May 2007 09:38:22 GMT
Source: Reuters

NICOSIA, May 15 (Reuters Life!) - The Cypriot capital Nicosia is on a drive to cut its growing feral cat population amid concerns it is getting too big to handle.

The Mediterranean island, which researchers say bears the earliest traces worldwide of cat domestication some 9,500 years ago, has started a neutering programme which will run until the end of 2007. If successful it will be repeated next year.

"Obviously we will not be grabbing cats at random. The areas where there are problems are documented," said Phillipos Petsas, head of the health and hygiene department at Nicosia municipality.

"This is a universally accepted method of controlling the cat population. Large numbers of cats in one area do cause problems," he told Reuters.

The precise number of feral cats in the city is difficult to document, but about 20 areas with large cat populations have been pinpointed. The cats will be snared in special traps and returned to the same area after they have been neutered.

In 2004 French archaeologists said Cyprus bore the oldest records of bonds between felines and humans after discovering a human and a cat interred in the same 9,500 year old grave site. Until that discovery, the ancient Egyptians were considered the earliest civilisation which domesticated cats.

However in recent times islanders have not had quite the same fondness for felines. Comparatively few Cypriots have a cat at home.

"Sometimes populations of cats grow so big, they get run over by cars. There are also people who resort to poisoning them, which is criminal," said Petsas.

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Last updated:Tue May 15 09:41:16 2007