Food and Water stations in public areas for stray cats
Campaigns:Help Cyprus find its direction while bringing your ideas to life!
Proposal code: Pusula / Ππούσουλας-2020-04-112
Creating Food and Water containers & placing them in public areas for the well being of stray cats, volunteers and public spaces- in conjunction with 'Cat Alert Nicosia' neuter assistance programmes.
The big problem with stray cats in Cyprus
Cyprus is overflowing with stray cats. It is estimated that their population exceeds TWO MILLION in numbers and that a female cat alone gives birth to at least 15 kittens each year.
These numbers are potentially causing a high risk for such a small island. Why?
§ This level of overpopulation is beyond nature’s balancing mechanisms.
§ Too many cats wonder around in bad condition, unsheltered and suffering, pushing volunteers to their limits in their attempt to help.
§ Most strays starve to death, become ill or are run over by cars and have a short life.
§ Feral male cats are increasing in numbers, get into many fights and chase after females more frequently resulting in more impregnations.
§ Looking for food and shelter stray cats wonder within backyards, outside restaurants and inside garbage bins causing distress to people who end up abusing them or poisoning them.
§ This paints a shameful picture about Cypriots to animal-lover tourists.
§ Adoptions abroad have increased involving economic implications, complicated procedures and more pressure for volunteers.
§ The Government has been unable to come up with a nation-wide effective solution.
§ Most cat welfare NGOs depend on voluntary humane support and rely mainly on public donation. Most of the time they are not sustainable.
So, the problem is not addressed in an effective way: at the end of the day cats in Cyprus increase in numbers, are not wanted by many people and starve to death all the time.
The greatness of a nation is reflected in the way its animals are treated.
Stray cats have a right to humane conditions of survival. We C.A.N help.
Along with its neutering programme NGO 'Cat Alert Nicosia' (C.A.N.) proposes the design of food and water stations to be manufactured and placed in public areas where cat colonies
are greater, especially areas that have been targeted for sterilisation. In this way we will make sure that populations are manageable in these areas and survival conditions are better for strays.
The idea is to create practical and nice-looking containers for food and water in two sizes:
The larger size to be placed in areas like old towns, squares, parks, schools, cemeteries, etc.
The smaller size to be placed in specially designated areas of streets, neighbourhoods or small public spaces.
The containers will be filled with food and water and then secured. With the help of gravity and physics the right amount of portion will be automatically released according to feeding needs. In this way the feeding and water needs of strays will be maintained for a long period of time without human effort.
The key ingredients towards success
§ A preliminary design idea for the large containers is ready for experimentation and samples of the small containers are already being tested.
§ The right Government cooperation & municipality responsibility is essential.
§ The feeding program will be running along the sterilization program of Cat Alert Nicosia in an attempt to approach the problem in a holistic and effective way.
§ The pilot program will start within the district of Nicosia and expand to other districts once the smooth running of the operations has been accomplished and further funding has been secured.
The impact
Our goal is to make Cyprus a proud country to live in. To create an environment of symbiotic interaction in harmony with stray cats. To make a social impact and a nationwide difference. To ensure favourable conditions for cats in good times as well as in times of crisis. To minimise risks and provide a humane system of survival for our stray friends. To reduce work overload for volunteers.
External video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIyuzH1i61Q