Volunteers have criticised the police over their handling of a case involving the alleged abduction of cats from a supermarket car park in Latsia, as concern grows over reports of missing cats across Cyprus.
According to information gathered by Phileleftheros, the initial complaint was filed on 25 January 2026 after three sterilised cats, which had lived at the site for years under the daily care of volunteers, were found to have disappeared.
In a letter to the Nicosia District Animal Welfare Committee, copied to Nicosia Police Headquarters, the Veterinary Services and other competent authorities, Dinos Agiomamitis, president of the Cat Protection and Welfare Association and a member of the Pancyprian Coordinating Committee for Animal Welfare, raised strong reservations about how the case was investigated.
In the complaint he forwarded to Phileleftheros, a woman is alleged to have trapped the cats and placed them in her vehicle. The vehicle’s details were reportedly handed to the Animal Police. The suspect allegedly claimed the animals were ill, that she had taken them to a vet and returned them, but did not name the veterinary clinic.
In his letter, Agiomamitis said the Animal Police contacted the woman by telephone and accepted her claims without further investigation. As he put it: “It is obvious that the accused could not have forgotten which vet she took the kittens to.”
After repeated complaints from activists and media coverage of the case, police announced the day before yesterday that they had examined the supermarket’s CCTV system, leading to the identification of a woman as a suspect. She has been summoned to give a statement.
At the same time, animal welfare circles have made further complaints about the same woman, who is alleged to have been seen with associates collecting cats from colonies or outdoor areas and placing them in a van. These claims have not been confirmed.
Police told Phileleftheros on Friday 13 February 2026 that the case remains under investigation. Asked whether they are examining the possible involvement of a single individual or a wider network, they replied: “The complaint is under investigation. The Police must complete the taking of statements.”
When asked whether any steps had been taken to establish the fate of the cats reportedly removed, the response was: “We are investigating the case.”
In recent days, other cat rescuers and animal welfare organisations have contacted Phileleftheros and in-cyprus, reporting similar disappearances of cats from colonies and outdoor areas. Many voiced strong disappointment at what they see as inaction by the authorities, highlighting in particular the lack of clear information on whether specific measures have been taken to locate the missing animals.
In a separate statement to Phileleftheros, Agiomamitis said: “The first complaint was made on 25 January. The letters speak for themselves and show who they were sent to.”
He added: “I received no reply from anyone, even though I am a member of the competent authorities defined by law for the proper implementation of the Animal Protection and Welfare Law, namely the District Animal Welfare Committee and the Pancyprian Coordinating Committee for Animal Welfare.”
Concluding, he stressed: “This situation is unacceptable. We will pursue it as far as it goes and we will proceed with complaints to the competent European bodies.”
For now, it remains unclear whether the numerous reports of missing cats across Cyprus are linked to the Latsia incident or whether they concern separate, unrelated cases. Police have not confirmed any connection.