Limassol’s first-ever stray cat neutering drive, announced in November, is now underway as the municipality moves to tackle the city’s growing stray population.
The €40,000 project targets approximately 690 cats, focusing initially on the historical centre and other high-density districts. The initiative marks the first time the municipality has implemented an organised, city-wide population control scheme.
Limassol mayor Yiannis Armeftis, in a post on social media, said, “We are continuing the stray cat neutering programme with the participation of animal welfare organisations and volunteers”.
He continued, saying, “This initiative is part of the Municipality’s strategy to manage the stray cat population and promote animal welfare”.
Alongside his post, he shared a video in which he participates in the campaign, as seen below:
“A city that respects its animals, respects its people,” Mayor Armeftis had said when the initiative was announced, noting that the city is turning this philosophy into specific actions rather than just words.
The programme is a direct result of the Municipal Animal Welfare Committee, established in 2024. Four local veterinarians—Demetris Epaminonda, Maria Vafeadou, Marios Nicolaou, and Panikkos Stylianou—are carrying out the procedures under approval from the Veterinary Services.
The scheme relies on a voucher system. Registered volunteers must collect coupons from the municipality’s Health Services before taking cats to the participating vets. These volunteers are also responsible for returning the animals to their original colonies after surgery.