Cats of Serifos

I now know why my home exchange partner did such a fabulous job taking care of my cats when she and her partner stayed in my Vancouver home.

It’s because cats are as much a part of Serifos as whitewashed walls and blue domes.

As far as I know, the cats of Serifos live completely outdoors and come and go as they please. But I wouldn’t call them feral. Or even strays.

They belong to everyone and to no one. “Community cats” is probably the best way of describing them.

I fed my clan every morning and evening. The most I had at any one time was nine. Nine cats! (Isn’t that the name of a song?)

The cats of Serifos are small, but healthy and well fed (see above). I’m told the Aegean cat is a breed native to the Cyclades that developed naturally, without any human intervention.

Often on my wanderings through the Chora, I’d see little piles of kibble set out for the cats — I wasn’t the only one feeding them.

I loved how completely relaxed they looked and acted in their environment.

And they kept me good company while I was in my Grecian home.