Cats and dogs in Kefalonia/Greece

/ taphian

When I take a walk in the evening, shortly before sunset, I see a lot of cats and dogs in Lixouri. Most of them don’t have anybody who cares for them. They take their food out of the garbage cans. Only very few are treated and fed well. All the animals in Greece are very shy, especially birds. The reason is that they still shoot them which is devastating. I could never get closer than maybe 50 meters so that I never succeeded in making photos of birds there.

Cats and dogs are very shy, too, due to bad experiences with humans. I always approach them very slowly and talk to them with a placid voice. They sense that I wouldn’t do any harm to them and allow me to come closer so that I can make a photo. I really appreciate the trust they have in me. I love animals, best of all cats because I have a very special connection with them. Dogs are very lucky when they are not kept at a chain. I always wonder why these animals are still so gentle and friendly. I hope you enjoy a look at all these wonderful, cute, fury animals.

30 thoughts on “Cats and dogs in Kefalonia/Greece”

  2. This post is full of great photos and it is easy to say – awwww, they are so cute – and yet you also put it in perspective, telling about their stories behind the photos. It’s very touching and thank you for it.

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    • Every time I go there I try to feed some cats that are close and after a while they even allow me to stroke them. Just because they are so cute I don’t understand that they don’t get love. I’m so sad about it. Thank you so much for your kind comment, Claudia, regards Mitza

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  3. Good photos, Mitza. We rarely see a cat or a dog in the street here so I found it quite confronting when I was in Istanbul for a month and they were all over the place. I soon realised that they were harmless. There everyone feeds them.

    Here dogs must be kept on a leash in public places and I believe a lot of owners keep them chained on their properties mainly as guard dogs. We have a few in our street. It upsets me to be barked at by neighbours’ dogs when I move around my own property or walking up and down the lane where I live.

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    • Thank you, dear Mary. I guess in all the Southern Mediterranean countries it is the same problem with cats and dogs. It’s good that dogs have to be kept on a leash in public where you live and people obey these rules. Here most people don’t obey these rules because they love their dogs more than their fellow-men which made me fall down from my bike once which was very painful. Since that time I am a bit scared of dogs. Regards Mitza

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      • We do have a problem with feral cats in the wild, devastating for native animals. We have parks here where people are allowed to let their pets off their leashes. Take care, Mitza. Mx

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  4. Dear Mitza, my heart goes out to you with this post. I KNOW how seeing these cats and not being able to soothe, feed and help them all would hurt you. But I also know that you and other good people do their best to help them. I think it would trouble me too much to visit there.
    Your photos are just lovely.
    I have not posted on my blog since Easter. It is not that we are not still friends, it is that I have given everything I have to my garden. My post explains.
    I too have cat news, but that will have to wait as I have to get out into the garden.
    I would not be able to live happily without cats and I know you feel the same. Give and receive as much cat love as you can whilst you are there. Soak it all up. They know you love them.
    Love Karen x x x

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    • Dear Karen, thanks a lot for your comment. The problem is that you also cannot help every beggar in front of a church and I can only feed some cats that are close which I do. But when I see these poor animals sick with cat flew etc. I’m very sad. Your garden must be wonderful right now and your cat news are interesting. All the best Mitza

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