Why are there so many cats in Kotor?
Situated on the Bay of Kotor on Montenegro’s rugged coastline lies the beautiful town of Kotor. Founded by the Romans and developed through the Middles Ages, Kotor reminded us a little of Dubrovnik or Split with its attractive architecture and cream-coloured cobbled streets, shiny from thousands of footsteps. The similarity is not surprising as all are a few hours’ drive (or sail) apart along the same stretch of the Adriatic coast. What is more surprising is that despite the proximity, we saw far fewer tourists in Montenegro than we did in Croatia.
Whilst wandering around the Old Town it didn’t take us long to notice that Kotor has an unusually high cat population. All of a sudden they seemed to be everywhere!
So what is it with all the cats in Kotor? Not only can furry felines be found at every cobbled street corner, the souvenir shops are cat crazy and there is even a museum dedicated to cats.
The cats of Kotor are so ubiquitous, they’ve become a prominent symbol of the city. Some say the official symbol of Kotor.
But why are there so many cats in Kotor? We turned to our guide book and we turned to Google but neither gave us a definitive answer. The most logical answer on the origin of cats in Kotor came from a woman working in the appropriately named shop ‘Cats of Kotor’.
She explained that for centuries Kotor was a busy trading port – the exact history of the town is unknown but this ancient city is believed to be as old as the sea trade in the Adriatic. And with those ships came cats from all around the world. Clearly many of them got left behind and today Kotor not only has a very large kitty population, it has a very multicultural one!
CAT WELFARE IN KOTOR
As you can read via the comments below, many visitors to Kotor leave quite distressed after seeing the condition many of the cats are in. Lots of readers have told me how the cats and kittens are sick, in a state of malnutrition, and not at all cared for, despite being an unofficial symbol of the city.
There are a few animal welfare charities in Montenegro, but they mostly focus on dogs. However, a newly formed charity, Kotor Kitties, aims to raise awareness and make a difference. The mission of Kotor Kitties is to help the homeless street cats of Montenegro lead healthier lives and to humanely reduce the homeless animal population, through spay and neuter surgery.
You can support them by liking their Facebook page and following Kotor Kitties on Instagram. Of course, what will really make a difference is a donation via their Go Fund Me page or Facebook page. If you’re interested in helping in other ways, their Facebook page invites you to send them a message.
All manner of cat souvenirs are on sale at Cats of Kotor gift shop. Thanks to Cats of Kotor for the use of their cat memorabilia photos.
Before long we found ourselves photographing Kotor’s kitties, something very out of character for us! Some of them were even quite cute.
If you are a feline fan, Kotor is definitely a destination to consider. Lonely Planet even goes so far as to feature Kotor in their Top 10 destinations for cat lovers!
One thing is sure: if you visit Montenegro’s beautiful coastal town of Kotor you will notice a very high cat population. Here are just a few of the local residents …
If you are not a lover of cats, do not be put of visiting this beautiful city. For more non-feline inspiration visit Kathmandu & Beyond Photography for more images of Kotor and other places we visited in Montenegro.
READ MORE BLOG POSTS FEATURING THE BALKANS
IF YOU ENJOYED THIS POST ABOUT THE CATS OF KOTOR, PLEASE SHARE IT…
If I had a bucket list of Fifty Things Not To Do Before I Die, visiting Kotor would be on the list. I’m not a cat lover. I regard them to be parasites, feeding off their presumed cuteness with no ingratiating behaviour or other redeeming features. Now dogs; they’re a different kettle of fish, as they say.
But, I liked the first photograph in your blog!
Ben,
Everyone has a right to an opinion but honestly, putting Kotor on your Bucket list would be your loss and thats from someone who loves dogs too 🙂
Kotor was amazing!!! I highly recommend visiting this place
Oh really? I would say the same for people like you, vile, idiotic, parasites.
That comment was meant for Ben.
Miaow!
There always has to be a spoil sport like you on every lovely story link for people who actually LOVE something, Why bother telling the world you hate cats ? We love them and cherish this story and I’m sure Kotor will do just fine without your approval. I bet there are many people like us, who actually love cats AND dogs.who will visit. And I assume my comment won’t be published as it’s critical of a person who expressed hatred of cats,, which in turn is apparently iOK. I loved the pics and the clever writing and look forward to my Kotor adventure , armed with some kibble for the kitties.
Thanks for your comments Bettina. There’s no reason why I wouldn’t publish your comment – everyone is entitled to an opinion.
what a bell end you are. Like they walk around thinking “I’m cute, I’m gonna use this to my favour” Did you those who don’t like cats come back as mice?
You are entitled to your own opinion however cat’s are not parasites at all they absolutely do integrate they choose whom they do that with because of their intelligence and their perception of danger, totally different than dogs that crave attention cats do not they choose you you don’t choose them….clearly no cat wants to choose you as they can sense your dislike, bottom line its an animal all animals are wonderful in many different ways.
It’s actually funny: I haven’t noticed cats in Kotor at all during our trip to Montenegro last summer. May be because it was raining during the time we’d been there. Dogs – yes; cats – not even a single cat. However, if you ever find yourselves in Kavala in Norther Greece be prepared for cat invasion. I never saw so many cats wondering the streets. They were literally everywhere: under cars, on top of cars, sleeping on scooters’ seats. Every restaurant or cafe had at least 2 or 3 resident cats.
Ha, that is strange. As you say, I think it must have been the rain that kept them hidden! I can imagine a lot of cats in Greece too – since Montenegro we’ve seen more and more in southern Europe and now in Turkey!
As a complete lover of cats I love visiting places that have tons and tons of kitties! Phnom Penh, Camoboda, and Gili Trawangan, Indonesia, are two places I’ve noticed that have cats everywhere!
You should definitely come to southern Europe then! 🙂 Since Montenegro, we’ve come across more and more cats during our travels. Now we’re in Turkey and there are loads here too! Even though many of them are street cats, people feed them so they seem to be pretty healthy.
Hello, I guess you know little about what goes on in S. Europe regarding the animals. I lived in Montenegro for 5 years and now only part time. Cats and dogs are routinely poisoned and in Kotor this is also the situation. Greece is also the same along with Turkey. Please do NOT promote Kotor as a place to go if you love cats. I have only personally rescued a few from Kotor as my focus is the other side near Ulcinj. However, that being said, i have seen some horrendous cases there of kittens half dead in the meandering corridors at 6am. Off course that is all “cleaned” up by 10 so the tourists don’t see it…but often during the day you can spot really sick cats with Feline Aids or Leukemia. Nobody is doing anything to stem the problem..NO STERILIZATIONS NOR VACCINATIONS. Just the continuous use of poison at the end and beginning of your tourist seasons….
Thank you for saying something about this! I was speaking to a woman who was saying there are very few people who are personally trying to make an effort to curb the problem- sterilization. So many of them are so skinny and in bad health. It’s so sad.
I was there today and noticed the exact same thing. I was in tears listening to the guide talk about how Kotor “loves” cats. Then you turn around and kittens are sick, injured, and starving to death. Sad place and disgusting treatment of their animals. Kotor should be ashamed of themselves for praising themselves as cat lovers. I wish I could have done something but was only there for an excursions for 1 hour.
I agree. We were there last week and spent the time feeding and giving the cats water. They had terrible eye infections. I am on the internet now trying to contact the town and cruise lines that go there to get some help. This town is capitalizing on cats of kotor, yet they are letting them starve. It was devastating. You can do something; try to contact people from the town and vets in the area asking for help. The more people they hear from, the more obligated or enlightened they will hopefully, become.
Hi Pam! Please check out our website: http://www.kotorkitties.org. We’re a all-volunteer partnership of US and UK charities dedicated to reducing the suffer of the cats through free spay-neuter surgeries and lots of public education! As volunteers we’re located all over the world, but our work is all in Montenegro.
I’m happy to report that since September 2018, Kotor Kitties has spayed and neutered nearly 4,000 Montenegrin cats, at least half of those in the area of Kotor. We now have a website! https://www.kotorkitties.org
Having just returned from Montenegro I was deeply saddened by the condition of a lot of these cats roaming the streets, very thin, pregnant, unwell, hungry and yet they have the nerve to exploit these animals by having souvenirs and a museum. These animals should be neutered and be given medical attention if/when required. I shall never again visit this place until this appalling exploitation ends.
Please that I the charity Kotor Kitties has been set up to help the Kotor cats. I too was so devastated to see the cats in needs last year that I found this charity which I now volunteer for. The charity was set up by an American lady following her visit last year. Please support us by following on Facebook, Instagram or donate to the charity if you can (details in these locations). We are funding free sterilisation for the cats and have paid for over 450 operations already. We operate from overseas (UK and USA) and rely on dedicated locals and notifications by tourists for cats in need.
Thanks for letting me know, Melanie. That’s great to hear. I’ve added this information to the post itself so that readers don’t miss it.
I visited Kotor last week. The Old town is full of extremely thin and sick stray cats 🙁 There are lots of kittens who will probably die soon 🙁
Nobody seems to care. I’m still shaken, can’t stop thinking about those poor cats
Thanks for the update Mila. It does seem like the situation has severely deteriorated since our visit to Kotor. It’s so sad to hear that nobody in Kotor appears to care about their wellbeing. At the very least, you’d think that the museum and shops benefiting from the cats cute image would contribute something to the situation. 🙁
I visited it a couple of weeks ago, a cruise ship stop. Same thing. Lots of kittens, most of them look sick. The first thing we saw when we entered the old town was several kittens, and only one of them looked healthy and playful. The rest looked sick. We thought the same thing – with all the money they make off cats, they should spend some of them caring for the cats.
I was recently in Kotor and noticed all of the kittens and cats as soon as we walked into the old town. It was devastating how thin, and dehydrated these poor little things were. They all had eye infections, a few were already blind by the infections. My sister-in-law and I bought several packets of cat food and water and began to feed them. Many came to the food, others were so weak. It was awful. I began my day in Kotor in awe of the beautiful surroundings, and left very upset. I told other travelers and the crew on our ship, and the cruise director said he would spread the word, and bring food next time they were there. But that simply is not enough. I am not trying to contact the cruise line and the town to get these adorable, little things some help. They need a vet to care for the eye infections, and they need continuous care. I could not buy anything while in the village as the cat figurines, bags, clothing was everywhere, however, purchasing material things when their actual cats were starving was unthinkable. It is hard to believe that the merchants go in through the square everyday and see these kittens and cats, and do not try to help them.
I was in Kotor September 2018. LOVED the city. But the cat situation is dire. Dozens of really sick, infected, malnourished kittens everywhere. And they all look inbred too me.. I am not surprised to hear that the dying ones are poisoned/culled.. Kotor needs a trap, neuter, release program to maintain a healthy and appropriately sized feline population. Kotor would be better served to promote humane tourism than kitschy kitty Knick knacks. That said, I didn’t find these cats to be bothersome. They don’t jump on tables like they do in the Caribbean. And they aren’t feral. Just homeless.
TNR programs are a special interest of mine. I used to follow and support CANDI and its humane tourism efforts in the Caribbean. But it seems they are only focusing on Mexican dog TNR programs. And repatriating homeless dogs to the US and Canada for adoption. My husband and I had a dream to move to the Caribbean. He would open a dive shop. I would work towards creating TNR programs. But my husband died last year and my plans have been stalled. Now I am feeling like I should shift my attention to Europe.
I would be really grateful for any connections in Kotor on other places (like Turkey) where feline populations are out of control. A few people with the a similar purpose and right connections could really make a difference. And allow Kotor to keep their cats. Just happier and healthier cats. With less killing.
Hi Jodi and thanks for your comment. My condolences to you, and I hope you manage to pursue your passions in due course.
It is heartbreaking every time I receive a comment on this post about the increasingly dire situation in Kotor. Unfortunately I don’t have any direct personal contacts. I have heard of an organisation called Stray Aid Montenegro but they seem to mainly be active in Bar. I am ging to put some feelers out though and if I find any more leads, I will surely pass them on to you. It certainly sounds as if Kotor could do with a proactive approach to helping of those poor cats.
I was there a couple of weeks ago – cruise stop. In addition to TNR – at least enough to keep the population stable, they need to provide vet care. They make money off these cats. The least they could do is to spend some of the money on TNR and vet care.
I couldn’t agree more. I’ve seen this everywhere: Spain, Greece, Morocco and Korsika, too. So many street cats, sick, hungry, dying and no one to take any care of them. I wonder why the residents are so immune to their suffering. I suppose it has to do with an old fashioned understanding that animals aren’t pets. It’s heart breaking to read your comments. I know I’d probably be remembered by the Kotor residents for shouting about the condition of the cats. What a pity, but now I don’t know if I want to travel there and witness the misery – it would haunt me for a much longer time than the memories of pretty landscapes ….
Please check out our new websites (final phase of construction this weekend!):
http://www.kotorkitties.org
http://www.kotorkitties.me
And thanks for your comment too, Pam. It seems the situation has much deteriorated since our visit. I am going to have a look around to see if I can find any sources of information or organisations that are prepared to help. Cruise ships bring huge numbers of visitors into Kotor – wouldn’t it be fantastic if the companies could use their profits to help set up a local foundation?
Hi Kirsty!
Since Kotor Kitties started in September, 2018, we have gone on to spay and neuter over 2700 cats in Montenegro, primarily along the coast in Kotor, Tivat, Budva and Herceg Novi. Our only limitation is funds! In 2020 we were prepared for heavy outreach to tourists interested in helping the cats, but COVID put a serious dent in those plans!
Kotor Kitties is the first High Quality, High Volume Spay-Neuter program (HQHVSN) in Montenegro, and we’ve started the first trap-neuter-return program for sterilizing community cats that can’t be safely caught by hand.
For organizational efficiency we have a US-based 501(c)(3) and a UK-registered charity. A Montenegrin NGO will be registered soon. All 3 groups are all-volunteer.
We have a pair of websites that will be publicly announced on February 1, 2021. We’re in the last stages of fine-tuning, but you’re welcome to have a peek, and we would love your help in promoting them:
http://www.kotorkitties.org (English)
Please that I the charity Kotor Kitties has been set up to help the Kotor cats. I too was so devastated to see the cats in needs last year that I found this charity which I now volunteer for. The charity was set up by an American lady following her visit last year. Please support us by following on Facebook, Instagram or donate to the charity if you can (details in these locations). We are funding free sterilisation for the cats and have paid for over 450 operations already. We operate from overseas (UK and USA) and rely on dedicated locals and notifications by tourists for cats in need.