How to help
If you have or are considering a pet
Sterilise. It is the single most effective thing you can do to prevent unwanted litters and reduce the number of cats born into life on the street. Microchip — it is legally required in Spain and makes it possible to trace owners if an animal is lost or abandoned. Adopt rather than buy. And if your circumstances ever change and you can no longer keep an animal, find a responsible solution. Never the street.
You don't have to be a carer to make a difference. Every action, however small, matters to the cats that share our streets.
If you don't have cats
You can still help. Donate to local associations that fund food, veterinary care and sterilisations — every contribution goes directly to the cats. Foster temporarily — shelters and colonies always need people who can care for a cat for a few weeks while a permanent home is found. Spread the word — awareness is the first step towards change. And above all, don't obstruct the work of colony carers. They are doing essential work, often at their own expense, with no institutional support.
If you see a cat in distress
Contact a local animal welfare organisation or colony carer rather than moving the cat — relocating a colony cat away from its territory causes serious harm. If the cat appears injured or very ill, contact a local vet or animal emergency service.
If you are in Valencia
The Colonia Felina de Viveros is a registered association caring for the cats of Parque Viveros. You can support their work directly through donations, volunteering, or temporary fostering. [@colonias_viveros]
The goal is a world where no domestic animal has to survive on the street. We are not there yet. But every decision we make brings us closer — or further away.