Newsroom
The cats were a familiar sight around Chloraka cemetery. Then some started turning up dead, and others stopped coming around. Now, some residents are taking the cats they can find into their homes, hoping to keep them safe while a suspected poisoning is investigated.
The first reported case came on Oct. 20, when a resident found a barely conscious kitten in her yard. She took it to a veterinarian, but it died the next day. According to her complaint, she was told the kitten had been poisoned, possibly by rat poison. In the days that followed, more cats were found dead.
At least 12 cats have been found dead. The woman who reported the case fears the toll could be closer to 40, but dozens of cats that usually frequented the area are still unaccounted for.
The resident first contacted authorities on Oct. 21 and filed a formal police complaint on Oct. 29. Warnings have been posted near the cemetery about possible poisoned bait. The Cyprus Greens have questioned how quickly authorities responded, asking whether the grounds were searched and whether the dead cats were tested. The party also raised concerns about what suspected bait in a public place could mean for families with young children.
The case comes as animal welfare groups are pressing for faster action across Paphos. At a Nov. 1 protest in Kato Paphos harbor, organizers called for more inspectors and quicker responses to reports of poisoning, shootings, and abandonment. Their point was simple. Volunteers can take animals in, but authorities have to investigate what put them in danger.
For neighbors in Chloraka, two questions remain. What killed the cats that were found, and what happened to the ones that never came back?
