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Charming to many travellers, a problem in the eyes of others. The stray cats and dogs of Greece are almost as famous as the country itself. Especially in the countryside, tiny villages are swarming with them. 

In many accounts, travellers talk about those animals. They describe them as poor, abused and in terrible states. Basically, begging for a tiny bit of food.

It is true, I have seen loads of stray cats and dogs during my time in Greece. Yet, only a very small number of them looked bad. In this blog article, I will tell you about my experience with them. 

They Are Everywhere

Those cats and dogs really are everywhere. No – like EVERYWHERE. Especially in tiny villages around the country side. 

Throughout Delphi, we encountered various stray cats. They were hanging out in cafés, laying on the street and following us to the oracle. It was my first time to encounter the stray animals of Greece.

And, of course, as the typical cat person (who has two of those little ****** at home) I was immediately excited. So many cats to pet!

The first cat we met joined us for a little drink in the café around the corner. Later on, we met a cat that would follow us all the way to the oracle of Delphi. She would quickly disappear though, once she noticed that the guards had a cat for themselves. I guess it is some form of rivalry. I wouldn‘t know. I am not a cat. At least last time I checked. 

We would go on to meet many more stray cats and dogs. Cat families, tiny kittens, dogs walking along the street and even cats and dogs chilling on top of a mountain. Courageous little buggers. They were all over the place. And it‘s true, some of them were only in it for the food. But, some were just generally curious. 

I liked to name them. But, I mean – who wouldn‘t like to do that?

The Best Strays I‘ve Met – You Won‘t Believe Where I Found Number 4

I have met tons of stray cats and dogs throughout my travels in Greece. Yet these 5 stand out the most to me. Take a closer look.

The Cat Chilling Under The Bush

Wow – I almost didn‘t see you there. Is what I said when I took picture of this cute cat, chilling underneath a bush. I found this little bugger in Delphi, seeking shadow at the entrance to the village. 

The Tiny Cat In The Museum

While at Olympia – my mother and I went to the archeological museum of the city. Here we found someone more interesting than the ancient statues. It was a tiny kitten, who was roaming the garden and entrance of the museum. She would even play with her mother (protected by the father). So adorable!

The Dog With The Tumour

During our trip through the city of Athens, I spotted a nice dog laying in the grass next to the sidewalk. He looked happy and comfortable. Yet, he had a huge tumour on his genitals. I felt sad for the poor boy, so I decided to snap a picture of him and mention him here, so as to never forget him. 

The Cat On The Mountain

One of the more unique places I found a stray cat was on the top of the mountains in Meteora. The cat was climbing among the tourist in what I believe must have been a couple of hundred meters height. And that is not even the most interesting aspect of it. How did it get up there? I mean we drove and it took like 10 minutes. That must have been like a few hours journey for that kitty. Quite crazy.

Stray Cats and Dogs – Is It Cute or Sad?

Thinking back about the stray cats and dogs, it almost feels sad. These poor animals mostly have no one, begging for a little bit of food on the streets.

I totally agree that it is a sad problem. And I think it’s great that the government is trying to do something about it. Nonetheless, it doesn‘t seem too much of a problem. Why?

While going through Greece, I heard that the people take good care of the animals. And I have seen it myself. People put out food and water and take care of the animals. I really love that about the country. To be honest, I wish I could just go back with a big bag and bring all of them back home with me. After all, who wouldn’t? 

It‘s Not Only Cats and Dogs

Throughout Greece you don‘t only find cats and dogs. Mostly, the animals you find aren‘t actually stray. They belong to someone (at least those who aren‘t cats and dogs).

A great example of animals that you can find (seemingly stray) are horses and donkeys. They tend to wander around empty country roads. We were lucky enough to find this beautiful horse on our tour through the mountains. While running back 400 meters to take a picture, I attracted a donkey. Unfortunately, I couldn‘t give him anything to eat. But I took a cute picture.