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I would imagine barn cats are a thing in that region. Saw a lot catching and eating mice.I've noticed a lot of cats in the background in various YouTube videos about the CF.
Question - are these cats strays? Or pets? Or a mix of both? Do pets tend to wear collars in Spain?
Another question - what's the etiquette around giving them food? Frowned upon?
I don't want to potentially contribute to any existing animal welfare problems by feeding stray cats if the locals don't want them fed, but if it's not an issue I'll probably carry around some sort of treats to share.
I'm not really a cat person, but I do love animals, and if a sweet and hungry-looking cat approaches me I'm going to want to give it a snack, unless of course that's considered a no-no by the locals.
Good response, have seens lots of cats, never a mouse.Hmm, those scraps of kitty biccy you distribute aren’t likely to change their lives much. A meaningful donation to a local or national animal welfare charity might make a difference for the next generation. Cats in rural areas tend to be part of the ecosystem and the population will be self-sustaining and more welcome than tolerated. Stray cats in urban settings, overpopulation sustained by discarded food and the donations of the well intentioned, are more likely to be part of an ecological overburden with a significant impact on small mammal, bird and reptile survival.
If you see a cat in the background of a photograph you might make the perfectly reasonable assumption that it’s there because it lives there, not because it’s a stray
Possibly the best advice I’ve seen here, “ be yourself”…My wife and I did Camino Frances in 2014, and we encountered lots of cats and dogs, most of them pets, but those stray ones were pretty friendly and accustomed to peregrinos. We are animal lovers, we even had an incident somewhere in Valencia cannot remember where but a group of us had a horse walk with us for about a mile. We fed some of the cats, cat food was pretty cheap, and met a lot of dogs walking the Camino. Had a cat we called “Greeter” do the tour with us in the Templar castle in Ponferrada. Enjoy Camino! Be yourself! BUEN CAMINO
Yes! I should dig out my picture of a kitty walking down the street with one in its mouth!Good response, have seens lots of cats, never a mouse.
Yes, most "stray cats" in rural Galicia have owners. They are not "pets" because don't live in the main house and don't even have a name but have owners who feed them.I would imagine barn cats are a thing in that region. Saw a lot catching and eating mice.
Yes I feed cats, goats and even horses if I have food.I've noticed a lot of cats in the background in various YouTube videos about the CF.
Question - are these cats strays? Or pets? Or a mix of both? Do pets tend to wear collars in Spain?
Another question - what's the etiquette around giving them food? Frowned upon?
I don't want to potentially contribute to any existing animal welfare problems by feeding stray cats if the locals don't want them fed, but if it's not an issue I'll probably carry around some sort of treats to share.
I'm not really a cat person, but I do love animals, and if a sweet and hungry-looking cat approaches me I'm going to want to give it a snack, unless of course that's considered a no-no by the locals.
I am a cat person!I've noticed a lot of cats in the background in various YouTube videos about the CF.
Question - are these cats strays? Or pets? Or a mix of both? Do pets tend to wear collars in Spain?
Another question - what's the etiquette around giving them food? Frowned upon?
I don't want to potentially contribute to any existing animal welfare problems by feeding stray cats if the locals don't want them fed, but if it's not an issue I'll probably carry around some sort of treats to share.
I'm not really a cat person, but I do love animals, and if a sweet and hungry-looking cat approaches me I'm going to want to give it a snack, unless of course that's considered a no-no by the locals.
I've noticed a lot of cats in the background in various YouTube videos about the CF.
Question - are these cats strays? Or pets? Or a mix of both? Do pets tend to wear collars in Spain?
Another question - what's the etiquette around giving them food? Frowned upon?
I don't want to potentially contribute to any existing animal welfare problems by feeding stray cats if the locals don't want them fed, but if it's not an issue I'll probably carry around some sort of treats to share.
I'm not really a cat person, but I do love animals, and if a sweet and hungry-looking cat approaches me I'm going to want to give it a snack, unless of course that's considered a no-no by the locals.
We had two big tomcats that would go on walks with me in the woods. I'd have the dog with me and he'd be right alongside but the cats would flank us and run ahead, exploring and even climbing trees. They'd always seem to lose interest in us and stop after a while and be back at the house already when we got home.We had a kitty actually LEAD us on trail our second day on the Le Puy route… she clearly did this everyday, she was hoot. She seemed to know when to turn around. This is not advice nor reassurance… just a moment that your post reminded me of, she was like a dog!
For sure in Spain as in other Latin countries they don’t have the pets (mainly cats) inside the house as we do in the States. They are strays, or live outside to appear to be strays, but they are well fed and cared for! Having cats myself they are super smart and opportunistic, they know where there are peregrinos there’s food! : )I came across this group in Rabanal del Camino. Didn't for a moment think they were strays - just cat buddies hanging out enjoying the sunshine!
Sounds fantastic to me! Reminds me of the dog I used to have who would sleep on top of me sometimes. Few things are better than sleeping with a warm furry animalWhen I finally woke up enough to use my brain, I realised I had 3 cats sleeping on me :-D The owner had a lot of cats in the garden, and they got in and loved sleeping on me. I am both not used to cats and also allergic. Not a good experience.
Yikes! I can’t imagine, not good with allergiesOh my, cats! One of my worst nights on the Camino was last year when I stayed at a small place in between towns. Just the 6 of us, the best shower of the Camino, really good food. But, and that is a huge BUT, I slept terribly, and it took me a long time to realise what was wrong... When I finally woke up enough to use my brain, I realised I had 3 cats sleeping on me :-D The owner had a lot of cats in the garden, and they got in and loved sleeping on me. I am both not used to cats and also allergic. Not a good experience.
Luckily I take antihistamines when hiking because I am allergic to a ton of the flying bugsYikes! I can’t imagine, not good with allergies
spanish people do have cats in the house it’s just they have loads of strays also.For sure in Spain as in other Latin countries they don’t have the pets (mainly cats) inside the house as we do in the States. They are strays, or live outside to appear to be strays, but they are well fed and cared for! Having cats myself they are super smart and opportunistic, they know where there are peregrinos there’s food! : )
Absolutely spot on response.Hmm, those scraps of kitty biccy you distribute aren’t likely to change their lives much. A meaningful donation to a local or national animal welfare charity might make a difference for the next generation. Cats in rural areas tend to be part of the ecosystem and the population will be self-sustaining and more welcome than tolerated. Stray cats in urban settings, overpopulation sustained by discarded food and the donations of the well intentioned, are more likely to be part of an ecological overburden with a significant impact on small mammal, bird and reptile survival.
If you see a cat in the background of a photograph you might make the perfectly reasonable assumption that it’s there because it lives there, not because it’s a stray
Actually loose roaming cats worldwide do more than take the odd songbird, lizard etc. They're actually quite destructive to populations of such, and while it is nature at work, it's an introduced species killing native species. I know people love them, but having many roaming about is not good and some places take steps to control their numbers.There's no getting away from cats in Spain and they are good independent hunters and generally do a good job of keeping rodents in check. Sure, they take the odd cute songbird or lizard, but it's nature at work, leave them to it. It's not necessary to feed them.
These guys have the run of the village..
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Can't say I would have cared for that either. I don't want to stay in any albergue that allows domestic animals inside. I like dogs and cats but they do carry fleas as well as shed and dander. Not to mention dirt and fecal matter on their feet.Oh my, cats! One of my worst nights on the Camino was last year when I stayed at a small place in between towns. Just the 6 of us, the best shower of the Camino, really good food. But, and that is a huge BUT, I slept terribly, and it took me a long time to realise what was wrong... When I finally woke up enough to use my brain, I realised I had 3 cats sleeping on me :-D The owner had a lot of cats in the garden, and they got in and loved sleeping on me. I am both not used to cats and also allergic. Not a good experience.
I would have hated this too - I'm very allergic to cats. Not only would I not want cats ON TOP OF ME during the night, I wouldn't want them wandering throughout the establishment, spreading dander everywhere.Oh my, cats! One of my worst nights on the Camino was last year when I stayed at a small place in between towns. Just the 6 of us, the best shower of the Camino, really good food. But, and that is a huge BUT, I slept terribly, and it took me a long time to realise what was wrong... When I finally woke up enough to use my brain, I realised I had 3 cats sleeping on me :-D The owner had a lot of cats in the garden, and they got in and loved sleeping on me. I am both not used to cats and also allergic. Not a good experience.
Right.. and us humans aren't thousands of times more destructive than any other species?Actually loose roaming cats worldwide do more than take the odd songbird, lizard etc. They're actually quite destructive to populations of such, and while it is nature at work, it's an introduced species killing native species. I know people love them, but having many roaming about is not good and some places take steps to control their numbers.
I honestly have no idea why you included that statement in your reply? It has nothing to do with the topic.Right.. and us humans aren't thousands of times more destructive than any other species?
It's nature at work, and it's nature being interfered with.
I'm not a cat fan in particular btw
I've noticed a lot of cats in the background in various YouTube videos about the CF.
Question - are these cats strays? Or pets? Or a mix of both? Do pets tend to wear collars in Spain?
Another question - what's the etiquette around giving them food? Frowned upon?
I don't want to potentially contribute to any existing animal welfare problems by feeding stray cats if the locals don't want them fed, but if it's not an issue I'll probably carry around some sort of treats to share.
I'm not really a cat person, but I do love animals, and if a sweet and hungry-looking cat approaches me I'm going to want to give it a snack, unless of course that's considered a no-no by the locals.
I've noticed a lot of cats in the background in various YouTube videos about the CF.
[...]
I'm not really a cat person, but I do love animals, and if a sweet and hungry-looking cat approaches me I'm going to want to give it a snack, unless of course that's considered a no-no by the locals.
Wow, what a kind offer! But no worries - if I can afford the plane ticket and the cost of walking the CF then I can afford to feed some hungry animals along the way.Forgot to say: If you plan to carry/buy some food for the Camino cats, let me know. I have limited funds but would be happy to make at least a small donation.
Here you go, @Flog, something more meaty:I'm sure it's totally balanced and objective
Domestic cats appear to be major predators in this typical English village.
Another Camino Cat Lady....... (my wife Pat)
She would buy small packs of Cat treats as we progressed.What did Pat have to feed the cats?
I tried to take a picture of various cats, either sitting in a doorway or a window, but they almost always turned and walked away before I snapped it. They often seemed rather aloof.
A lot of you won't like this, so I'm sorry, but cats are hunters. Extremely good ones. In my country (Australia) they have devastated wildlife, especially small mammals, reptiles and birds. The same has happened in New Zealand and some naturalists are claiming they do the same in Europe. Please don't feed them, unless you are prepared to do something to protect the songbirds they hunt.
What do you do?
I'm not really into killing strays...
But I suspect some sort of 'baiting' program might emerge out of necessity.
Not at all. The issue needs to be aired, and discussed. It's interesting that not so long ago, dogs, and the fear thereof, was a big topic on this forum. Now, dogs are rarely mentioned. I suspect that this is because, for reasons unconnected with the camino, Spain has taken measures to deal with what was quite a big problem. If they can deal with dogs, they can deal with cats. Not easy of course, but doable.This is off topic, I know. Sorry. I'll stop now.
So, @good_old_shoes, did your darling catigrino go home with you, or does he have a loving home with someone else? The photo of your little catigrino in Praza do Obradoiro when you both arrived is honestly, honestly THE BEST PHOTO I have ever seen on the Forum and it made my day. Seeing your post today has again made my day. What is his name?I just found this thread. I see that there has already been a debate and it's a bit older, but since I happened to rescue a kitten from the Camino last year, I just can't resist to answer...
Yes, there are many stray cats in Spain, which includes the Camino.
There are pet cats, too, and those somewhere inbetween like barn cats or "village cats". But even more or less "owned" cats often do not get the kind of care an animal lover from another country/culture might expect. For example it seems normal to let unfixed cats roam freely, even if they have an owner and are pets. Where I live that would not only be considered reckless, but it's illegal here, also. In Spain it seems to be the norm and is probably one reason why there are so many street cats.
I've seen countless starving cats on my walks and always do feed them. It won't change their life but it does change that one day for them at least.
Contrary to what many people believe, a stray population won't go away by not feeding them. It only makes the colony more sick and leads to more problems. Cats breed even when starving. They're still domesticated animals, not wildlife, even if they don't have an owner. Their "freedom" is often romanticized, but in reality they live miserable and short lives without human help, they often die very young because of preventable diseases, parasites, lack of food, ect.
They're not part of the natural ecosystem, they're abandoned pets or the descendends of them. They depend on people.
It's human fault that such homeless or not well cared for domestic animals exist. So in my opinion, it's our responsibility to help them.
Some locals will not like it if you feed the cats, so maybe do it discretely. If you can afford it, maybe make a donation to a spanish spay/neuter program or a shelter, too, because spaying/neutering is the only thing that helps in the long run.
If you want to carry some treats:
Dry kibble is not really good cat food but still much better than the garbage street cats usually eat, it's cheap, lightweight, and has a long shelf life even in the heat. It's also available in most supermarkets.
So if you carry a few handful of that in a ziploc bag and give it to the starving cats when you meet them, you'll make them happy at least for a moment.
Greetings from my Camino kitten, who would have died without quick intervention, became a catigrino, and now lives a good life mainly indoors with a constantly full belly and all the medical care he needs.
So, @good-old-shoes … did your darling catigrino go home with you, or does he have a loving home with someone else? The photo of your little catigrino in Praza do Obradoiro is honestly, honestly THE BEST PHOTO I have ever seen on the Forum and it made my day. Seeing your post today has again made my day. What is his name?
Good on you for saving this beautiful kitten -
Cheers from Oz -
Jenny
Exactly.For sure in Spain as in other Latin countries they don’t have the pets (mainly cats) inside the house as we do in the States. They are strays, or live outside to appear to be strays, but they are well fed and cared for! Having cats myself they are super smart and opportunistic, they know where there are peregrinos there’s food! : )
I am not too sure of that. The cat I grew up with would persist in bringing small dead mammals into the house. She wasn't starving. She wasn't even hungry. Cats are predators, and like many predators will hunt and kill even when they are not hungry.They won't hunt less when they're starving
Does anyone have any links to organisations n Spain that deal with stray cats?
De-sexing, whatever.
I'd be happy to donate.
For all the good advice not to feed or otherwise encourage cats, you seem determined to go ahead and interfere nonetheless.But that said, not feeding a hungry animal/person is almost never the right thing to do.
Despite your classification as such, I'm not convinced that your advice is necessarily "good" advice. I take it as one man's opinion. And if you've read through the thread you'll have noted that there were opposing viewpoints, which I might classify as "good". It's subjective.For all the good advice not to feed or otherwise encourage cats, you seem determined to go ahead and interfere nonetheless.
If you want to do something positive, contribute to one of the agencies dealing with strays. That seems to be a far better solution to me.
I am no ethicist, but it seems to me your attempt to give yourself an ethical justification for interfering wouldn't withstand any reasonably critical analysis.
When you can assure me that you have rescued a genuine stray and not stolen someone's family pet, I would contemplate that you have adequately considered the issues here. The only way that I could see you doing that is going to a rescue shelter where they have done the necessary checking to ensure that they are not offering an animal that is owned by someone else.If I end up bringing one of those strays home with me I'll name it dougfitz, and post a photo on this thread, and we can all have a good laugh
I'm not pretending anything, and - just speaking frankly - I honestly am not concerned whether or not you feel my "interference" is justifiable or not. I don't look to strangers for validation of what I know is right. Your superior attitude on this topic is entirely unjustified, and not shared by all, or perhaps even most.lets not pretend that there aren't some of us that think this interference, while it might be mostly harmless if you aren't going to steal someone's pet, isn't justifiable.
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