A startling statistic: a single unspayed female cat and her offspring can produce MORE THAN 400,000 cats in their lifetime. 

Saranda is home to hundreds upon hundreds of stray and feral cats — and there are far too many too-thin, rough-looking cats living in the shadows. All too often, the city’s leaders look the other way while these cats are sometimes poisoned, stomped, strangled, or run over and left for dead on the street. Imagine the horror of a tourist finding a litter of live newborn kittens tossed in the trash. (Yes, this happens.)

On the bright side: a few committed advocates/volunteers give voice to these cats — animals who can’t speak for themselves but depend on humans for food and care. It’s a gigantic and heroic undertaking for a handful of people.

Once in a while, a visitor joins forces with Saranda’s local heroes. When Tiffany, in town from San Diego, California, found a mother cat and her young kittens near her holiday rental, she connected with one of these volunteers and also got advice from a local veterinarian. Tiffany is feeding the nursing mom and slowly building trust. Her goal: to get this cat to the vet to be spayed — taking one small step to curb Saranda’s exploding cat population. 

Instead of feeling powerless when seeing a cat and her kittens in dire need, one visitor is taking action and making a difference. 

Instead of ignoring the blatant problem of hundreds of unspayed/unneutered cats and dogs roaming Saranda’s streets or living in the shadows, the city’s leaders can address it. A massive spay/neuter campaign is a vital step forward. Other municipalities in Albania are already doing this. Saranda, too, can lead the way.