It’s all about the cats!

The end of the year seems a good time to introduce you to some of the cats we’ve helped over the last 12 months, to remind us what it’s all about. It’s thanks to you, our supporters, that we are able to give the likes of Taz, Bertie, Peanut, Zachos, Splash, Messi, Puma, Nike and Fila the love, treatment and care they deserve. Here are their stories.

Taz

Taz showed up near our Fisherman’s Colony in a poor state, very thin and malnourished with bad teeth and so, so many ticks. We don’t know where he came from or his back-story but once our volunteers saw how sickly he was, they brought him to Syros Cats for some much-needed treatment. But first he had to gain some weight, as he wasn’t strong enough to have surgery. Eventually, he had extensive dental work done, including numerous extractions, and was given parasite treatment and antibiotics. And of course, he was sterilised. Over time Taz has transformed into a majestic beast! He has unusual looks (he won’t win any beauty awards) and a spiky personality but can also be extremely affectionate and a lovable rogue. He very much lives up to his name, Taz being short for Tasmanian Devil! And the good news for Taz is that one of our volunteers has fallen in love with him and with luck, he will soon be off to a new life where he can cause havoc and mischief to his heart’s content.

Bertie

Bertie was rescued as a tiny blind kitten and taken to safety. Just in time, we reckon, as his chances of survival on the streets as a blind stray were extremely low. His eyes were horribly ulcerated, with no hope of recovering any sight, so the difficult decision was made to surgically remove them. Despite this, Bertie remained a lovable, lively and friendly boy who adapted well to his disability. We were thrilled when we got an offer of adoption for him and he recently travelled to his forever home in Sweden, where he’ll be living with three other former Syros Cats, Juno, Elpiza and Virgule. We are happy to report that Bertie, now Barnaby, has settled in tremendously quickly and in just a few short hours was eating well and exploring his new surroundings like he’d been there months. We know he’s going to have a wonderful life with his new human and feline family.

Peanut

Peanut came into our care in late 2024. She’s a very outgoing, lovable cat with an adventurous spirit. She loves the garden, chasing insects and getting involved in everyone’s activities, whether you really want her to or not. Like Bertie, Peanut has recently arrived at her fabulous furever home in Sweden, at stables with horses and other cats for company – plus humans, of course to see to her every need. She has already been exploring the cosy indoor spaces and making friends with the horses. It’s the perfect setting for this fun-loving girl and we wish her much happiness.

Zachos

Zachos is a stray who is cared for by one of our Cat Guardians. He came to us because he had a wound on his neck that needed treatment. He was also very skinny and needed some down time to eat, rest and put on weight. After a brief stay, his wound had healed and Zachos was soon returned to his carer and released into his familiar surroundings. We thank all our Cat Guardians for their invaluable help in alerting us to cats who need that little bit of extra care now and then.

Splash

Our long-haired calico Splash came into our care as a young kitten in 2024. She had been attacked by a dog and suffered an injury to her eye which has left a permanent mark. The attack also left her with a hernia for which she had successful surgery. After a long wait, this delightful young lady has at last travelled to her new home in Sweden which she will share with two former Syros Cats, Abbe and Ronje. She has settled well and already looks so chilled and at home.

Messi

Street cat Messi is an absolute legend and popular with all of our volunteers. His favourite haunts are the beaches and tavernas of Kini and we keep a regular eye on him to make sure he’s fit and well, especially now that he is a senior gentleman. Recently we noticed that he was drooling a lot, which is often a sign of dental issues. At the earliest opportunity, we took Messi to the vet where he had a number of teeth extracted and after spending some time in a recovery crate with us (he was very vocal in his disapproval of this indignity), he was released back to his beloved Kini.

Puma, Nike & Fila

Puma, Nike and Fila were rescued from neglect in September 2025 and are learning to put their traumas behind them. All three were in poor condition on arrival and needed regular anti-fungal treatment. All-black Puma remains a little shy but is making slow and steady progress. His tortie sister Nike is the braver of the two around humans. Their friend Fila is underweight for her age and will probably always be a small cat. Despite this, she’s a bold little powerpack, always keen to play-fight with her two pals and defend her food! We’re confident that this little trio will continue to improve and will be well enough to be adopted in 2026.