Last Updated on 19 June 2026 by Vanessa
Have you ever wondered which Greek island has the most cats?
Greece has approximately 6,000 islands scattered across the Aegean and Ionian Seas. However, only 227 of these islands are inhabited. Most are small and deserted, with just a few as the main tourist and residential hubs.
While all of these islands are famous for their abundant populations of stray cats, local communities and organizations offer varying degrees of care, which directly influences the size and health of these populations. While some locations have become iconic for their stray cats, others remain lesser-known but equally important havens for our favorite furry friends.
Here’s a list of Greek islands known for their stray cat populations, ordered from the highest amounts of stray cats to lower amounts, along with details about their locations and what makes their cat populations unique.
Which Greek island has the most cats: a guide to feline hotspots
1. Lesbos
Location: Northeastern Aegean Sea, near the Turkish coast.
About Lesbos:
Most visitors skip Lesbos because it’s too far removed from the usual island-hopping routes, but I couldn’t be more in love with a destination than this one.
You’ll spend less time hunting for the “must-see” photo and more time hiking, visiting ouzo distilleries, dining near the beach, and enjoying thermal baths.
Worth considering if you’re curious about everyday Greek life.
Cat Population & Care:
Lesbos is home to many stray cats, particularly in more touristy towns like Molyvos, Mytilene, Petra, Skala Sykaminia, Eftalou, and Anaxos.
The island’s agriculture provides ample food sources for these cats, and there are several organized rescue efforts, especially from the expat community.
Unfortunately, cats are still very much seen as vermin by the locals, which means that animal welfare organizations are often the only ones to provide veterinary care and spay/neuter programs to reduce the cat population.
👉👉 Discover more than 35+ things to do on Lesbos Island as well as everything else you need to make this trip a reality.
2. Mykonos
Location: In the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea, southeast of Athens.
About Mykonos:
Mykonos is not the island to choose if you’re looking for peace and quiet. It runs on beach clubs, designer shops, expensive cocktails, and a crowd that likes being out. If that sounds exhausting, look elsewhere. If it sounds fun, you’ll fit right in.
Cat Population & Care:
Mykonos is known for having one of the highest stray cat populations on the Greek islands. They even outnumber humans with a staggering 50,000. You can see the cats wandering freely through the picturesque streets of white-washed houses in Mykonos Town, Ornos, Ano Mera, and many other areas.
The local community and tourists care for them by providing food. There are also efforts by animal welfare organizations to spay/neuter and vaccinate strays. Mykonos’ large tourist population often interacts with and feeds the strays, contributing to their visible presence.
3. Santorini
Location: Another Cycladic island, located further south of Mykonos, famous for its sunsets and caldera views.
About Santorini:
Santorini sits on the edge of a volcanic caldera, creating views and sunsets you won’t find elsewhere in Greece… if you manage to see through the crowds.
Cat Population & Care:
Santorini’s stray cats are often seen lounging near cliffside cafes and tourist hotspots such as Fira and Oia.
The island’s stray cat population is sizable due to mild weather, the abundance of food scraps from restaurants, and relatively few natural predators.
Animal welfare groups work to control the feline population through sterilization programs, and tourists often take part in feeding them.
Cats on Santorini are very used to human interaction and are usually friendly.
4. Naxos
Location: In the Cyclades, near Mykonos and Santorini.
About Naxos:
Want beautiful beaches without giving up local character? Naxos balances both. You get mountain villages, ancient sites, family-run tavernas, and long stretches of sand.
Cat Population & Care:
Naxos has a growing population of stray cats, especially in the towns and touristy areas. There are some local efforts to help manage the cat population through spaying/neutering, but the number of stray cats continues to rise. Tourists often feed the cats, and the local community also takes part in helping care for them.
👉👉 Read on to explore Naxos’ lively cat population.
5. Crete
Location: The largest Greek island. It is located at the southern end of the Aegean Sea.
About Crete:
Crete is great if you prefer variety and don’t want to spend your entire holiday in one setting. One trip can include archaeological sites, mountain hikes, city breaks, and beach days.
Cat Population & Care:
Since Crete is so vast, it has an enormous population of stray cats, especially in larger cities like Chania, Rethymnon, and Heraklion.
Many locals feed these cats. Numerous rescue groups (such as Gouves Animal Shelter) attempt to trap, neuter, and release (TNR) cats to control the numbers – many more than on the other Greek islands.
Despite the efforts, stray cats are a common sight across the island, lounging in the sun and mingling with people. However, their numbers are not as overwhelming as on Lesbos, Mykonos, and Naxos. They are visibly happier, too, especially in smaller towns such as Sissi and Kritsa.
On the other hand, cats that live in difficult-to-reach locales (such as the Arkadi Monastery) are not always well taken care of.
6. Rhodes
Location: Rhodes is the largest island in the Dodecanese group. It is located in the southeastern Aegean Sea
About Rhodes:
History is impossible to ignore in Rhodes. The medieval Old Town is one of the best-preserved in Europe, but you’ll also find beaches, resorts, and lively seaside towns.
Cat Population & Care:
Rhodes has a sizable stray cat population, with cats particularly present in the Old Town of Rhodes and near beaches and tourist spots such as Faliraki.
Animal charities, such as Rhodes Animal Welfare, help control the stray population through TNR efforts. The local community, especially within the tourist industry, tends to feed and care for the strays, though organized shelters are not as prominent as on other islands.
7. Corfu
Location: Located in the Ionian Sea, off the northwest coast of Greece.
About Corfu:
Corfu feels like a mix between Italy and Greece and packs centuries of Venetian, French, and British influence. Beyond the beaches, you’ll find grand mansions, old fortresses, and olive-covered hills.
Cat Population & Care:
Corfu is known for its stray cats, and many tourists are surprised by how friendly and approachable the cats are. The cat population here is quite large, with many colonies being fed by locals and expatriates.
Not every town has many cats, though. In Barbati, for example, they are mostly located around a handful of restaurants that even allow the cats inside as their pets – they are the luckiest on the entire island.
However, the stray cat population is more abundant in Corfu Town, Agios Giorgios, Chlomos, Benitses, and Kassiopi.
Corfu’s tourist-driven economy helps feed the cats, and many volunteer organizations across the island that help the cats whenever they can.
Unfortunately, spaying and neutering are still not common here, and the island is in dire need of organizations and funding to do just that. The number of kittens on Corfu is staggering. The limited number of older cats are often worse for wear, and it is not uncommon to see cats missing patches of fur, an ear, or even a tail.
👉👉 Keep reading to learn more about the stray cats on Corfu.
8. Paros
Location: Situated in the central Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea.
About Paros:
Think of Paros as Mykonos with the volume turned down. The island has the same maze-like villages, stylish cafés, and beach culture, but is less crowded and hectic.
Cat Population & Care:
Paros is home to a significant population of stray cats. These felines are often seen lounging in the sun-drenched streets of Naoussa and Parikia, where they blend seamlessly into the island’s charming landscape.
Residents actively care for these cats, providing food and shelter. This has fostered a friendly atmosphere where the cats are accustomed to human interaction.
Various animal welfare organizations, such as Paroscat, also conduct spaying and neutering programs to help control the population humanely.
9. Hydra
Location: Part of the Saronic Islands, located just off the coast of the Peloponnese.
About Hydra:
Cars and other vehicles are banned on Hydra. That changes the pace immediately bcause most people get around on foot or by mule.
Hydra Town wraps tightly around its harbor, and you can reach the rest of the island via paths that climb into dry hills and rocky coastline.
Cat Population & Care:
Hydra is home to a relatively small number of stray cats compared to the previously mentioned islands, but they are well-loved by both locals and visitors.
Cats are a common sight near Hydra port and are often fed by tourists and locals. Some small-scale rescue operations help care for them, and many of the cats on Hydra live comfortably due to the tourist traffic and the island’s animal-friendly culture.
10. Iraklia
Location: A small island in the Cyclades group, south of Naxos.
About Iraklia:
Iraklia is one of the least developed Cycladic islands. There are a few small settlements, a handful of roads, and beaches that often stay empty, even in summer.
Cat Population & Care:
Iraklia, despite its small size and low population, has a noticeable population of stray cats. Being less frequented by tourists than larger islands, stray cat care is more reliant on the local population.
There are a few small-scale efforts to feed and spay/neuter cats, but resources are limited. However, what they lack in funds is largely compensated by their involvement and passion in helping these cats, resulting in some of the happiest cats in Greece.
👉👉 Keep reading to find out how Iraklia manages its stray cat population.
11. Delos
Location: A tiny island near Mykonos, in the Cyclades, known for its archaeological significance.
About Delos:
This tiny island is one of Greece’s most important archaeological sites and was considered sacred in ancient times. There are no hotels here, so you can only visit as a day trip from Mykonos, Naxos, or Paros.
Cat Population & Care:
Delos has a smaller, but still notable, stray cat population. The cats on Delos are often seen near the port and around the ancient ruins, and despite the island’s uninhabited status (except for archaeologists and tourists), they manage to survive off scraps and offerings left by visitors.
There are minimal organized care efforts, but their numbers are kept somewhat in check due to the island’s lack of permanent residents and limited food sources.
👉👉 Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Delos and its cat community.
12. Syros
Location: Another Cycladic island, just west of Mykonos.
About Syros:
As the administrative capital of the Cyclades, Syros has a different rhythm from its neighbors. You’ll find a working Greek town, impressive neoclassical architecture, and a food scene shaped by local traditions rather than tourism trends.
Cat Population & Care:
Syros has a moderate stray cat population, concentrated in its capital, Ermoupoli.
Animal welfare organizations like Syros Cats actively manage the population through adoption programs and TNR initiatives. Syros is one of the islands where organized rescue efforts are highly available, and many strays find homes abroad.
13. Tinos
Location:
In the Cyclades, between Andros, Mykonos, and Syros, in the Aegean Sea.
About Tinos:
Tinos has marble villages, dovecotes, beaches, religious traditions, good food, and a slower Cycladic atmosphere than many better-known islands. That is why it fits well among the quiet Greek islands for travelers who want Greece with local life, village wandering, and cats appearing naturally along the way.
Cat population & care:
Around 3,000 cats are estimated to live on the island, for fewer than 9,000 residents. That is still a lot of cats, although Tinos does not feel as crowded with them as places like Mykonos, Santorini, or parts of Lesbos.
The cats are easiest to spot in the places where island life is most active. In Tinos Town, they often appear around the harbor streets, tavernas, church steps, back lanes, and quiet corners where people leave food and water. They are not always gathered in huge groups, but they keep appearing as you walk: one under a café chair, another on a doorstep, a few waiting near a taverna after lunch.
The villages are also good for cat spotting. Pyrgos is one of the best places, with cats resting in shaded corners, near marble doorways, and around the village square. Kardiani can also be lovely for this, especially because the village is quiet and built into the hillside, so cats seem to blend into the steps, walls, and balconies. Around Volax, the cats are less obvious unless you are close to houses or cafés.
In the more exposed parts of the island, on windy beaches, empty roads, and hiking paths, there are usually far fewer cats.
The stray-cat situation on Tinos is mixed. Many cats are fed by locals, volunteers, and sympathetic visitors, but many are still unneutered. Animal welfare work on the island has included mapping colonies, sterilization, vaccination, microchipping, and parasite treatment. This is important because the population can grow quickly, especially in a small island community with limited resources.
Conclusion: Which Greek island has the most cats?
In general, except for Lesbos, the most visited islands (such as Mykonos and Santorini) tend to have higher populations of stray cats due to the abundance of food and care provided by tourists.
Meanwhile, smaller islands like Delos or Hydra have fewer strays but still support small colonies due to local efforts.
Which islands will you be adding to your Greece itinerary? And if you’ve already been on a Greek island hopping tour, where did you meet the most cats? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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Pin these Greek island cats!
2 responses
Glad to read about the animal welfare organizations who help the large cat populations on the islands. It is so fun to see so many cats wherever you travel on the Greek islands.
Paros really stood out to me as home to tons of cats, but I didn’t see that many on the east coast of Crete. I am delighted to discover there is an entire website dedicated to cats and travel!