Last Updated on 15 April 2025 by Vanessa
With its coastal charm, emotional depth, and cast of unforgettable stray cats, Bruno Gamberoni’s novella Nicolai and the Cats of Skiathos surprised us in the best way. Here’s why you should read it.
Nicolai and the Cats of Skiathos
Bruno Gamberoni’s Nicolai and the Cats of Skiathos is a novella that blends gentle storytelling with deeper emotional themes. The story follows Nicolai, a black and white stray kitten who grows up near the port of Skiathos and forms close bonds with a group of fellow street cats—each with distinct personalities and Greek cat names.
Nicolai’s life takes a turn when an unexpected event leads him away from his feline friends and into a new life at a cat sanctuary on the hill of Kounistres, near the Agia Panagia Kounistra Monastery.
Simple but profound
What sets this novella apart is its combination of simplicity and quiet emotional depth. While the characters are cats, their experiences reflect human feelings—friendship, love, loss, fear of change, and the tug of memory.
Through Nicolai’s eyes, Gamberoni sheds light on the struggles many stray cats face on the Greek islands. He treats them not as background scenery, but as sentient beings with inner lives, emotions, and a right to be seen. The result is a gentle call for empathy and greater compassion for animals often overlooked.
At the same time, Nicolai’s journey is a metaphor for growth, the things that shape us, the fears that hold us back, and the way childhood hopes can linger quietly in the background as we navigate adulthood.
This isn’t a fast-paced book, but that’s part of its charm. Like life on a Greek island, the story invites you to slow down, take it in, and reflect.
Exploring Skiathos through a cat’s perspective
One of the book’s greatest strengths is Gamberoni’s vivid description of Skiathos. The book is an especially enjoyable read if you’ve ever visited the island. It brings Skiathos to life with vivid descriptions of well-known spots like the port, the monasteries, and other landmarks—always seen through the eyes of the local cats. At the same time, it weaves in just enough historical detail to keep things engaging and informative.
That said, you don’t need to have been there to enjoy it. If you’re a fan of Greece in general—or simply curious about island life and the stray cat communities that live there—this book will still speak to you.
(To get a sense of Gamberoni’s writing and how he brings the island to life, scroll down to the sample chapter below.)
Epilogue
However, one of the most touching parts of the book is the epilogue, where Gamberoni shares a heartfelt tribute to his soul cat, Pepo, the one to whom the book is dedicated. It’s hard not to get emotional while reading it.
The book closes with a collection of photos showing the real cats of Skiathos who inspired the story’s feline characters, each one named and credited.
The Cats of Skiathos is a beautiful, heartfelt read—written with deep affection for cats and the island they call home. Highly recommended for cat lovers, Greece enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a simple, moving story.
About Skiathos
“Fifty percent of the population of the island of Skiathos, which has an area of 50 square kilimetres, is cats! They are everywhere! If you don’t like them, you’d best find another island,” Gamberoni writes.
Where is Skiathos?
Skiathos is part of the Sporades archipelago in the northwest Aegean Sea.
Despite its size, it’s one of the most popular summer destinations in Greece—thanks in part to its appearance in the 2008 film Mamma Mia!, which was filmed here and on the nearby island of Skopelos.
Skiathos life
The island is well-developed for tourism; it offers a wide range of accommodations, restaurants, and activities.
With over 60 beaches, it’s also a beach lover’s paradise. Koukounaries Beach is the most famous thanks to its soft golden sand and lush pine forest backdrop. Lalaria Beach, with its white pebbles and sea caves, is only accessible by boat and offers a more remote experience. Banana Beach, on the other hand, is a favorite among younger visitors for its nightlife.
Agia Panagia Kounistra Monastery
One of the most peaceful spots on the island is the Agia Panagia Kounistra Monastery, which features prominently in The Cats of Skiathos. It sits quietly in a forested area about 13 km from Skiathos Town.
“They say that way back in 1650, while work was being done there, an orthodox monk found an icon of the Virgin Mary hanging from a tree. Guessing that the site was sacred, they built this monastery and called it Kounistra, meaning ‘swinging’ in Greek,” Gamberino writes. “The icon became the protector of the island and is currently kept in Skiathos cathedral. Here in the monastery, the concept of time is on hold. Those who enter remain silent, in contemplation and prayer.”
“But this isn’t the only monastery on the island. Slightly further north, the Evangelista is more well-known and bigger. And, naturally, there are cats among the chapels, museums, and frescoes!”
Still, Gamberoni adds a note of caution: “You’d best stay away from it. You know, we cats aren’t very welcome there… so if we don’t want trouble…”
Excerpt from Chapter 2 of Nicolai and the Cats of Skiathos by Bruno Gamberoni
For us cats, the port is divided into two very distinct parts: the the right the new part, to the left the old. I said for us cats because in actual fact it is the exact opposite.
For those coming to the port via the main street, the historic center is on the right, and on the left, after a few restaurants and houses, there’s the road that takes you to another of the island’s attractions, the airport.
But we’ll talk about that later.
In the meantime, try to see things from my point of view, that is, completely the reverse.
In the part that we called “new,” the oligarchs’ magnificent yachts equipped with incredible lights, huge engines and fabulous furnishings lay alongside the boats that took the tourists on fantastic cruises around the islands and serve meals straight out of A Thousand and One Nights.
For us cats from the “old” part, the enchanting little historic centre of the capital was seen as a dream. Divided in two by the town’s main street, named after the old writer Papadiamantis, its shops, restaurants, music and lively atmosphere attracted loads of tourists both day and night.
In front of it stretched the peninsula with the remains of walls and cannons from the thirteenth century. This was home to a great many cats, who, because of the history attached to the place, thought they were a cut above everyone else and tended to look down on us.
In short, guys, the cats that hung out or lived in the ‘new’ zone of the port of Skiathos were snobs!
“The stuff of rich people!” was what they said where I come from.
Where I was born, to the left of the port, the colours, names and shapes of the boats were beyond the imagination. There was the old ship building yard with the famous gigantic ship Skiathos just as an example. It leaned over on one side and had probably been there even before the arrival of the sea. The only use it served was as a stopover for the numerous migrating birds.
A large bunch of them would certainly have caused it to sink if it handn’t been for the fact the water at that particular point was less than two metres deep.
People say the ship was there because of a navigational error of the captain, who, drunk as a lord, neglected to notice that the sea had run out and ran it aground. He tried to reverse it but, failing completely, decided to abandon it and made off on foot.
It was a consoling sight for us cats because we thought that, after all a human could create worse disasters than ours.
Final thoughts on Nicolai and the Cats of Skiathos by Bruno Gamberoni
Nicolai and the Cats of Skiathos by Bruno Gamberoni was originally published in Italian as Nicolai e i gatti di Skiathos in 2021. The English edition followed on March 22, 2024.
If you’ve read the sample chapter—or the book—I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. What stood out to you? Did it make you see cats (or the island) in a new way?
As Gamberoni writes in a beautiful closing note:
“And if one day you visit that island filled with cats, stop and watch them. Pet them gently. Treat them with love, as if they were part of one big family. Because they’ve lived extraordinary, unimaginable lives. And each summer, if you listen with your heart, they might just tell you incredible stories about the port of Skiathos.”
Love cats and Greece? Then you’ll definitely want to check out these books too:
- Cats of Greece and Scenic Places by Marisa Meisters: A beautiful collection of photographs featuring cats in some of the most picturesque spots around Greece.
- Cats in the Sun by Hans Silvester: A stunning photo book capturing the charm of cats basking in the Greek sun, especially in places like Santorini.
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4 responses
I’d love to get this book. It sounds so interesting and we have a Tuxedo cat. I might do shopping for this and your book
Beautiful book and beautiful cats. So precious.
Thank you for joining the Happy Tuesday Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Happy Tuesday. ♥
It’s been a while since I’ve seen you around in cyberspace – nice to run into you once again. Have a delightful week.
Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2025/04/a-few-more-before-i-forget.html
I can’t find the words to thank you for this post of yours, really, you gave me immense joy, thank you very much