Blooming Landscapes – more than three decades ago a political promise in Germany, but on Andros, our cat island, it’s a reality you can experience with all your senses. Let us take you on a journey – filled with our animal welfare work, little natural wonders, and an impressive island world!
This time, four travelers made their way to Greece. As in many years before, Marie’s parents, Sabine and Hermann, returned to familiar places and visited our local friends. At the same time, two newcomers to Andros also took a closer look at the island: the couple Alfred and Ingrid, both members of our association, with Alfred also serving in the important role of treasurer. This way, he could personally see where and how we use the donations he guards and manages!
„Almost at the same time“ because it’s easier for „newcomers“ to get to know everything with experienced Andros travelers by their side: our cats, their spots, our local friends, the tasks involved – and the island itself.
Initially, the passionate and active hikers Ingrid and Alfred mainly wanted to spend their vacation on the now much-acclaimed hiking island of Andros and help out a little with the cat care on the side. Initially…
But it’s best to let the travelers speak for themselves, since Alfred took the time to send daily summaries of their experiences, and Sabine also contributed a few anecdotes. All of it is complemented by many, many photos from both traveling couples.
Day 1
First to depart were Marie’s parents, heading south on Easter Monday.
In order not to waste too much time on the journey, they planned to take one of the evening ferries right after the flight. No risk, no fun! As is often the case when schedules are tight, the plane landed in Athens with a significant delay. They also had to pick up the rental car before heading to the ferry port:
„Due to the delay, we gradually saw our chances of catching the 5:30 p.m. ferry slipping away. But it was still in port, also delayed, and the last cars were still boarding. Ours was the very last one! We were able to buy the tickets at reception. I also told the friendly officer the reason for our Andros visit. He seemed impressed.“
So the plan still worked out, and Marie’s parents were able to spend the evening as planned in the holiday home that has served as our base on so many trips.
Day 2
The next morning saw the newly arrived Andros travelers up early. Sabine and Hermann first took care of the feeding stations. As always, the cats need time to get used to the new can-openers, so at first, there was only a small crowd.
This unneutered, nameless cat will soon take on an important role:
We also encountered some old acquaintances such as Miss Meier, Fitz, Merle, and Kalinero.
A walk through town is also a traditional part of starting the trip.
The newcomers to the island were able to take a more relaxed approach to their journey. They flew to Athens that day and stayed overnight near the ferry port of Rafina before continuing on to the island.
But even they weren’t spared from unexpected hiccups. As is customary, Alfred gave the rental car company his flight number so they could prepare for their arrival. But that information was blissfully ignored, and since several hours passed between the rental booking and the actual arrival, the car was given away to someone else. After some back and forth, however, a different vehicle was eventually found.
Day 3
That day on Andros also began with the morning feeding rounds and the first mission: Tiffy wasn’t looking good and seemed unwell. She therefore became the “welcome gift” for the reunion with the veterinarian and received a proper check-up and medical care.
Alfred and Ingrid enjoyed a beautiful sunrise before setting off to catch the ferry and head toward Andros:
„The hotel stay turned out to be a very positive experience. Good dinner, delicious beer for our parched throats, fantastic view from the room. A tasty, extensive breakfast buffet, and a beautiful, atmospheric sunrise over Rafina.“
“We then took a short stroll to the harbor to get our bearings and visited the modest but clean town center/pedestrian area. After that, the usual and now traditional big Lidl shopping trip was on the agenda. Tough luck for the next customers—because the Coshida shelf was completely emptied. The looks… surprised, confused, annoyed. A bit of everything.”
Yes, even the new travelers are continuing our tradition of raiding the Lidl in Rafina!
“Then some waiting time, and we headed to the dock early. Reversing into a narrow lane with an unfamiliar car onto the ferry—now that’s an experience. Departure right on time at 3:30 p.m., and equally punctual arrival two hours later.”
“A dream: the drive along the coast in the evening light. Just a beautiful first impression.”
Who could blame them for making frequent stops on their drive from Gavrio, the port town on Andros, to their accommodation in the southeast of the island, not wanting to limit their first glimpses of this wild and romantic island to fleeting views from the car window?
They confidently handled the next challenge as well. They had been warned that there are no real addresses on Andros—apparently because everyone knows everyone else. They also knew that GPS coordinates were the most reliable way to get around the island (and received all the relevant data, including that of their accommodation, in advance from Jörg). Still, Alfred reported:
“While approaching the small town where our accommodation is located, our car GPS completely failed us. We ended up on an unpaved gravel road full of deep potholes. Okay, so we turned around somehow and looked for another route. Speaking of searching—the game continued when we were trying to find our cottage. Not so easy with a dead phone battery. In the end, we were just relieved to arrive safe and sound, though slightly delayed. The cottage is stylish and lovingly decorated.”
“Late, around 9:00 p.m., we went out for dinner. We saw about five cats—two at the restaurant and three outside—and later gave them some treats. Some were tame and neutered, others young, shy, and still unneutered. For now, a good night!”
This black, neutered tomcat looked strangely familiar to Lavinia and Jörg—who were following the trip with special excitement—both in appearance and behavior. And they discovered something amazing! But more on that in the next chapter…
Day 4
Today, Alfred and Ingrid had planned to meet the island veterinarian in Chora as well as our friend A.(2), who lives in Athens but travels to Andros several times a year.
They had also decided to take over feeding the cats at the feeding stations, morning and evening, so the later daily summary began like this:
“Today wasn’t like any other day. Of course, we had to get our bearings in town first. Sabine and Hermann had already set off towards Chora earlier, so we armed ourselves with Coshida and treats and headed off without the experienced guides. Feeding Station 1 was already fairly well attended—about 5 cats. Young ones and a black beauty with stunning amber eyes. Clearly the boss and very shy.”
Fitz and Merle appeared in front of the camera…
…an unneutered newcomer, who will also play a role later…
…shown here again with Merle, as well as…
…the beautiful black cat with the amber eyes.
“Afterwards, we visited Feeding Station 3. Three cats were present, including two young ones from Autumn and Miss Meier. Tomorrow, we’ll try to get two cats from Station 1 and/or 3 into the trap box.”
Miss Meier, together with the previously mentioned young, unneutered cat.
In town, Alfred and Ingrid again encountered the friendly black restaurant cat from the previous evening, whose photo in daylight only intensified Lavinia and Jörg’s growing suspicion…
…before the travelers set off for their planned meeting:
“Then we went on a very scenic mountain drive to Chora. Several photo stops extended the drive quite a bit.”
“At last, after a few attempts, we managed to meet up with Sabine and Hermann. A lovely reunion, several thousand kilometers from home. Thanks to a tip from Jörg, we found the vet two minutes from where we were parked.”
(Editor’s note: The vet’s office is a bit hidden in a small side street in the maze-like island capital. From where Alfred and Ingrid had parked, it was just a short walk past two or three houses—or a much longer drive through town. The travelers wisely chose the short route…)
Found – here’s where the island vet works!
“A quick hello and warm welcome with a friendly chat. A fun coincidence: the ‘patient’ before us was a young woman from Cologne who had been living on Andros for two months. She cares for quite a few cats in Chora and had just brought in a tomcat for neutering. In the afternoon, we also met A.(2). Sabine had organized a lovely get-together.”
To finish the day, they returned to Feeding Stations 1 and 3 for another round of care. The large black tomcat seemed slightly less afraid. “We’ll go back to the feeding stations tomorrow morning, and maybe we’ll get lucky as beginners.”
Dante and an neutered cat (you can tell by the missing ear tip) we didn’t recognize—a new mystery for this trip.
Once more, the two cats with Merle.
A lovely group photo, showing from front to back: Fitz, Dante, Merle, Günni, the unknown one, Lars-Ole, and Kalinero.
At Feeding Station 3, they captured great portraits of Miss Meier, Vina, and the little newcomer.
Day 5
Once again, Alfred and Ingrid didn’t manage to take a full vacation day, because…
“This morning, we planned to catch two cats from Feeding Stations 1 and 3 and take them to the vet for neutering. At first, it seemed we’d fail. The cats were still pretty full from last night’s generous dinner, and none of the candidates seemed even remotely interested in getting close to us—let alone stepping into that weird giant walk-in thing.
After a while, a new tabby tomcat appeared and made the mistake of letting me get within arm’s reach. He didn’t realize that even a retiree can still move fast. Anyway, I grabbed the squirmy little furball and got him into the box.”
That was the tabby tomcat mentioned yesterday at Feeding Station 1.
“We then managed the same at Feeding Station 3 with a young red-and-white cat who got too careless while eating breakfast.”
This was the cat mentioned in the previous days, who—along with the tabby—had the honor of being the first two Andros cats caught by Alfred and Ingrid.
„The subsequent transport to the vet went smoothly, and we were happy to run into Marie’s parents again there.“
Two quick photos of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary along the road to Chora were possible thanks to peaceful fellow passengers:
Sabine and Hermann had brought Scotty along, who needed treatment for some wounds.
Here, the trio waits for their turn:
But the travelers also had to be patient while the vet carried out her work:
„We got through the waiting time during a heavy rain shower with a strong cappuccino.“
Some flyers were also distributed before Alfred and Ingrid headed back with their „catch“:
„After picking up the neutered and still sleeping cats, we spontaneously took a detour to the Panachrantos Monastery on our way back. It’s located at 800 meters above sea level in a breathtaking mountain setting with views of Chora.“
The day was once again rounded off with a visit to the feeding stations.
Marie’s parents returned Scotty to his group, which today included Tiffy, Data, Liane, and Mocca:
Alfred and Ingrid took care of Feeding Stations 1 and 3. However, the cats weren’t in the mood for photos today. Only a handful of our protégés showed up in the evening.
At dinner, one unfamiliar tomcat showed up—neutered as part of the municipality’s sporadic neutering campaigns.
And the friendly black tomcat also made another appearance.
After extensive research in our „cat lexicon“ and earlier travel reports, Lavinia and Jörg are now sure that this is Kefali—the only friendly black tomcat in this town with a reddish hue in his fur. Lavinia had trapped him for neutering in February 2020, and he was extremely cuddly and friendly during her entire stay back then.
Since then, we haven’t seen him again—he seems to have found a home near the restaurants.
So this day draws to a close. Will Alfred and Ingrid finally have a vacation day tomorrow?
Day 6
Nope—today still doesn’t bring a relaxing hiking day for Alfred and Ingrid!
Although… today does include another highlight: a visit to our friends H. & I. on the other side of the island—a trip that usually includes a photo safari and a long walk. So at least there’ll be some hiking today!
But first, there was another new encounter, as the daily report reveals:
„Today was another long day for our cats. Sabine had arranged for us to meet S. in the morning. Over a real ‚Greek coffee with two sugars‘, we met the friendly retired captain, who helps us care for our cats.“
He not only supports the cats, but also the travelers—because the loquats are ripe, and they are allowed to harvest some:
„After the meeting, we took a short walk during siesta time. Just like the locals, the cats were sleepy and enjoying shady spots. Only our Fitz was wide awake and eager for endless affection.“
And Miss Meier was faithfully holding her post at the feeding station.
A little surprise awaited in the town center, where Kirian was taking his afternoon nap. As it turns out, he has a family there. That explains why we’ve been seeing him so rarely at the feeding station lately.
The travelers also came across another neutered cat we didn’t recognize—yet another small sign that the locals are now doing more for animal welfare than they used to!
As for this tomcat, we suspect it might be Nikolas, whom we haven’t seen at his feeding station since August 2022.
There’s definitely a resemblance to this photo from summer 2022, but unfortunately, we’re not as sure as we were with Kefali, despite extensive research:
„In the late afternoon, we drove with A.(2) and Sabine to visit H. & I. The two are incredibly warm-hearted and live for the cats. A very friendly and harmonious atmosphere has developed here. We had the chance to accompany them on a round of the feeding stations and meet some of the cats. Almost all of them were in good condition. The few sick ones are receiving medical care.“
By the way, H. & I. will be displaying the flyers and business cards we brought along for a bit of awareness in their shop
During our visit to the feeding stations, H. & I. received a phone call about a sick cat sighting. The plan was immediately changed and the location was visited. It turned out to be a false alarm, as it was a familiar special-needs cat. But it shows just how quickly and dedicatedly the two react when something important arises.
Here is the photographic yield of the tour with H. & I.:
Bastet was last seen after her neutering at the end of October 2024.
Pita, who hadn’t been sighted since September 2023.
Also seen: Tsoupra, Kira, Jack, Noulis, Oikawa, and Bella.
From front to back, Lenja, Kira once again, and Kendro are lined up.
On the right, Brianna is sitting next to a tomcat not assigned to us.
Clockwise from the top right: Kira again, then Sergie, Emmi, and another kitten not (yet) part of our group.
The black-and-white Ouzo, the black Delia, and Zouzou – who did not receive her name from us – are resting peacefully by the house
Here again are Delia and, to her right, the recently spayed Selena, flanked by two tomcats that do not belong to “our” cats.
The travelers also encountered Artemis, Ghost, and Melios.
… Here, Melios is frolicking with Ruby, who was spayed only in March.
To wrap things up, one of our popular hidden-object pictures! Alongside the already-named Kira, Noulis, Oikawa, and Sergie, who can spot Audrey, Ginger, Minou, Yayoi, and Xenia – who hasn’t been photographed since October 2023? As always, the solution can be found in the second photo.
Under a magical evening sky, Alfred and Ingrid returned – impressed by the important animal welfare work our two friends are doing on the northwestern side of the island – and were warmly welcomed:
„Late at night, after we returned to our vacation apartment, our very kind host greeted us with ouzo and eggs from her free-range chickens. She is very open-minded and values our work. Everyone here knows everyone else, and she also knows our friend S. Apparently, the appreciation for animal welfare has significantly increased among some of the locals.“
Day 7
What had been hinted at the day before became certain yesterday – something always to be expected this time of year: storms swept over the Cyclades!
Sabine and Hermann had originally planned to take the ferry to the mainland the next morning and fly home in the evening. But both the experienced travelers and the locals know what can happen: from one hour to the next, ferries can be kept in port if the weather becomes too dangerous!
So they decided to return today instead, to avoid missing their flight. Rebooking to another ferry is no problem, and shortening their stay by one night was easily arranged with their longtime landlord.
While they were making spontaneous adjustments, things went according to plan for the others. It was Sunday, the vet’s day off – meaning Ingrid and Alfred could enjoy a full vacation day!
Alfred’s daily report read accordingly:
„10:22 p.m. Time for a short report. Today we got to enjoy a holiday! Sabine and Hermann handled the morning feeding, so we were able to go through with our plan for a nice hike. Andros is well known for that. And now, in spring, when everything is green and blooming – it’s just a dream. Just over three hours through a gorge near Chora. A surprisingly rustic and dramatic landscape.“
So let’s jump right into the hike:
„Nearby lies Syneti with its charming bay and secluded pebble beach. The sea’s colors – from green to turquoise to incredible shades of blue – were a sight to behold… and we had the place entirely to ourselves, not another soul in sight.“
„The path from there to Chora isn’t far, so we were able to explore the old town. Many cats in the center – all looking well-fed and content. We saw several small food bowls. One restaurant owner had even wrapped sisal rope around the table legs. So at least in the center of Chora, the locals care about the animals.“
Cat-friendly tables (and guests).
One of the cats in town.
The Tourlitis lighthouse.
The Andros castle ruins.
The monument to the unknown sailor.
„In the evening we also visited feeding stations 1 and 3. Miss Meier is a regular there and is looking better every day. At feeding station 1, we saw two very shy, unneutered newcomers this evening.“
The two newcomers at feeding station 1:
Joining them were Hamish, Merle, and Kalinero.
Merle together with Dante.
A group photo with Dante, Merle, Günni, Mirion, and Kalinero.
Wait a moment… Is Mirion in the group? Have the travelers photographed Mirion???
We haven’t seen him since October 2022!
Could it perhaps be Kefali, who was also just recently rediscovered? The feline identification machinery kicked into high gear, and once again all available information was examined and compared. What ultimately convinced us it was Mirion was not only Kefali’s well-known cuddliness but also Mirion’s claws on his hind paws, which he can’t fully retract and which always stick out slightly.
And so this atmospheric island day came to an end, as always, at our feeding stations. But even Alfred and Ingrid, who are scheduled to fly home at the end of next week, now face a rising concern:
“The weather situation may continue to deteriorate over the next few days. Storms with wind speeds over 100 km/h are forecast. If that happens, the ferries may once again stop operating – and we could end up as long-term residents. It’s getting interesting.”
Day 8
Today, Marie’s parents completed their Andros journey without any further incidents or changes in plan and flew home as scheduled.
Our friend A.(2) also returned to Athens and helped the two at the airport, since Sabine and Hermann – as always – had travel companions: two cats from the southeastern side of the island, who will first be lovingly fostered and later rehomed in Germany. As usual, we’ll report on the travel cats at the end.
Ingrid and Alfred remained on Andros for a few more days – constantly keeping an anxious eye on the weather forecast.
This was reflected in Alfred’s latest report:
„Today gave us a first taste of the weather to come: strong winds with even stronger gale-force gusts. Temperatures between 9 and 12 degrees. A little rain. We look toward warm, sunny Germany with a bit of envy.“
„The visit to the feeding stations was therefore rather brief and unpleasant. Fitz remains the gentle regular at feeding station 1. Altogether, only six cats were present there this morning. Feeding station 3 was also sparsely visited. No surprise who was already waiting for breakfast: of course, Miss Meier. Hard to understand where this tiny cat packs all that food. The recently spayed little red-and-white female also showed up briefly. At least we could see that her wound was healing well, and she darted away from those scary tourists full of energy.“
Despite the worryingly bad weather, they took a trip to two sights. Menites is a wonderfully cool oasis… at least in summer… From several stone lion heads, fresh spring water flows.
„The second stop was the famous Pithara waterfall on Andros. Another delightful spot in the middle of a wild gorge.“
„The return trip once again took us past Chora, where we were able to watch the towering waves of the agitated sea. There’s a very beautiful and modern winery nearby.„
„In the evening, as usual, we headed to the feeding stations. At Station 1, eleven cats were present this time, including dear Fitz, and at Station 3, four cats including Miss Meier.„
Dante, Merle and Fitz.
Please rearrange them once:
Fitz, Dante and Merle.
A nice solo photo of Dante.
A suspicious newcomer at Feeding Station 1.
Miss Meier and Vina.
A newcomer at Feeding Station 3.
Day 9
Let Alfred describe the day again, just to keep things simple:
„As has become the norm, the day began with a visit to the feeding stations. The furballs are just like their breakfast. The difference this time: we also visited the feeding station at our friend A.(2)’s house. For Scotty and Data, whom we found there, it was an unexpected feast; for us, a bit of early morning exercise—200 steps down and back up. Considering the wind howling through the narrow alleys… unfortunately from the wrong direction.“
„Good morning, Scotty!“ – „Good morning to you too, Data!“
„Enjoy your meal!“ – „You too!“
„Have a nice day, Scotty!“
„You too, Data. See you around!“
Gin and Tiffy had also shown up (seen here next to Data).
„After that, the other two feeding stations still needed attending. Of course, Miss Meier was already waiting for us, and the little spayed red-and-white one made a brief appearance too. Her wound looked well-healed. Apparently, she didn’t take kindly to the transport after all, as she disappeared quickly into the tall grass.“
Miss Meier
Here again with Vina.
Merle, Dante, and Kalinero had also come by.
„At Feeding Station 1, we were determined to catch Fitz. Within just a few days, he had lost more and more of his beautiful fur.“
But first, an obviously spayed but unfamiliar cat—who had caught our attention for the first time on day 4—checked whether the updates Alfred was sending to the WhatsApp travel group in Germany were truthful.
Then the travelers attempted to persuade Fitz to come along. But his usual friendliness was gone:
„As tame as Fitz usually is, he did not like the carrier box one bit, and even less being shoved into it from behind. It took a second try to get him in. Catching any of the other candidates for neutering was out of the question now—none of them let us get close enough.“
Upon arriving at the vet, there was a reunion with H. & I., who had brought three spay candidates and Daisy for her FIP check-up.
Here are the three cats to be spayed, who now have sponsors and are named Vanina, Yupi, and Saita.
Daisy
Here they all are again, with Fitz on the right.
The vet confirmed what we had suspected: Fitz had a fungal infection. He received his first treatment, and from now on, A. would take care of him.
After the vet visit, Alfred and Ingrid made a short but very windy trip:
„The beach ‚Paralia Tis Grias To Pidima‘ is accessible via a bumpy road. The short hike and the view of the giant rock needle in the raging, storm-tossed sea more than made up for the difficult journey.“
„In the evening, the usual guests in casual dress code were expected at the familiar feeding stations. Despite the now hurricane-like winds, the furballs had followed our irresistible invitation.“
Mirion – note the claws on the hind paw!
At Feeding Station 2, Scotty, Gin, Zora, Tiffy, and Data showed up.
Then the travelers took a breather back at their holiday home—but didn’t forget to send the folks at home some atmospheric pictures…
…until it was time for dinner:
„We were especially delighted by a little moment during dinner at the restaurant. Of course, the house cat was allowed to stay lying beside us and wasn’t shooed away.“
Day 10
Today was one of those days when you’d rather curl up on the couch or in front of the fireplace. Ingrid and Alfred certainly deserve our sympathy:
„Brief daily report: let’s start with the weather… forgettable. Pouring rain and wind. Streets swept clean.“
Still, a few cats at the feeding stations were waiting to be fed:
Front to back: Liane, Gella, Tiffy, Scotty and Data.
Here again: Tiffy and Scotty.
Gin & Gella.
A group with Merle, Mirion, Hamish, and Fitz.
Mirion close-up – now note the claws on the right hind paw.
Fitz, Hamish and Kalinero.
Vina and the red-and-white spayed cat, a bit too far away for a sharp photo—but the scar is still clearly visible.
A bit closer: Miss Meier and the red-and-white one seen just before.
„Late in the morning we met once again with S. and were once again allowed to pick some of his loquats, which were now ripe. It’s a fruit worth trying—especially here on Andros.
It seems we won’t be settling down on Andros after all. Everyone assumes the ferry will run tomorrow. Even our old skipper waved us off: ’not a good idea.‘ No ferry for two days and tomorrow is also May Day. We’ll know for sure tomorrow afternoon.
After the farewell, we finally had the chance to meet our Greek friend A. Over a Greek coffee, we naturally talked in particular about the cats‘ situation on our island. The amount of time it takes to care for the cats—including catching and transporting them to the vet—is considerable. And she manages all that alongside her job and periodically caring for her mother.
In the evening, we had a long and very pleasant conversation with our hostess in the holiday home. She’s very open-minded about our project.
It’s slowly time to say goodbye. The weather improved somewhat in the afternoon, and we were still able to enjoy some stunning wildflower meadows.“
„After the ouzo, we packed our bags, and tomorrow morning we’ll visit our cats one last time—who will surely miss us, just as we’ll miss them.“
Day 11
Departure day had come—time for one final, somewhat wistful round at the feeding stations. To bid farewell, Gin, Tiffy, Scotty, Miss Meier, Hamish, Fitz and Merle gathered.
And the mysterious, unknown but very likely neutered cat (or tomcat, judging by the hind end) showed up once more.
But now the big question: „Is the ferry running?“ Jörg provided the travelers with the latest news and weather updates. Wind radar still showed very strong gusts in the morning but predicted calming conditions by sailing time. The ferry schedule listed just one ferry for today—fortunately, the one Alfred and Ingrid had booked. According to Marinetraffic.com the ferry was still docked in Mykonos but still listed with a valid departure time. Its route: from there to Tinos, then Andros, and finally Rafina on the mainland.
What a relief when the ferry departed on schedule!
Alfred and Ingrid made their way to Gavrio in good time—early enough to pick up their two travel cats, who were leaving the loving care of H. & I. for a new future in Germany.
H. & I. sent us a farewell photo of the departing ferry, and just over two hours later, the travelers stepped onto the mainland from which they had set off ten days earlier into an unknown adventure.
The two travel cats were picked up by A.(2) at the port to spend the night at her place since the hotel didn’t allow animals—and because she wanted to be there to assist at the airport the next morning.
So Alfred and Ingrid were able to peacefully enjoy their last evening with a sunny 19°C and reflect on their journey.
Let’s leave Alfred, as usual, with the final word—before the last chapter turns to the travel cats:
„What turned out to be a wise move was actually a decision made out of necessity: an overnight stay in Rafina, both on the way there and back. That gave us a stress-free, calm start to our Andros vacation.
Tension mounted as soon as we boarded the ferry. Even during the drive to our accommodation, bathed in evening light, we felt the romantic magic of the coastline and the impressive bloom of the island. Probably the most beautiful season, in my opinion.
Another advantage of this time of year is that you can see the health condition of our cats after the hard winter. Thanks to the care of our Greek friends, the cats at the feeding stations were in good shape. We didn’t see any severely ill or starving animals. Nevertheless, they eagerly devoured the tasty wet food twice a day.
We were also intrigued to learn that, apparently, in the island’s capital Chora, cats are sometimes cared for by their owners. Of course, that’s not always the case. But it’s a nice gesture when two well-fed cats are allowed to stay in a restaurant. It might indicate a welcome shift in public opinion. Our hostess also took good care of her cats and was very open to our project, allowing us to promote it. On Andros, everyone knows everyone—by now, we’re probably no longer total strangers there.
Naturally, there was another major purpose to our trip: getting to know our Greek partners personally and seeing firsthand the animal welfare work being done. If you consider the time commitment needed to maintain the feeding stations—on top of personal obligations—it truly commands respect. For our friends there, this care is their purpose and mission in life. The work they do in those towns is incredible.
Another key aspect of our journey was to get to know the island a bit. Andros doesn’t have the major sights that other Greek islands boast, but it does offer an incredibly rich, green, and unspoiled landscape that makes for pure hiking pleasure—landscapes that are quite literally in bloom. Despite the occasionally bad weather, we were able to discover quite a bit. I have the impression that Andros remains a small but worthwhile secret when it comes to tourism.
This is just a small glimpse into our experiences on-site. Of course, a few days and impressions aren’t enough for a full picture. But it was a great joy to experience an active animal welfare vacation on our island.“
The Travel Cats
To wrap up the report—as with every trip—it’s all about the cats who traveled to foster homes in Germany.
Marie’s parents brought along two cats from the southeast side: Akrisios and Giga.
Here are both of them before departure in Athens…
…and after arrival at the foster home: Akrisios on the left, Giga on the right.
Alfred and Ingrid made sure that Neda and Caroline—two blind kitties from H. & I.—got a chance at a home.
Here they are, just arrived at their foster home—Caroline on the left, Neda on the right.
AKRISIOS
It’s hard for us to write about him. His story began with so much hope but ended sadly before we could even properly tell it.
Akrisios first appeared nameless at our Feeding Station 1 in April 2023 and remained a regular guest there until November 2024.
Then he was hospitalized due to pneumonia and neutered during that time, at which point he got his name. Our friend A. later took him in to help him recover.
His condition then stabilized for the most part. But since his persistent cold wouldn’t improve, he was examined again in December 2024 and tested FIV-positive. A. continued caring for him. Because of his FIV diagnosis and chronic cold, we decided to bring him to Germany as part of this trip.
At the foster home, he turned out to be a sweet, affectionate cat. But in early May, he developed increasing respiratory problems and lost his appetite. A vet suspected a diaphragmatic hernia. A second, more detailed exam revealed that it was already very advanced—virtually all his organs had migrated into the chest cavity. His lungs and esophagus were barely functioning. Due to his weakened condition and the low chance of success, surgery was no longer a viable option. We made the heartbreaking decision to spare him further suffering.
What remains is our deep gratitude to everyone who cared for him—and the memory of him: AKRISIOS († 10. Mai 2025).
GIGA
His background is mostly unknown. He was handed over to our friend A. by a local woman who was leaving Andros. He appears to have lived in a family up to that point—(a little spoiler:) at the foster home, he behaves like he’s used to it all. Giga is already older. The vet noted 2015 as his birth year. Whether that’s accurate, no one knows.
He also tested FIV-positive and had a cold. On top of that, his white ears were already affected by skin cancer. All this put him on the travel candidate list, and he too arrived at the foster home in late April.
There, he’s going through the usual quarantine, medical checks, and tests—and we truly hope that Giga can still enjoy a good life here in Germany.
NEDA
Unlike Giga, Neda is still very young. She was likely born in September of last year and was found blind and helpless by our friends H. & I. in Gavrio during the first week of December 2024.
She had been living with the other blind cats in their house ever since.
She may still have some residual vision, so the plan is for her to be examined and treated by specialists in Germany.
Here you can see her shortly before departure…
… and after arrival at the foster home:
CAROLINE
Caroline was estimated to have been born in August 2020 and was spayed in April 2021.
To relieve H. & I., she had since been fed by a local woman who has a secure garden – making it suitable for a blind cat. However, when this woman went on a trip last December and a stand-in took over the feeding, Caroline managed to escape from the garden. H. & I. happened to find her one afternoon while they were about to feed nearby. They decided to take her in as well, integrating her into their group of blind cats in the house.
In the following months, the condition of her right eye deteriorated, and it had to be removed in early April 2025.
She traveled to her foster home together with Neda and, as already shown above, immediately found the food bowl:
With the arrival of the travel cats at their foster homes, this travel report also comes to an end.
We hope that once again we were able to give you a deeper insight into our animal welfare work on Andros, and we would like to sincerely thank our experienced travelers Sabine and Hermann, as well as the Andros newcomers Ingrid and Alfred, for their dedication on site!
And perhaps you, too, have felt the magic of this beautiful and unspoiled island – a feeling that our nature and hiking enthusiasts Alfred and Ingrid especially hoped to convey to you.
We are grateful for your continued support in helping us give the strays of Andros a well-cared-for life on their island!
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