Over 4,600 Cats Neutered In Malta And Gozo Over Two Years, Costing Over €300,000 [by Lovin Malta]

A total of 4,618 cats were neutered across Malta and Gozo between 2024 and 2025, according to figures revealed in Parliament.

The information shows that 1,861 cats were neutered in 2024, with the number increasing to 2,757 in 2025.

That represents an increase of almost 48% in just one year.

Meanwhile, the Animal Welfare Directorate spent a total of €303,738 on these interventions over the two-year period.

In 2024, expenditure amounted to €127,483, rising to €176,255 in 2025.

However, the figures only account for cats registered as ... read more 
(photo by © 2026 Lovin Malta)

James Ryder To Host Comedy Fundraiser For Malta’s Stray Cats This September [Lovin Malta]

Just weeks after helping raise €25,000 for animal shelters during Malta’s summer power cuts, comedian and presenter James Ryder is once again stepping up for animal welfare.

Ryder will host Stand Up for Strays, a comedy fundraiser organised by Vuċi għall-Annimali to support stray cats across Malta.

The event, set to take place at Teatru Salesjan in Sliema on 13th September, will feature some of Malta’s best-known comedians, including ... read more

Maltese Felines on Stamps (by Lovin Malta)

 A few days back, the Lovin Malta blog posted about a new cat series of beautiful stamps showing local felines:

MaltaPost has unveiled Cats Series II, a new set of beautifully illustrated postage stamps celebrating Malta’s deep affection for cats — all set against iconic Maltese backdrops.

Each stamp in the collection was individually painted by local artist Andrew Micallef, known for his detailed and atmospheric works that capture the essence of life on the islands.

Click to read complete post » here.
View collection on MaltaPost Philately » here.
Image property of Lovin Malta

Malta & Gozo - Islands of Cats with new Book Cover

To better illustrate the true purpose of 'Malta & Gozo - Islands of Cats', we have created a new book cover for the print-on-demand paperback as well as the Kindle/Ebook edition. 

The new cover shows one of our own photographs of Valletta and Upper Barrakka across the Grand Harbour from a position at the end of the pier Xatt Il-Forn at the Vittoriosa Yacht Marina, putting the picturesque watch tower perched on top of Fort St. Angelo's bastion into perspective. 

We also posted the cut-out from a shot of a cat colony being fed prominently into the center of the book cover, supported by the book's sub-title 'The Humble Stray Cat Carers of the Maltese Islands'. We hope you like it.

The hardcover edition still comes with Maltese sculptor Matthew Pandolfino's statue in its original look from 2015/2016. If you prefer this colourful, elegant edition, hurry, it will not be reprinted.

'Malta & Gozo - Islands of Cats' not available in Maltese Book Stores anymore !

Agenda Book Store Republic Street Valletta

And here's why. At the end of 2016, we had signed an agreement with a renowned book publisher and distributor for the Maltese Islands. We aimed to have the book in as many brick-and-mortar book stores on Malta and Gozo as possible; primarily, at the cruise port and the airport, for tourists to acquire a unique and colourful book about an unheralded group of volunteers. The book dwells into the private side of 22 of these individuals, who selflessly and lovingly take care of and strive to limit stray and abandoned cats. In addition, we invested a considerable amount in having beautiful hardcover books printed and delivered, promising €1 per copy to return to the carer community through Happy Paws to support their TNR program.

None of the above exploitation happened. Copies of the books in English, German and Maltese only showed up in a handful of stores across the nation, very few of which were frequented by the Islands‘ visitors. Reporting was late, and soon the distributer insisted that we reduce our stock as it blocked warehouse space.

Announcing Islands of Cats in 2016

Besides our own initiatives, including an interview on popular Animal Diaries and a spot filmed for TVM airing right before the evening news, several attempts to even pay for joint promotion campaigns remained unanswered. In 2020 we donated 120+ stock to the Maltese cat shelters portrayed in our book for them to sell and keep the funds. Due to this turn of adverse events, we were unable to keep our pledge to Happy Paws.

In spring 2021, we finally terminated the distribution agreement. We are still waiting for the distributor’s acknowledgement. And to this date, we have not received any final sales report. In the meantime, the distributor has removed the books from their web store. To say the least, we are disappointed by this company’s unresponsiveness to our promotional efforts.

Our hardcover books can still be ordered in all three languages from the authors directly, or through the European Amazon Stores such as amazon.it, or Gumroad or Lulu.com.

'Malta & Gozo - Islands of Cats' now as paperback

Stray and feral cats are still an issue in the Maltese Islands. That's why we now made 'Islands of Cats' - new title 'Malta & Gozo - Islands of Cats' available as print-on-demand in Amazon Stores, such as the UK, the USA, Canada, European Stores eg. Germany, Australia and Japan. 

22 representative portraits of the work of over one thousand volunteers are complemented by 232 of Gabriele Bauer's best photographies and entertaining texts, facts and stories written by Alexander Johnson. The authors promise an informative read not only about the dedicated work of the many cat carers but also about locations on the islands Malta and Gozo. An exciting book for animal lovers as well as travellers.

The sales price of the paperback varies per Amazon store and the applicable VAT. Amazon UK lists the book for £ 14.60 including shipment, for example, the US store for US$ 19.99 including shipment. 'Malta & Gozo - Islands of Cats' is also available as ebook for Kindle Fire or the Kindle App (€5.99, £5.15, US$ 9.42).

The more elaborately designed hardcover edition (€29.99, £25.75, European Amazon stores only) will now be securely shipped registered from Switzerland, or order direct through our sales page to save on the hardcover (worldwide shipping). 'Malta & Gozo - Islands of Cats' also comes in German (all formats, 'Malta & Gozo - Inseln der Katzen') and Maltese (hardcover only, 'Malta & Gozo - Il-Gżejjer tal-Qtates').

In this cat book humans play the main role - Book Review by Valletta - Das Journal

Review of our book (in German) on the popular blog  «Valletta | Das Journal» in September 2018. Thank you, Bertold Schmitt-Feuerbach!

"Almost every photo collection taken by Malta tourists shows at least one cat, often even a whole series. You meet these incredibly photogenic beings almost everywhere in Malta. Almost always they are strays, feral cats. And it is noticeable how healthy and well nourished most of them are, hardly to be distinguished from domestic cats. If one looks closer, one discovers feeding places, plates, water bowls. If you might ask yourself, who takes care of these cats, then the richly illustrated book "Islands of Cats" (German title: Inseln der Katzen) will provide you with new experiences and impressions. So much should be said in advance: This cat book is actually a book about people." 

Read » more in German on Valletta | Das Journal

We are moving ...

After four and a half years living and working in Malta, Islands of Cats' author Alexander Johnson and the book's photographer and designer Gabriele Ruttloff-Bauer will be moving their domicile back to Switzerland beginning of May 2017 to immerse into new projects.

But we'll not be cutting the ropes to the Maltese Islands and just sail away. Our books will still be in the shops in Malta and Gozo, and we will be visiting frequently family and friends. We will continue to blog about stray cats and donate part of the proceeds of each book sold in aid of neutering and spaying of stray cats in Malta and Gozo, contributing to Happy Paws Malta's free neutering program.

We would like to express our gratitude to all the wonderful men and women we met during our project research and to everybody who so generously contributed to the making of "Islands of Cats". We sincerely hope that the selfless work of the many stray cat carers in the Maltese Islands will gain more public awareness, respect and support. Saħħa !

One Year Later: Stray Cat Carer Susan in Gozo

The rough sea, strong winds and torrential rain on our trip to Gozo showed us the small island was taking a stormy break from its habitual dry weather and sunshine. The turbulent weather of end of 2016 was soon forgotten when we saw how pleased Susan was upon receiving her copy of Islands of Cats. Her smile and warm appreciation brightened the room as she looked at the pages. Two cats, Poppy and Pushy, entered the front door (which is always open for strays), and immediately jumped on the table as if to see if their picture was also in the book. You can read more about Susan and her years of caring for stray cats in 'Islands of Cats' on pages 97-99.

The book tells the story of a representative 22 of over 1,000 stray cat carers in Malta and Gozo on 128 pages, illustrated by over 250 colourful photographs - accompanied by cat facts, stories, interviews, and it introduces places of interest on the Islands. 'Islands of Cats' is available in English, Maltese and German, as well as E-Books including Kindle. And most of all, we donate part of the proceeds of each book sold in aid of neutering and spaying of stray and abandoned cats in the Maltese Islands. Click here to order your copy, and please tell your friends.

One Year Later: Stray Cat Carer Jennifer

Jennifer had changed jobs since we last met her end of 2016, but that hasn’t stopped her from caring for the stray cats at the cargo terminal! “I will always attend to my cats, no matter how far I have to drive to them”, she said. Her delight upon receiving the book showed us, once again, the dedication and commitment of carers such as Jennifer has made creating ‘Islands of Cats’ worthwhile.

You can read more about Jennifer and her cat colony in 'Islands of Cats' on pages 65-67.

The book tells the story of a representative 22 of over 1,000 stray cat carers in Malta and Gozo on 128 pages, illustrated by over 250 colourful photographs - accompanied by cat facts, stories, interviews, and it introduces places of interest on the Islands. 'Islands of Cats' is available in English, Maltese and German, as well as E-Books including Kindle. And most of all, we donate part of the proceeds of each book sold in aid of neutering and spaying of stray and abandoned cats in the Maltese Islands. Click here to order your copy, and please tell your friends.

A Paralysed Stray Cat and a Dedicated Carer Experience the Beauty of Unconditional Love

But when a soul, by choice and conscience, doth

Throw out her full force on another soul,

The conscience and the concentration both

Make mere life, Love.

- Elizabeth Barrett Browning

COSPICUA, 19/02/2017 by Alexander Johnson. Sugar’s life started brutally. As a small kitten he was thrown from the roof of a high building on to a hard pavement, a violent act which severed a part of his young brain, causing paralysis from the head down. Somehow, the little tabby managed to drag himself into a dark doorway, where his squeals of pain attracted the attention of a kind passerby who fortunately called a friend, an animal lover, well known for taking care of sick and injured cats. This was the beginning of many years filled with a deep bond of love and commitment between «Sugar» and his human Doris Zarb.

Doris and her beloved Sugar

Even though he could barely move, the traumatised kitten was hard to catch, and still had a lot of fight left in him. Beaming, and with a twinkle in her eyes, Doris recalled, “When I finally managed to pick Sugar up, out of fear he bit me, causing my hand to swell like a balloon”. The weeks that followed involved journeys from one vet to another, the final diagnosis was Sugar would remain paralysed for the rest of his life. Doris told us, “I was recommended to have Sugar put down. However, he wasn’t in pain, and he had life, therefore there was no reason to destroy him, so I ignored the advice.”

Affectionately, Doris continued, “Furthermore, as the days went by, he started to accept me as his friend, and warmly purred when I stroked him. After that I couldn’t let him go. He was so sweet and loving, so I named him Sugar, and decided to keep him with me.” Since then, for the last thirteen years, due to his disability Sugar has had to be hand fed and cleaned several times a day, a chore which Doris lovingly does, besides seeing to any other needs.

Feeding water

No matter where Doris goes Sugar is close by, snuggled in his soft layered basket. “I also have him by me at night”, said Doris. “When he sleeps he lies straight and stiff as a board, not curled up into a soft ball like most cats.” Doris asserted further, “Sometimes, when he’s dreaming, he has moments of spasms, which wake me up.” Extraordinarily, in all those years Sugar has not been sick once! “The fall broke all his teeth, and we had to take them out,” related Doris, “but in the course of the years his gums have become so hard that he can chew dry food. Other than that Sugar, besides his paralysis, has had a very healthy life!” Taking care of Sugar means that Doris has had to sacrifice some of life’s pleasures, such as a holiday. “How can I have a holiday, when I’m needed here with my cats!” She smilingly exclaimed.

Doris has dedicated her life to cats, especially to the most vulnerable of the feline family. Over the years she has worked hard to establish one of Malta’s leading cat sanctuary, CSAF (Carers for Stray and Abandoned Felines), which today is home to over 250 cats. It is at the sanctuary that Sugar and Doris spend most of the working day. Sugar lies in his basket, surrounded by an entourage of cats, who seem to be very happy and proud to be in his presence. “The cats here love him, play with him, and one can see he enjoys it”, said Doris. On hearing Doris’ voice Sugar lifted his head to see where his loving human was. “I love all cats,” said Doris looking down at Sugar, “but Sugar has his own space in my heart.”

It was not expected that Sugar would survive a week, never mind to live all these years, but he proved all the pessimists wrong. Today, he is happy and healthy, with a lot more life to live, a miracle of love and devotion.

You can read more about Doris and the fantastic work of the  CSAF in 'Islands of Cats' on pages 79-85.

Islands of Cats is now available on Amazon UK and Germany

The colourful hardcover photo-story books 'Islands of Cats', 'Inseln der Katzen' and 'Il-Gżejjer tal-Qtates' can now be purchased via Amazon UK or Amazon Germany:
We will make all books available in more Amazon online stores in Europe as well as Amazon USA and Japan. Use your Amazon buyer account for your purchase in a safe online shopping environment, or have a book shipped to a friend. In the near future our books will also be shipped from the nearest Amazon fulfilment center which makes it easy for you to group with other purchases and save on shipping costs.

From 'Islands of Cats': daily stray cat dinner buffet in Birżebbuġa

One Year Later: Val & Jane of the SPCA Gozo

The friendly barking of dogs greeted us when we arrived at the SPCA Animal Centre in Rabat (Victoria) on Gozo Island. As usual Val and Jane were hard at work with their never ending chores, but were happy to take a few minutes break to receive their well deserved copy of ‘Islands of Cats’. Peter, the stray animal officer in Gozo and featured in Islands of Cats together with Val, had been called away for the day. So regular volunteer Jane was happy to pose for him. And as with all the carers, we wished we could do more to help their vital work.

You can read more about Peter, Val and the SPCA Gozo in 'Islands of Cats' on pages 117-119.

The book tells the story of a representative 22 of over 1,000 stray cat carers in Malta and Gozo on 128 pages, illustrated by over 250 colourful photographs - accompanied by cat facts, stories, interviews, and it introduces places of interest on the Islands. 'Islands of Cats' is available in English, Maltese and German, as well as E-Books including Kindle. And most of all, we donate part of the proceeds of each book sold in aid of neutering and spaying of stray and abandoned cats in the Maltese Islands. Click here to order your copy, and please tell your friends.

One Year Later: Jane & Elaine of the Tomasina Cat Sanctuary

The team at the Tomasina Cat Sanctuary in Luqa were busy cleaning when we arrived to present their copy of 'Islands of Cats'. However, Jane, the Sanctuary Manager, and Elaine, a regular volunteer, happily took a break from their chores to accept the book on behalf of the Sanctuary.

'Thank you for including us in this wonderful book', said Jane. 'It makes us feel good when our work is acknowledged.' Which made Gabi and me feel good too!

left to right: a Cat, Elaine with a Cat, Jane with the Book, and Alexander

You can read more about Jane and the Tomasina Cat Sanctuary in 'Islands of Cats' on pages 59-63.

'Islands of Cats' tells the stories of a representative 22 of over 1,000 stray cat carers in Malta and Gozo on 128 pages, illustrated by over 250 colourful photographs - accompanied by cat facts, stories, interviews, and it introduces places of interest on the Islands. 'Islands of Cats' is available in English, Maltese and German, as well as E-Books and Amazon Kindle. And most of all, we donate part of the proceeds of each book sold in aid of neutering and spaying of stray and abandoned cats in the Maltese Islands. Click here to order your copy, and please tell your friends.

One Year Later: Carmen & Carmen

Alex with Carmen of Pietà (l) and Carmen of Kalkara (r)

We met both Carmens featured in our book 'Islands of Cats' at the C.S.A.F. [Carers for Stray and Abandoned Felines] Sanctuary in Cospicua, as they were busy helping to care for the 250+ stray cats that live there.

We were proud to present these two deserving stray cat carers with their copy of ‘Islands of Cats', and they were as pleased to receive them!

Besides their volunteer work at the CSAF, the two ladies also take care of their own cat colonies. You can read more about these dedicated women in 'Islands of Cats' on pages 17-19 for Carmen in Pietà, and pages 75-77 for Carmen in Kalkara.

'Islands of Cats' tells the stories of a representative 22 of over 1,000 stray cat carers in Malta and Gozo on 128 pages, illustrated by over 250 colourful photographs - accompanied by cat facts, stories, interviews, and it introduces places of interest on the Islands. 'Islands of Cats' is available in English, Maltese and German, as well as E-Books and Amazon Kindle. And most of all, we donate part of the proceeds of each book sold in aid of neutering and spaying of stray and abandoned cats in the Maltese Islands. Click here to order your copy, and please tell your friends.

Islands of Cats at the 2016 World Cat Show Malta this weekend

Together with our co-sponsor PetNutrition House, the home of the organic dog and cat food and pet products Prince and Princess, Islands of Cats is represented today and tomorrow at the 2016 World Cat Show in Smart City, Malta.

If you want to secure your copy of Islands of Cats at a Cat Show Special - in English, Maltese or German, or as a present - come along and have the book signed by Author Alexander Johnson right on site.

The World Cat Show will be open today until 5pm, and tomorrow Sunday December 4th during the finals from 11:00am until 6pm.

See you there !

One Year Later: Cat Worker Antonella in Malta

Malta, in November 2016: One of the foremost task on receiving the newly published hardcover version of our book 'Islands of Cats' was to present each of the featured, steadfast, stray cat carers with a copy.

The smile that Antonella beamed as we handed her the book, told us more than words how much she appreciated our work. As she browsed through the pages, Antonella told us that there was still a dire situation with stray cats, and how she hoped our book would help to bring more attention to the matter.

Antonella with Author Alexander Johnson

Antonella made us feel, that the work we had invested in the book had not been in vain. Thank you for your devotion to the needy animals in Malta.

You can read about Antonella's amazing work and her network of volunteers in 'Islands of Cats' on pages 68-69. The book tells the story of a representative 22 of over 1,000 stray cat carers in Malta and Gozo on 128 pages, illustrated by over 250 colourful photographs - accompanied by cat facts, stories, interviews, and it introduces places of interest on the Islands. 'Islands of Cats' is available in English, Maltese and German, as well as E-Books including Kindle. And most of all, we donate part of the proceeds of each book sold in aid of neutering and spaying of stray and abandoned cats in the Maltese Islands. Click here to order your copy, and please tell your friends.

The Colourful Hardcover Print of 'Islands of Cats' is OUT NOW

Good News! Last Friday we held the print version of 'Islands of Cats' for the first time in our hands and were able to pick up the long awaited books in all 3 languages: English, German and Maltese.

A first snapshot of the three language versions

250+ colourful photographs on 128 pages talk about a representative 22 of more than 1,000 carers of stray and abandoned cats in Malta and Gozo and their admirable work. Also, read about places of interest close to these individual's locations, interviews with specialists, cat facts and more.

You can order your personal copy - which makes a nice Christmas present, too - in your preferred language through our web site, and we will ship it to you straight from the heart of the Mediterranean (exception customers with a delivery address in Malta or Gozo):

Delivery to Malta & Gozo

Delivery World-Wide

High-resolution PDF E-Books

Aiming at anybody who cares for animals, author Alexander Johnson explains: "There seems to be an affinity between a part of the Maltese population and the Islands’ feline citizens. These individuals who see to the cats’ needs, the importance of which is underrated, are called: carers or feeders. In our quest to find out more about these mostly shy and reserved caregivers, Gabriele and I met carers from all walks of life - housewives, business persons, room maids and doctors, Maltese, Gozitans, and foreigners - people who give up part of their daily lives to be dedicated and loyal knight-errants, sustaining and protecting their own ‘islands of cats’. And by having this fertile species neutered and spayed, keep the cat population at bay."

Author Alexander Johnson at the BDL Books' stand during the Malta Book Festival 2016.

Attention Stray Cat Carers in Malta & Gozo: New animal hospital opens at Ta’ Qali

Veterinary hospital opens at Ta’ Qali will be open 24 hours a day, strays to be treated for free while animal NGOs will benefit from 25% discount

Malta Today, 30 October 2016: "A new veterinary hospital was opened at Ta’ Qali today, replacing the St Francis animal centre which was closed for the past few months.

The APH Veterinary Hospital, which was inaugurated today by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, is a joint venture between the government and the private sector.

The hospital will be open round the clock, and also houses operating theatres which will be dedicated for soft-issue surgeries and orthopaedic procedures.

Roderick Galdes, the parliamentary secretary for animal welfare, said that strays would be treated for free, and the hospital is also licensed to provide long-term treatment to animals. He said the facility met European standards and was the best not just in Malta, but also in the region.

As a result, the hospital is expected to attract business from Sicily and will market its services in the South of Italy. Kevin Attard, one of the owners of this hospital, said that animal rights’ NGOs could benefit from a 25% discount, while in addition, MCAST students will be taught at the hospital."
Click here for original article.

What do Japanese Reporter Miss Ayako Imoto and Chicken have in common?

Cats !! Malta welcomed Miss Imoto Ayako (イモトアヤコ) and her TV team on Nippon TV mid September 2016 for the shooting of scenes for an upcoming episode (16 October 2016) of the popular Japanese TV show "ItteQ". Besides diving at a tuna fish farm, making it up a greasy ramp in Spinola Bay, other fun activities, and showing the highlights of the Island of Malta, Imoto-san followed the meows of the 350,000 stray and feline cats that live on our islands. As strays are very shy by nature and the time for the shooting was very short, we helped arranging for a visit to the C.S.A.F. cat shelter in Cospicua.

Doris Zarb, Founder of the CSAF Shelter, preparing for the shooting.

Nippon TV is a main Japanese private broadcaster and best known for its very popular Japanese entertainment show: “ItteQ - Let’s Challenge the World”, which airs every Sunday evening and reaches almost 20 million viewers (20% share) in Japan. Some episode make it even to other Asian countries. For ItteQ some very famous reporters travel around the globe to show different cultures and arts, new inventions, habits and sights, always with a funny touch that makes the program loved by all age groups.

So here she comes, Imoto-san, in her typical show appearance:

Miss Imoto (イモトアヤコ) entering the shelter, followed by her assistant and camera men filming.

Imoto-san wanted to shoot a scene with her among many many many cats. But first, how do you attract feral cats - even though in a shelter - altogether? With fresh chicken ! See for yourself...

And the work begins, shooting the scenes. Imoto-san now disguised as a large ginger cat :) 

(more impressions once the episode has aired in Japan)

Imoto-san, Doris Zarb and a camera man checking out a possible scene.

Domo arigato, Imoto-san, say Gabriele and Alexander, for stopping by at the CSAF Cat Shelter in Malta and for taking impressions and scenes back to Japan to an audience of 20 million TV viewers for your popular program ItteQ. (aired 16 October 2016 prime time)

And we made Imoto-san try the famous Maltese pastizzi (ricotta)

Please support the CSAF Cat Shelter and its ca. 250 abandoned and feral felines. This NGO covers the daily costs in the range of 200-300 Euro for food, litter, medicine, neutering (EUR 45 per cat), water, electricity and run by volunteers, almost completely through donations. Send your contribution via PayPal to csafmaltafunds@gmail.com . Grazzi hafna !!