Emergencies and First Aid Advice
Found an injured cat or kitten that needs urgent care?
Are you able to help the cat yourself?
Some of the problems found in the stray cats are quite common and easily remedied. They occur because the cats live on the streets and get little medical attention until you find them and are brought to our attention. These are the main common problems in these cats.
If you are able to administer medication to the animal during your stay, please do so, it will help our volunteers. Sometimes the animals only need a simple course of medication and visitors can help with this but before you leave do contact us and let us know that you have treated an animal, where it is and if it needs further help. Please do not leave it until you are off to the airport to tell us about a sick or injured animal.
Firstly, please try to get the injured cat/kitten to the nearest vet.A list of vets can be found here. If the animal is seriously injured then do contact us preferably via our Facebook page and give your location (what3words.com is an efficient way to do this).
The Eyes - Many stray cats have eye problems mainly due to the climate, colds and the remains of cat flu, this can be treated easily with ‘Tobrex’ eye drops from any chemist. This is often all you need and the drops only cost a few Euros. More serious eye conditions need anti biotics only available from a vet so if the eye is seriously damaged please find a vet or contact us for help.
Fleas and Worms - If you notice that a stray cat has fleas, or worms this is easily treated and you can purchase spot on treatment from the vet and treat yourself or a vet will do it for you. Worming tablets can also be purchased and administered. Please let us know you have treated the cat.
Please be aware that AAWF is a charity supporting volunteers in Corfu who work tirelessly for the health and welfare of the local cats. These people are ‘volunteers’, they are not paid staff and have to work to support themselves. We do not have an office in Corfu with someone waiting to take your calls so please be aware of this when contacting people about animals you have found. Please try and help yourselves as much as possible. Volunteers will always be happy to help and support you with advice as to what you can do to help so do not call us on the way to the airport on your way home!
PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB YOUNG KITTENS UNLESS YOU HAVE OBSERVED THEM FROM A DISTANCE FOR AT LEAST FOUR TO SIX HOURS AND THE MOTHER HAS NOT APPEARED.
You will be pleasantly surprised to see that she is around. It is completely normal for the mother cat to leave them alone for a few hours. She could be hunting for food or socialising; she is doing what is normal in nature.
If you are worried that the mother will not return, leave it a few hours, go back and check the kittens, without coming too close (your presence can also scare the mother cat away).
Removing kittens from access to their mum’s milk nearly always results in death. Raising young kittens with bottled milk will almost always result in failure.
Dos and Don'ts
DO record the exact location of the cat/Kitten. You can use the What3words app to give us your exact location
DO contact us via Facebook to see if we can assist you, we may have a volunteer in the area that can help.
DO take sick or injured street cats to the nearest vet. Please use our vet finder and inform a volunteer or a charity of the outcome. Always return cats to the area you found them.
DO be careful where you feed animals. Cats are unwelcome in some restaurants and tavernas; other customers might not like them. This can lead to restaurant owners taking brutal action.
DO ask your travel rep where it might be possible and acceptable to feed strays. There are sometimes special feeding places.
DO feed any leftover meat or fish to stray cats by the nearest rubbish bins or in a quiet place where you may see them congregating.
DO keep some dry cat food with you to feed to any hungry strays you may come across.
DO remember strays need water as well as food.
DON'T leave it until the last minute, end of your holiday or on you return transfer to the airport to contact us for help. We may need your help in locating the kittens, sick or injured cat. If you see a problem let us know early you may be able to help administer medication and save the cat before you leave. Often a short course of medication can solve many minor problems.
DON'T give cats or kittens milk. It will give them diarrhoea.
DON'T remove young kittens.
DON'T be afraid that you might catch rabies or anything else from the cats. There is no record of rabies in cats in Greece since the 1970s and cats cannot pass their infections to humans or vice versa.