Paper short abstract:

On the Croatian islands, the number of stray cats increases every year/every touristic season. Taking the example of the island Silba, we will show good practices of self-organization of the local population in the protection of the island's stray cats.

Paper long abstract:

The first part of the presentation (Suzana Marjanić) will focus on all the activist demands of the Croatian first zoo-ethicist Nikola Visković, who in his book "The Animal and Man: a contribution to the cultural zoology" (1996) noted the emergence of disturbing socio-biological process. Namely, the same rate as the rise in domestic animals, including in particular pet animals (petishism or cult of pets), the worldwide number of species and individuals of the so-called wild animals was reduced.

The second part of the presentation will be presented by Rosana Ratkovčić. On the Croatian islands, the number of stray cats increases every year/every touristic season. As pets that were brought by tourists, at the end of summer vacation, are left behind on the island. Taking the example of the island Silba, we will show good practices of self-organization of the local population in the protection of the island's stray cats. There are a number of islanders, who on their own initiative, started to take care of the abandoned cats. Recently, in the Association for the Protection of Natural and Cultural Heritage the department of "Kitten" was initiated, which brings together the islanders and their guests, who are working together to protect the cats. Through the efforts of Peter Hillinger, Austrian tourist, a big campaign of sterilization and castration of island cats was organized to prevent the increasing number of stray cats on the island.