Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
21 Jun 2025
Reply rate
80.0 %
Usually responds within 9 days
Feedback
17
Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
I am the founder and sole operator of this cat protection NGO. I am a 66 year old widow from the USA who has dedicated my time to sterilizing the feral cats which elude capture. I have lived in Cyprus for 10 years. I have three adult children and was formally a host for a Foreign Exchange student from China in the school year 2011-2012. To date I have personally captured 4000 cats for surgery and another hundred for injuries needing veterinary treatment. I currently have 16 kittens living with me awaiting adoption. In my earlier life I worked as a social worker and volunteered in Hospice and Hospital Chaplaincy ministries.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Cyprus is an EU island country in the eastern Mediterranean. The local people are Greek Cypriot and enjoy their distinctive cuisine as a national pastime. English is spoken widely and there is an expat community spanning both European and Russian inhabitants. Many retirees are from England, Scotland and Scandinavian countries here for the sunshine and golf. The island is significant for its archaeological findings, its rich Greek Orthodox faith, its unique ecosystem and indigenous species of plants and birds. Places to explore include the "path" of Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, Scenic Beaches, the Akamas Penisula, numerous wineries, Latchi Port and Harbor, Paphos (European Capital of Culture 2017), a restored and revitalized "Old Town" section for night life, and countless minor villages with traditional stone houses and cobble streets. Within a 90 minute drive are the Troodos Mountains, the divided capital of Nicosia, the port city of Limassol and the international airport at Larnaca. Paphos airport operates on a more limited basis. Visitors should be aware of the historically significant invasion of 1974 in which Turkey invaded and has since occupied the northern coastline of the island. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Nicosia is now the last divided capital in the world.
Help
My project is a Trap-Neuter-Return scheme to curb the birth rate of feral street cats in Paphos Cyprus. It operates under the umbrella of the Tala Cat Sanctuary which is currently housing 900 cats for rehoming. The cat park is located on the outskirts of the Agios Neophytos Monastery. The care of the cats in the sanctuary takes place from 8 AM to 2 PM.
The trapping of cats for sterilization takes place in various locations around the community and usually occurs between 4 PM and dusk. Trapping is a "call out" service of the Sanctuary's overall programme. The sanctuary is within walking distance of the accommodation. Most of the work day there involves basic cleaning and maintenance of the grounds, grooming the cats, changing bedding and newspaper, washing bowls and replacing food and water. Evening trapping is carried out by riding in my Vauxhall Combo van to the particular site and setting up equipment on the premises.
There are boxes and drop traps to be carried to and from the van. Once cats are captured we will transport them to the veterinarian clinic for surgery. Occasionally calls occur for injured animals. Some of the general maintenance involves scrubbing the boxes after use, preparing holding pens for female cats remaining overnight, washing bedding, caring for kittens who await adoptions, photographing outings and posting to social media. During your stay you could alternate between working at the sanctuary and coming out with me trapping; you would not be expected to do both in the same day. The sanctuary is currently undergoing some managerial changes due to the health crises of lead workers. Because they have many "dumped" kittens left at their gate, nightly in fact, it prevents them from having strong infection control, preventing "cross contamination" in their pens. Therefore we will discuss how to preserve the health of the cats here at the house once you are here.
I receive a minimum of ten inquiries each week for trapping and am continuously re prioritizing the schedule of where to respond, therefore it is difficult to give my workers an outline of what to expect. The is a Full On, All Systems Go project requiring perpetual juggling to "keep all the plates in the air." I am involved in the surgical suite of the clinic assisting the vet in the procedures so may be away from the house many hours of the day and then pick up with you after 5 to release operated cats and trap additional ones for the following day.
You may find your experience here relentless. Some of my volunteers have taken to it like a duck to water, however others have felt overwhelmed and expressed that they were both mentally and physically exhausted. Because this area of the world is very middle eastern in its culture, there is a very poor animal welfare standard and many of the call outs can be distressing. You should be prepared that some kittens will die from causes we cannot attend to quickly enough or from infections we cannot get on top of. Furthermore, the laundry will include soiled towels of not only general use but also diarrhea, urine, vomit, blood and the like. This work in PREDOMINANTLY involving FERAL cats, not cats which can be stroked and cuddled. We do have some lovely cats around the property (and even one little dog at the current moment!) and we have a litter of kittens you will watch grow up, but do not be taken in by my featured pictures that this is a mecca for cat-cuddlers.
In all, I invite you to open communication with me. It is better to state your concerns forthright so we can come to terms about the scope of the project you wish to involve yourself and for you to achieve a balance of sight-seeing, leisure, down time and your contribution to the mission. You will observe that I take little down time of my own which is not to say that the same will be demanded of you. I do turn many applicants away so if you discover that you would prefer to seek a new Workaway Opportunity please be candid with me so that I am not rejecting newcomers for the time period in which I have reserved the bedroom for you. This is rewarding work but I will concur that it is "not for everyone."
Feel free to ask me specifically for further details as you wish.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
The apartment for your accommodation is an annex of my home. It consists of a sitting room with minor cooking facilities including full fridge freezer, microwave and induction burner, a clothes washer, a bedroom with double bed (54 inch width) a bathroom with large shower. The bedroom has sliding patio doors onto the courtyard which is enclosed by a fence and hedgerow. The back property line enjoys a spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea in which one can see from the Paphos Airport to the beaches of Coral Bay. There is a jacuzzi suitable for year round use. The rooms have both heating and air conditioning. I can assist you with basic grocery shopping and the evening meal will be a mix of dining out, bringing in takeaway meals, light cooking etc.
What else ...
Local public transportation here is not very good as busses run infrequently. Most visitors elect to hire a rental car. I can be of assistance in some of the sightseeing. It is worth exploring all of the archaeological sites, especially the mosaics at the Harbor, seeing the ancient frescoes inside the ceilings of the Orthodox churches. Kykkos is among the most famous. Driving through the rural country side you will see herds of goats. ATV can be rented for exploring through the Akamas region. Check travel sites for an endless list of possibilities as Cyprus has something for everyone, beginning with the amazing meze dining experience.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
The speed of my internet connection is reliable for digital nomads.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Feedback (9)
Giulia arrived into my household when things were not tidy. Her sleeping quarters had previously been occupied by a man with no sense of smell. I was afraid she might quit… read more
She's very selfless and really gives her all to the mission of helping these animals and trying to ensure that they will… read more
Every job was carried out smoothly by Anabella, all the cleaning, feeding and nurturing of the cats. I have a lot… read more
Really enjoyed my time with her, and also learn so much about the situation with… read more
This team came to me as a threesome. Because they are just 18 and 19 there were many things they didn't know, but with some clear direction we got there in the end. The girls are very enthusiastic to delve into the project. It was an incredible… read more
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(4.8)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(4.9)
Giulia arrived into my household when things were not tidy. Her sleeping quarters had previously been occupied by a man with no sense of smell. I was afraid she might quit… read more
She's very selfless and really gives her all to the mission of helping these animals and trying to ensure that they will… read more
Every job was carried out smoothly by Anabella, all the cleaning, feeding and nurturing of the cats. I have a lot… read more
Really enjoyed my time with her, and also learn so much about the situation with… read more
This team came to me as a threesome. Because they are just 18 and 19 there were many things they didn't know, but with some clear direction we got there in the end. The girls are very enthusiastic to delve into the project. It was an incredible… read more
Miriam is a quick thinker, she is very capable and enthusiastic. She quickly found her routine in my household and executed every job faithfully. She enjoyed the cats and kittens. So often she would get an early start by darting outside to clean the interior of one of… read more
I stayed with Luanne for 6 weeks and we went cat catching 6 days a week in the evening. The work consists of catching cats, bringing them to the vet, where the will be spayed, neutered and taken care of if they have any injuries. The next… read more
We couldn't talk too much only for 2 days because she had to go back to America.
It was very pleasant to help her and play with the cats and be part of Cyprus in short time.
I've been andmet with Matthew, he is lovely man who is a kind and it was really good… read more
It was very pleasant to work with Luanne, a super easy going person and extremely dedicated to her project with cats.
Whenever she… read more
Luanne took me in with such short notice after I made the last minute decision to leave my previous host earlier than I planned. She was at full capacity but insisted I stay in her room while she slept in the living room. I have never met such a selfless lady.
I learned… read more
