The title is correct. A kitten jumped onto a table at the Aglantzia taverna in Nicosia, South Cyprus, the Greek governed part of the country. The table was unoccupied and was close to another table where customers were sitting eating their Greek Cypriot food. There were other clients present.
The restaurant owner was nearby. He had a walking stick. He smashed the kitten across his back. The kitten fell from the table with a broken back and could not move. The kitten thrashed and floundered on the floor. The customers were shouting to stop. A waiter kicked the kitten out of the restaurant. The kitten flew under the wheels of a car and was killed. Such is life and death in a well known, tranquil and charming restaurant in Nicosia, Cyprus. Some customers left immediately.
This sickening and astonishing example of cat cruelty in full view of paying restaurant clientele was reported to the local police. However, it appears that animal cruelty is often brushed under the carpet or kicked into the long grass in sunny charming South Cyprus.
Cats and kittens are a regular feature at restaurants in Cyprus. On the night in question there were lots of them around the restaurant tables. I have seen something similar in Rome, Italy. They can be charming. The customers accept them.
The Argos Animal Sanctuary in Limassol, South Cyprus and local animal activists will do their best to ensure that this animal cruelty, a crime, is not forgotten by the police. A demonstration is planned for 3rd August 2013 outside the restaurant to try and boycott the place.
My gut feeling is that the Greeks have less respect for the cat than the Turkish. As mentioned, South Cyprus is governed by Greece and North Cyprus is governed by Turkey or a Cypriot version of the Turkish government.
Turkey have their own famous cats: the Turkish Angora and Van. Mainland Greece is a tourist attraction and there are plenty of community cats in Greece. They are a feature during the tourist season and poisoned out of season.
Apparently about two years ago a Greek-style mass cat poisoning took place outside the restaurant in question. It appears the event in question was not one-off
There is a pressing need for a properly managed TNR program in South Cyprus. It appears the government just don’t have the will. They prefer to kill or ignore option. Although unlikely, perhaps this event will change things.
Sources:
- Harvey Harrison (PoC regular)
- facebook.com/argossanctuary/posts/10151741945824321
Associated: Spotted Street Cats of Cyprus
I knew what you meant; just trying as always to attract attention to your words. Thanks for clarifying. That was directed Harvey’s way–I was so upset, that I didn’t even realize that you had interjected a comment. I’m an idiot sometimes, that’s what anger does, it seems, delete this, pls. Let’s leave it on topic.
That fat ugly smug bastard looks well enough fed himself!
How could he be so cruel to a hungry kitten? I hope some animal activists get hold of him and break HIS back and his neck too and he dies a long slow agonising death, he doesn’t deserve to live!
What a terrible situation there, very upsetting,
TNR and someone feeding those cats could soon solve the problem but no it’s far easier for some people to kill them.
Thanks Harvey. I was just about to go in search of one! He looks exactly as I imagined 😉 LOL. Now we just have to bombard him with letters and phone calls etc. In a polite way make him miserable.
Sometimes image files can be slightly defective for various reason, which might explain why you had difficulty. The first file you uploaded is in the image database but the data is defective. Not sure what happened.
I mean the authorities leave the cats to breed and the population to grow (ignore the situation) or indulge in mass community cat extermination through poisoning.
from the Argos Animal Sanctuary article linked to by Harvey:
“The kittens advanced towards the tables waiting for titbits to be given. The restaurant was not full on the evening but there were certainly around 25-30 people.
According to the eye witness, one kitten was seen to jump on a table next to one where two customers were sitting. Suddenly the owner, a 65 year old man got up quickly and with force, brought down his wooden walking stick on the back of the kitten. The kitten fell off the table and could not move as it seemed that its back was broken. Customers were shouting to him to stop saying it was a shame as it is only a kitten but he only replied that, it jumped on the table!
The kitten was floundering on the ground, unable to get up, pulling its small body uncontrollably and trying to escape. The owner pushed it away further with his stick and Its mother rushed towards it smelling it and trying to understand what had happened but a waiter advanced and he began kicking it to remove it from the restaurant and on the fourth kick, the kitten was flung under a car…”
If you get a new number for the pompous pr*ck, let me, .PoC know, because I certainly will harass this ugly human being as much as I can int’ly!
cmgifford@gmail.com