Intro: recently a kitten was killed in full view of restaurant clientele in Nicosia, the Greek part of Cyprus. The kitten was first bludgeoned with a stick and then kicked into the road. This is the story (opens new window). It has provoked outrage by many local people and the internet community of people who like cats and humane treatment of cats.
From Harvey (regular PoCer) in an email:
Here is a little update on that kitten killing in S. Cyprus. There was a protest by around 400 people yesterday outside the tavern. They later marched to the police station and handed in a written protest.
During the protest insults were hurled at the police. At least that bastard is not getting away with it so lightly, and so far he has he lost 2 days business.
The following is a translation from Cypriot online news service
Date: 04.08.2013 | time: 17:00 — Why kill the kitten? Protest demonstration for the heinous act outside the tavern in Aglandjia. Protest demonstration held yesterday afternoon, outside the tavern “hangout Constantin”, after the sad incident of last week, where allegedly an employee of that firm is said to have attacked and killed a small kitten, arousing a storm of reactions from ordinary citizens and organized groups. Around 400 people, holding banners and shouting slogans such as, “police demanding lives,” and the implementation of legislation, protesting against the appalling and condemnable act that, while there were also found mikroepeisodia [note: this is a mistranslation by Google] as protesters verbally attacked the police forces in the area (around 15 people).Earlier a symbolic protest march was held in the square in Aglandjia which houses the tavern [where the kitten was killed], which today remained closed today because all shop owners fearing attacks and public outcry decided not to open.Then, the crowd headed to police headquarters, where the duty officer was handed a resolution, which was read earlier in the protest outside the tavern “hangout Constantin”.
This is the original Greek (for Cypriots who want to read it):
Γιατί σκοτώσατε το γατάκι; Εκδήλωση διαμαρτυρίας για την αποτρόπαια πράξη έξω από την ταβέρνα στην ΑγλαντζιάΕκδήλωση διαμαρτυρίας πραγματοποιήθηκε χθες το απόγευμα, έξω από την ταβέρνα «το στέκι του Κωστή», μετά το θλιβερό περιστατικό της περασμένης βδομάδας, όπου φέρεται υπάλληλος της εν λόγω επιχείρησης να επιτέθηκε και να σκότωσε ένα μικρό γατάκι, ξεσηκώνοντας θύελλα αντιδράσεων από απλούς πολίτες αλλά και οργανωμένα σύνολα.Γύρω στα 400 άτομα, κρατώντας πανό και φωνάζοντας συνθήματα όπως, «απαιτούμε αστυνομία ζωών», καθώς και την εφαρμογή της νομοθεσίας, διαδήλωσαν, κατά της αποτρόπαιας και καταδικαστέας αυτής πράξης, ενώ δεν έλειψαν και τα μικροεπεισόδια, καθώς οι διαμαρτυρόμενοι, επιτέθηκαν φραστικά προς την αστυνομική δύναμη που βρίσκεται στο χώρο ( γύρω στα 15 άτομα)Νωρίτερα πραγματοποιήθηκε συμβολική πορεία διαμαρτυρίας προς την πλατεία ηρώων στην Αγλαντζιά όπου στεγάζεται η ταβέρνα, η οποία να σημειώσουμε ότι σήμερα παρέμεινε κλειστή, αφού όπως όλα δείχνουν οι ιδιοκτήτες φοβούμενοι επεισόδια και την λαϊκή κατακραυγή ,αποφάσισαν να μην ανοίξουν την επιχείρησηΣτη συνεχεία το πλήθος, κατευθύνθηκε προς το αρχηγείο της αστυνομίας, όπου και παραδόθηκε στον αξιωματικό υπηρεσίας, ψήφισμα , το όποιο είχε διαβαστεί νωρίτερα στη συγκέντρωση έξω από την ταβέρνα «το στέκι του Κωστή
U.S. standards are not as strict as European. Our mw units emit alot more than, well, almostanywhere else in the world. That said, and I know that i’m preachin to the choir, DO NOT 😉 let your felines nor chi’s nor hamtaro sit nxt to the microwave oven while running.
Harvey, they are beautiful. Thank you for the updates and the photo of Balkar and Fennie Fenecia? [what does that mean?] Their two pair of eyes are amazing, aren’t they? And I love it that you give them free reign. (My cats were never allowed nxt to the microwave while it was on. I’d gently scoop Panda right off if she jumped up their while it was emitting.)
Thanks, Harvey! Lovely, rescues
They are special cats, what I call “van-type” cats with the classic inverted “V” pattern on the forehead.
Nice picture, Harvey. Lovely cats. You don’t see this sort of cat very often in the UK. This is a Mediterranean looking cat.
That is a really good point VG. People prefer live events with real characters rather than an abstract discussion no matter how intelligent and useful. It is more interesting particularly to women. I mean that in a nice way.
Also real events do tell us a lot about the world of cats, perhaps more than an abstract impersonal discussion.
Just to give you all an idea what lovely free-born cats and kittens can be found in Cyprus, these are Balkar (L) and Fenicia (R). Balkar was found near a restaurant and supermarket looking fairly well fed , and Fenicia was found on her last legs from starvation and thirst in Lapta village. She was about 2 months old and no mother or siblings in sight. As you can see both made an immediate transition from feral to spoiled affectionate house cats. The people here don’t know what treasures they have.
Thank you Harvey and Michael for the update.
My view is that stories like these (this, and the one re: Chester) are really helpful in calling attention to how cats are mistreated. imho people relate to “the particular” most of all- both this and the story about Chester gave details that conveyed the events vividly. I’m sure that many reading the stories connected personally with the events.
Connected personally, in a way that one might not when reading statistics as in x number of cats are abused in such and such a way, in such and such a place.
I’m not saying that summaries via statistics aren’t important- not at all- but these two recent stories made me realize the power of reporting on individual cat abuse. Not so difficult for me to imagine something like “I could have been at that cafe and seen this horrible deed”, for example. Conjures up vivid images.
Hope what I am trying to say makes sense- b/c it was a struggle to find the apt words.