70 cats have disappeared without a trace in Episkopi over six months

Since December 2025, around 70 cats have gradually disappeared in the community of Episkopi near Limassol, SigmaLive reports. No dead or injured animals have been found in the area, and no cats were seen on the roads either. The missing animals were mostly sterilized and were under the care of volunteers and animal welfare activists. According to Lemesos TV, the cats disappeared one by one over the course of several months. Residents repeatedly contacted the police, but the investigation has so far yielded no results, and there has been no official confirmation of the reasons behind the incidents.

The case in Episkopi is not the only one. In February 2026, complaints about missing cats were also recorded in different parts of Cyprus. Unverified reports appeared on social media about a possible group of people suspected of trapping them, as well as accounts of a woman in a dark van. The Environmentalists Movement — Citizens’ Cooperation also became involved in the issue. Its chairman, Stavros Papadouris, sent an official letter to police chief Themistos Arnaoutis in February 2026 demanding an investigation. Later, the movement denied reports of a “breakthrough” in the case, stressing that no animal has been found.

Similar incidents had occurred in Cyprus before: in September 2025, around 30 cats were poisoned at the Sfangiotissa cemetery in Limassol. Against this backdrop, tensions have risen in the animal welfare community. In June 2026, a representative of the Federation of Animal Welfare Organizations, Danai Kaza, reported threats against volunteers and the suspension of trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs. Residents of Episkopi are calling for a more intensive investigation and are asking people to report any suspicious activity to the police.