The Cycladic island of Syros has become a global beacon for animal welfare, home to two renowned cat sanctuaries that have spent decades turning a once-dire situation for strays into a model of compassion.
While many Greek islands are famous for their picturesque stray populations, Syros stands apart for the organized, tireless efforts of Syros Cats and God’s Little People Cat Rescue.
A decades-long mission: Syros Cats
Since the 1990s, the charity Syros Cats has been at the forefront of the island’s feline welfare movement. Their mission is a practical one—managing population numbers through humane sterilization (TNR), providing essential veterinary care, and ensuring the island’s street cats are healthy and fed.
The organization is currently preparing for a busy 2026 and has announced a unique opportunity for those looking to swap the office for island life. Syros Cats is seeking “fit, mature, healthy, and independent” volunteers for long-term stays of at least one month.
In a “work-away” style exchange, successful applicants receive free accommodation, breakfast, and utilities. In return, they commit five hours a day, five days a week, to the hands-on care of rescued felines. Tasks range from feeding and cleaning to the vital work of “kitten cuddling”—socializing young rescues to prepare them for future homes. Prospective volunteers should note that applications for 2026 are now closed, but they can mark their calendars, as applications for the 2027 season are set to reopen this autumn.
“God’s Little People”: A hillside haven
Another story of devotion on Syros unfolds at God’s Little People Cat Rescue (GLPCR). Founded by Anglo-Danish couple Joan and Richard Bowell, the sanctuary was born from a moment of heartbreak. When the couple first arrived on the island over twenty years ago, they were shocked by the treatment of strays and decided to dedicate their lives to a different path.
What began as a personal mission to rescue sickly kittens has grown into a world-famous, no-kill sanctuary nestled on a hillside overlooking a nature-preserved bay. The sanctuary, which has been featured in the Netflix documentary series Cat People, currently provides a permanent home to dozens of cats, while also managing a network of feeding stations for local colonies.
The Bowells’ philosophy is simple: cats are “God’s little people,” and as “big people,” humans have a duty to ensure they do not feel the world is a cruel place. Today, their sanctuary acts as a high-standard adoption center, finding forever homes across Europe and the US for cats that were once discarded in dumpsters or left to fend for themselves.
A community transformed
The combined work of these two organizations has fundamentally changed Syros. Where there was once conflict between locals and growing stray populations, there is now a community that largely supports and prides itself on its feline residents. “We want to show the world that animals count,” Richard Bowell recently told Greek Reporter. “The way we treat them reflects something of our own humanity.”
For travelers visiting Syros, the message is clear. Whether you are coming for a month to volunteer at Syros Cats or stopping by the “Cat Cuddling Café” at God’s Little People, you are entering an island where the “little ones” finally have a voice.
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