Hi, A short story of why we are fundraising for these 4 very special kitties who live far away on an enchanted island under the Grecian sky.

The cat houses will be bought in euros, in Greece.

The cat houses will provide shelter from the heavy grecian winds, rain and snow during this autumn and winter. They are water proof and weather proof.

https://youtube.com/shorts/SnXd-AQ8R_g?si=Xf5cmaNKz_A358Sn

♥️

Summer with the Cats

This summer, my sister and I spent five unforgettable weeks in Greece. We stayed on a tiny island, at the far edge where the road ended and the sea began. Our rented house sat a stone's throw from the beach, up the hill between two beach bars and a dusty road, surrounded by family-owned summer homes. The view was straight out of a dream: valleys of lush green, soft sunsets, rolling hills, and the turquoise shimmer of the sea. Everywhere you turned there were fig, pomegranate, orange, and lemon trees. It felt like we were living in paradise.

And then there were the cats.

They appeared immediately, as if the island had appointed them our guardians. Some looked healthy, others ragged, and tucked away were two brand-new litters of kittens and three exhausted mothers. But it was the trio of older cats who stole our hearts—because they were living out the most dramatic love story I’ve ever seen.

First, there was the Siamese, a muscular, battle-worn king we quickly named Big Balls for obvious reasons. Then came Whitey-Jones, a frightened young all white male with pale ears and striking blue eyes, always skinny, always darting for cover. Finally, there was Mantecore, a young white and grey tiger female, my sister named after Siegfried and Roy's white tiger. She was just stepping out of kittenhood, curious and playful, with a spark in her eyes.

Big Balls wanted Mantecore all to himself. He loathed Whitey-Jones and made a sport of chasing him off the beach, down the road, attacking and humiliating him daily. Mantecore, however, adored Whitey-Jones. They played endlessly—running up trees, leaping in and out of the brush, inventing games only the two of them understood. Watching them together was sweet, but always, out of the corner of our eyes, we’d see Big Balls waiting for his moment to attack.

It became too much. The violence was real, and Mantecore’s distress was undeniable. My sister, who is a homeopathic doctor, researched a remedy for Big Balls—for anger, possession, and self-protection. I gave it to him for three days. By the second day, it was as if someone had flipped a switch. He calmed. Suddenly, all three cats could sit with us on the blankets and lounge chairs, eating side by side. Peace, however fragile, settled in. We also saw how frightened Whitey-Jones was of Big Balls, even though he had mellowed a lot in the two days, Whitey-Jones was traumatized. My sister then decided on a remedy for Whitey-Jones, I gave it to him for a few days and the night before we left, Whitey-Jones came into our house and slept with me in bed. It is reported that Whitey-Jones is much more relaxed, less fearful and sitting proudly by Montecore's side.

We fed them twice a day and covered all their food. But soon we realized Mantecore was in trouble. One night we found her collapsed on our path, so dehydrated she could barely move. For days we gave her water, and she drank and drank, until finally she began to recover. Within a week, she was herself again—eating, playful, and strong.

With only three weeks left on the island, we had to think ahead. Who would feed them once we were gone? A kind worker at one of the beach bars agreed to bring food each morning and make sure they had water. By then, the fighting had stopped completely. Whitey-Jones had taken up his place by Mantecore’s side, protective and loyal, while Big Balls, calmer after the remedy, tolerated them both.

Before we left, I promised to help raise funds for three sturdy cat houses so they could survive the winter. The wind can be brutal on the island, the cold biting, snow sometimes sweeping in from the shore. Mantecore may even be pregnant, so the fundraiser includes the cost of her spay if she isn’t carrying kittens, a vet visit for Whitey-Jones and Mantecore, their shots and ear cleaning. Last week, I paid for Big Balls to be neutered.

Now, when I think back on our summer in Greece, it isn’t just the beauty of the sea or the forests that I remember. It’s the small miracle of three cats learning to live in harmony—against all odds, on the edge of the island, under the endless Grecian sky…