A Woman Asked For Help At Greece's 'Cat Island' Sanctuary & Here's How It Changed Everything
You can visit this stunning spot yourself! 😻
Joan Bowell with two cats. Right: Cats in Syros, Greece.
This article is part of Narcity’s Remote Living series, which profiles people living in surprising places or situations. Have a story to tell? Get in touch with asymina.kantorowicz@narcity.com.
When Joan Bowell put an ad on Facebook back in 2018 looking for help at her cat sanctuary on the Greek island of Syros, she ended up getting much more than she asked for.
"PAID JOB OFFER WITH CATS," read the viral post, which touts the Greek island of Syros as a "small paradise" in need of someone to look after 50-plus felines. "For a mature and genuinely passionate cat lover who knows how to handle many cats and would love their company!!"
Bowell received tens of thousands of applicants and the job eventually went to a woman from California, but the posting itself ended up changing Bowell's life.
Fast forward over four years later and Bowell says she currently rotates the position every six months to allow more people to help out. She's also set up villas on the property where tourists can visit and stay with the cats, and she's even been featured in a Netflix documentary.
It's a big change for the native of Denmark, who initially moved to the island with her husband, Richard, and started the shelter for the many stray cats that roamed the area.
"I just knew I absolutely had to do something for the cats here because it was just agonizing to see how they suffered when we arrived here," Bowell tells Narcity.
"It just felt so incredibly fulfilling getting up every day and just knowing I must go out and help them because their need was overwhelming."
What is the God's Little People Cat Rescue?
Bowell runs the island's cat shelter as a no-kill, cage-free sanctuary and adoption centre rescuing sick and injured cats and orphaned or discarded kittens.
Bowell doesn't just give the cats food and a home; she also makes sure the animals are healthy by taking them to see a local vet.
The rescue is currently caring for 52 cats and many of them are looking for forever homes overseas, she tells Narcity. The shelter screens potential families before adoption and once a match is set, someone will travel with the cat to its new home country.
"We're definitely looking for homes for some of our more senior cats, because they've been overlooked for a really long time," Bowell says.
Anyone who is interested in adopting a cat, including in North America, is asked to contact the sanctuary directly and they can help you match with the perfect kitty.
What Netflix documentary was the cat rescue featured in?
The Facebook ad that went viral in 2018 sparked so much interest that TV producers came to Bowell and some even proposed a reality TV show to find a suitable candidate for the role.
Bowell says she decided not to take that reality route. However, she did agree to be a part of the 2021 Netflix documentary titled Cat People. The cat rescue is featured in episode five.
In the doc, Bowell discusses what sparked her interested in helping stray cats on Syros and the incredible work she does to make sure the cats are not only healthy, but also loved.
She adds that the documentary essentially led to more cats being adopted.
"Last year, we had about 30 cats get adopted, but usually we have between six and 10," she said. "It [filming the documentary] was a fantastic experience and obviously gave us a lot of exposure and it's been really valuable."
How can you learn more about the cat rescue?
Not only was Bowell featured in a Netflix documentary, but she also released a book in October titled God's Little People - Feelings That Connect.
In her book, Bowell details her journey before and after opening the cat sanctuary, with the funds from book sales going towards running the sanctuary.
Can you visit the cat island sanctuary in Greece?
While the sanctuary itself isn't open to visitors, you can check out the Cat Cuddling Café between June and August. It's located on the same property as the rescue so you'll see plenty of cats.
"People can just come to watch the sunset and have a drink consumed with the cats, which is very popular," Bowell said.
Guests who book a stay in the cat sanctuary villas will also get to see the cats during their visit.
"The cat loving guests who come here love to interact with the cats and get to volunteer and help us feed the cats while they're on their vacation," Bowell explains.
"This adds a sense of purpose to people's holiday and when our guests leave many of them leave teary-eyed because they've fallen in love with the cats."
Can you work at the cat sanctuary in Greece?
As mentioned above, the cat sanctuary looks for new caretakers every six months.
Anyone who is interested in working at God's Little People Cat Rescue is advised to get in touch with them.
"If there’s anyone out there who feels a calling to work for cats, then they’re welcome to write to us," Bowell says.
How can you help the cat sanctuary?
Aside from forever homes for the furry felines, Bowell says the sanctuary is always looking for cat sponsors.
The website has a list of cats that are available to sponsor.
According to Bowell, the cat rescue is run privately and does not get any government grants so donations are essential.
She says sponsorships are "the only way we get donations to keep doing the work we're doing."
What are Bowell's future plans for the cat sanctuary?
Plans to expand the cat sanctuary are currently in the works, both in Greece and elsewhere.
Bowell says they are currently waiting to hear back about their offer on a large piece of land on Syros.
"Our vision is to create a dedicated cat sanctuary that acts as the extension to our current place where we simply cannot take in more rescues as we already have 50 plus cats, many of them now senior cats turned resident cats due to lack of adoption offers," she said.
"On top of this we've got plans to expand into my native country Denmark, where we hope to be able to focus on adoptions into the Scandinavian countries."
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