Salobreña cat charity demands councils act, as volunteers protest over feline colonies

Homeless Cat Salobreña has joined a major Granada protest calling on town halls to comply with Spain’s animal welfare laws and properly fund the management of street cat colonies.

Members of the Salobreña group joined animal welfare associations, colony carers and other supporters at the Jardines del Triunfo in Granada this weekend, saying volunteers have been left carrying responsibilities that should fall to local authorities.

Salobreña volunteers say enough is enough

Homeless Cat Salobreña manages feline colonies and helps cats find new homes, but says it has spent three years waiting for councils to put the legislation into practice.

Volunteers say local authorities should provide funding, apply for state grants and find other sources of finance rather than relying on unpaid carers to keep colonies running. “Volunteers are not workers. We are here to collaborate, not to do their work for free,” the group said during the protest.

Spain’s Animal Welfare Law places responsibility for managing community cats with local authorities. Municipal programmes are expected to include population control through the CER method, capture, sterilisation and return, as well as feeding, veterinary care, colony mapping and measures to deal with neighbourhood disputes.

Around 100 cat colonies across Salobreña

Homeless Cat estimates that around 100 feline colonies are spread across Salobreña, with volunteers continuing to identify and monitor them.

Figures from the association show that 111 cats, 42 males and 69 females, have already been sterilised during 2026. The group also says 60 cats have been abandoned in the municipality this year.

Abandonment is itself prohibited under Spain’s national animal welfare legislation, which also gives community cats legal protection and sets out rules governing their management.

Calls for protection against abuse

Volunteers say they are also facing hostility from some residents over feeding points and abandoned animals.

“We are tired of having to confront neighbours who throw away food, abandon or mistreat cats,” the group said. Homeless Cat says its campaign will continue until councils meet their legal responsibilities, adding that it will not take a step backwards in its demand for better protection and properly managed feline colonies.