Cat Town is a volunteer project to save the stray cats of the Kyiv Zoo. It was created by the NGO “Independent Journalists Union ‘Nature First’ with the support of patrons from all over the world.
After the full-scale invasion began, we evacuated 70 cats to Poland. Currently, 40 cats and two dogs remain in Cat Town and under the care of our NGO, as well as the friendly Bakhmut shelter of an IDP from Bakhmut.
We are not a shelter. We do not accept new cats.
The Cat town is located on the territory of the Kyiv Zoo. The entrance to us is through the service entrance to the zoo to the left of the building at 2 Zoolohichna Street.
We are a fenced area with cat houses in the zoo's farmyard. There are two hangars and a parking lot around us.
You will be escorted through the security by our volunteers, so please call us at least an hour before your arrival.
Our project started in 2010, when we discovered that several dozen domestic cats live on the territory of Kyiv Zoo. The zoo management used to ruthlessly kill them, but the ones that survived would breed again. This went on for decades.
In the fall of 2010, we started negotiations with the zoo management about sterilizing the cats, reached an agreement and have been taking the cats under our care ever since.
Since 2014, we have been proposing to the management to build a fence around the Cat Town and move the cats there from the central gate, from the giraffe park, and from the territory of the Bogomolets Medical University. We realized this idea in 2017, when the zoo moved us to its own territory.
Cats are sterilized and vaccinated in several veterinary clinics.
We are a public project, the source of funding is donations, without grants or government funds (the zoo, a municipal organization, helps with electricity and water supply). Anyone who sends money to feed the cats is actually their co-host and can ask how they live.
We conduct excursions around the Cat Town for everyone. From time to time, we gather volunteers for clean-ups, during which we arrange and improve the life of our cats.
Our mission
We are creating a qualitatively new space for the coexistence of Human and Cat.
Cats are isolated from the rest of the zoo by a fence. The Cat Town helps cats to stay in their natural environment without oppressing them and without harming the animals in the zoo's collection.
This attracts new ethically and environmentally oriented visitors to the zoo.
Areas of our project
🌿cat rescue;
🌿felinotherapy for people;
🌿 upcycling - artistic recycling of garbage;
🌿 environmental education;
🌿 alternative energy sources (in the future).
What does Cat Town need?
🌿your support. You can start with likes and reposts on social media. You can continue by supporting our initiative with money or labor;
🌿patrons. Help with money for food, treatment, sterilization, PR services, and construction;
🌿volunteers. Invest your time and connections.
First of all, we need veterinarians, cleaners and cat groomers, construction and repair workers, designers, psychologists, public relations specialists, photographers and videographers, artists.
🌿Any kind of creativity is welcome.
What are we striving for?
A qualitatively new ethical space in Kyiv Zoo. It will bring it to a new level and will positively influence the image of the city of Kyiv.
We feel our connection with the natural face of Kyiv: we are located above the historic Shuliavska Balka, a natural protected area.
The Cat town is positive for everyone: for the image of the zoo, its management, Kyiv authorities and the Zoo cats themselves.
Free cats of Kyiv Zoo are waiting for you!
Our team
Anzhelika Komarova – project curator, head of the NGO;
Oleg Andros – Deputy Head of the NGO;
Klavdiya Kunytska – co-founder of the NGO;
Artem Forostianyi – repair and construction master;
Valentyna Makarova – accountant;
Maryna Kutsenko – volunteer (currently residing in Belgium);
Ellise Essie – co-founder of the NGO;
Victoria Chernetska – co-founder of the NGO.
Contacts
Our social networks are located in the “footer” of the site, contacts – in the section “Visiting and Adoption Rules”, details - in the section “Helping the Project”.