Frigiliana cats: New scheme tackles stray population

An organised effort to sort out Frigiliana’s stray cat population is getting underway after the town hall joined forces with a local animal welfare association to improve conditions for felines living in the village.

The agreement with Asociación Frigiliana Felina will introduce the CER method, which stands for Captura, Esterilización y Retorno (Capture, Neuter and Return). The approach is designed to control cat numbers humanely while improving animal welfare.

The latest development follows an earlier campaign by Frigiliana’s animal welfare volunteers for better stray-cat management, which included discussions with the mayor about improving support for local cat colonies.

Frigiliana introduces organised cat colony management

The partnership follows the approval of Frigiliana’s municipal programme for managing feline colonies in May 2026. Asociación Frigiliana Felina, a local organisation dedicated to cat welfare, will coordinate and supervise interventions involving the municipality’s colonies. Under the CER system, cats living in established colonies are safely captured, taken to veterinary professionals for sterilisation and health checks, and returned to the areas where they were found once they have recovered. The approach is already being used elsewhere in the Axarquia. Velez-Malaga’s own programme to control stray cat colonies provides another example of how local authorities are tackling the issue.

Spanish law puts councils in charge

The initiative also forms part of the responsibilities placed on local authorities under Spain’s Animal Welfare Law, introduced in 2023. The legislation requires municipalities to take responsibility for managing community cat colonies, including population control, veterinary care and measures to protect their welfare. Andalucia’s guidelines for managing community cat colonies also set out how the CER method should be implemented.

Frigiliana’s new partnership gives the village a local organisation to coordinate this work and oversee the practical implementation of the programme. The scheme comes as other Axarquia towns, including Rincon de la Victoria, provide training for community cat carers.

Community cat colonies are found in towns and villages throughout Spain, where volunteers often play an important role in feeding animals and monitoring their health. Spain has also made almost €4 million available for animal welfare organisations and local authority cat colony programmes.

The success of the Frigiliana scheme will depend on effective cooperation between the council, veterinary professionals and local residents. Further details about the number of colonies involved, the estimated cat population and the programme’s funding have not yet been made public.