Fancy escaping to a remote Greek island with free accommodation? A dream opportunity has emerged for cat lovers who have some time to spare and truly want to make a difference.
The snug island of Syros – located in the centre of the Aegean Sea and 70 miles from the port of Piraeus – is home to around 3,000 stray felines.
Since the 1990s, charities such as Syros Cats have been working on managing population numbers, sterilisation and providing care to the cats.
The organisation is now welcoming ‘fit, mature, healthy and independent’ volunteers who would like to help with all aspects of cat care for a minimum of one month.
In exchange for free accommodation, breakfast and utilities, applicants will spend five hours a day, five days a week feeding, cleaning and cuddling rescued kittens.
Specific day-to-day jobs include cleaning litter trays, grooming, gardening, catching or helping trap feral cats, helping with medications, and taking sick, injured or unvaccinated cats to the vet.
Applicants should note that as well as looking after the cats, they are expected to engage with visitors and show them around.
They are further advised to not pick up sick or damaged cats without checking in with the charity first, as they could be unvaccinated or already being looked after elsewhere.
The island of Syros is home to around 3000 stray felines – and one charity is calling on volunteers to help clean, feed and cuddle them in exchange for a free room
Syros Cats is in need of ‘fit, mature, healthy and independent’ volunteers who can help with all aspects of cat care for at least one month
Those who have had training or experience as a veterinary nurse, or have previously worked with feral cats, are more likely to be considered, while those under 25 are less likely to be accepted as they may not demonstrate the level of self-sufficiency and initiative required.
However, the charity generally welcomes ‘reliable, timely and self-sufficient’ cat lovers so as long as they’re prepared to get stuck in, as outlined on its website.
Only four volunteers will be taken on at any one time, often from different parts of the world, meaning applicants must be ‘tolerant and accepting of differences in customs, race, gender and belief’.
Although each volunteer will be given their own bedroom, they are expected to share kitchen, bathroom and communal living space with two or three other volunteers.
Currently, volunteer applications for 2026 at Syros Cats are closed due to overwhelming interest, but the charity encourages those still interested to keep an eye on out on its social media channels for announcements of the next round.
Once applications are open, volunteers must fill out an enquiry form and explain why they would like to be considered, along with a summary of previous work and relevant cat care experience.
Outside of the free room, utilities and breakfast, volunteers are expected to pay for their own travel to the island, and will have to cover the costs of food for lunch and dinner throughout their stay.
Those with a non-EU passport will also only be able to stay in Syros for a total of 3 months within a six month period due to Schengen rules, and applicants without EU health cover are further advised to purchase travel insurance.
In exchange for free accommodation, breakfast and utilities, applicants will spend five hours a day, five days a week caring for the felines
Volunteers are advised to not pick up sick or damaged cats without checking in with the charity first, as they could be unvaccinated or already being looked after elsewhere
The charity welcomes digital nomads and remote workers, but they must be able to work flexibly online and outside of fixed shift hours. Unfortunately, applicants with children or pets will not be considered.
Meanwhile, a hotel in Japan once offered guests a night’s stay for just 50p – with a bizarre catch.
At the Asahi Ryokan in Fukuoka, located on Japanese island Kyushu, guests could stay in room eight on weekdays for just 100 yen, equivalent to 50p.
However, they had to agree to be livestreamed to the hotel’s YouTube channel from inside the room during their entire stay.
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