Animal charity Animur estimates that Cartagena has around 10,000 feral cats, but only about 600 have been sterilised. That is barely 6% of the estimated population. Animur says cats can produce up to three generations of kittens in a single year, allowing numbers to grow faster than volunteers can manage.

Spanish councils have been legally responsible for managing feral cat colonies since 2017. Cartagena created an Animal Welfare office, but Animur says it has received very limited funding, with only around €11,000 provided over the past three years. The charity estimates that €80,000 a year is needed to sterilise the colonies effectively.

Volunteers are covering much of the cost of food and emergency veterinary treatment. They also say they are often called when cats are sick or injured because police do not respond. Cartagena Council says it has applied for €71,000 in state funding and plans to launch a municipal sterilisation campaign using its own funds. A demonstration across Spain is planned for 6 September, with Murcia expected to be a key focus.