Felis catus
Common name (English)
Cat
Common name (Greek)
Γάτα
Ηabitat
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Establishment status
Establishment status detail
Alien: Invasive.
Pathway detail
According to Byzantine legend, Saint Helen introduced hundreds of cats from Egypt or Palestine to Cyprus in 328 AD to control venomous snakes that had infested the area around the St Nicolas monastery, following a drought lasting 37 years.
Nevertheless, cats may have been introduced to the island from neighbouring coasts since ancient times.