Interim mayor announces free sterilization program for 10,000 cats in Bucharest

Bucharest will sterilize up to 10,000 cats under a new free program approved by the city council, interim mayor Stelian Bujduveanu announced on Sunday, August 31. The initiative, set to be implemented by the Animal Protection Authority (ASPA), will cover both household cats and strays in an effort to reduce overpopulation and improve animal welfare in the city.

“Nearly half of Romanian households own at least one cat. […] With each sterilized cat, we are taking a step toward a more caring Bucharest - a city where our furry friends are healthier and less exposed to unnecessary suffering,” Bujduveanu said.

Romania ranks among the most cat-loving countries in the European Union, with 48% of households owning at least one feline, according to the interim mayor.

Bucharest has previously carried out large-scale sterilization campaigns. More than 2,000 cats were sterilized in 2018, 4,500 in 2019, and over 7,400 between 2021 and 2023. In 2024, the program reached around 5,600 cats.

Details on how residents can register for the new program will be published soon on the websites of Bucharest City Hall and ASPA.

(Photo source:Odelia Cohen/Dreamstime.com)