Cats disappearing from Male' without a trace: welfare group

An animal welfare organization has raised alarm over a mysterious decline in the number of stray cats in Male', with no indication of what is happening to them.

Ahmed Vishan, founder and president of Feline Welfare, told Mihaaru News that large numbers of cats have been disappearing from the streets of Male' since late March. Unlike previous cases involving poisonings or injuries, he said the current situation is marked by a complete absence of remains or visible signs of harm.

“They’re just vanishing. We’re not seeing dead cats, nor any signs of violence or poisoning. There’s simply no trace,” he said.

The Marrybrown parking area, once known to have one of the highest populations of stray cats in Male', had between 80 and 90 adult cats at the end of Ramadan, Vishan said. That number has now dropped to around 15–18, with new, unfamiliar cats arriving during feeding times, bringing the number present to roughly 30 at most.

The decline is not limited to this area. Vishan said there are only about 15 cats left in the industrial area, and just two or three near the Salman Mosque.

He added that volunteers who regularly feed stray cats have also reported the sudden decline. In response, members of Feline Welfare have searched various areas, including the outskirts of the city and even parts of Thilafushi but found no dead animals.

According to Vishan, similar reports of declining cat populations are now emerging from Hulhumale; as well.

Despite three weeks of raising the issue on social media, he said no agency has yet responded or announced an investigation into the matter.