Syrian cat sanctuary home to over 1,000 felines stranded by war

More than 1,000 cats enjoy living in a sanctuary for strays affected by war in Syria’s northwest.

A worker sits among the cats of the sanctuary, March 28, 2021.

The cats were injured or abandoned by their owners during the seemingly never ending conflict in the country.

Syrian Alaa al-Jaleel, who chose to remain in Aleppo during the war to take care of abandoned cats, had around 100 at the time and took them along after he evacuated to Idlib with the rest of the population of Aleppo in 2016.

WIth 1,000 residents now at Ernesto's Sanctuary, named after a much-loved cat of the Italian who helped set it up, the facility provides medical care and food for the felines.

While many of the cats were permanently injured during the war when their owners were forced to leave them behind as they fled the city, they now enjoy many of the site's facilities.

Veterinarians at the sanctuary, which is still located in a war zone, say they treat around 30 of the cats a day for different cases, among which some are pregnant while others are sick.

The manager of Ernesto's Sanctuary for cats, Mohamad Wattar, plays with cats in Idlib and said that the sanctuary is surrounded by a fence.

"It includes many sections; medical isolation, new mother ward and another for healthy cats. We offer them the needed services such as medical care, shelter and food," he added.

Cats enjoying the sun in the sanctuary, March 28, 2021.

Cats strolling in the garden of the sanctuary.

Cat lounging in the inside area of the sanctuary.

A cat sips water at Ernesto's Sanctuary for cats in Idlib, March 28, 2021.

A worker plays with a cat at the sanctuary.