Kotor Kitties is a partnership of 3 organizations devoted to removing the barriers to spaying and neutering companion animals—cats and dogs—in Montenegro. We dedicate our fundraising to cats, but our Humane Education and Community Connections are concerned with all companion animals.

Kotor Kitties has no paid staff, and we rely on volunteers for almost everything we do (apart from the actual surgeries). Our volunteers and donors are from various countries around the world. We set up the 3 charities for operational efficiencies.

The US non-profit was founded in 2018, the UK charity was registered in 2020, and a Montenegrin organization was registered in August 2021. Our documents are available here (located in the About Us page on the navigation menu).

An American tourist visited Kotor in 2018 and wanted to help the cats by donating to a spay-neuter program. When she learned that there were no permanent spay-neuter programs in Montenegro, she and her Airbnb hosts agreed to start one together. The friends traveling with her agreed to help.

The decision to first incorporate in the United States reflected the experience of the founders as volunteers and managers with non-profit organizations in the US.

In 2018, Montenegro was already a NATO nation, aspiring to join the European Union. Yet it overflowed with unwanted cats and dogs! The idea that there was no free or low-cost spay-neuter program for the animals in a 21st-century European country was simply unacceptable!

Those founding tourists were from Seattle, Washington. After 40 years of heavy sterilization of cats and dogs, the Seattle area — a region about the size of Montenegro — has become a pretty good place for animals. Free and low-cost sterilization is readily available. The shelters no longer need to euthanize healthy animals to “make room” for more — in fact, they don’t euthanize sick animals unless it would be inhumane to keep them alive. Behaviorists work with problem behaviors before adoption. Volunteer foster homes are ready and waiting. Adopters are waiting. Animals are brought from overcrowded parts of the US because Seattle has resources—time, space, volunteers, and funding—to help other animals. Shelters function as adoption centers, not warehouses.

If Seattle could transform the region for dogs and cats, then surely Montenegro could do the same! The size is equivalent, and tourists could help focus interest and funds on the sterilization work that is so crucial to solving the overpopulation problem.

There is no simple or easy answer to this!

PLEASE understand that Montenegro probably cannot provide the services that you would expect for sick or injured animals in your home country. This is really, really important to understand, before you decide how to proceed! If you are interested in specifics, please see the Reality Check section at the bottom of this answer.

Montenegro does not have a system of humane shelters. There are some municipal shelters for dogs, but none of them meets even minimal standards of a humane shelter. There are none for cats. Most of Montenegro’s veterinary clinics don’t serve small animals; they treat the farm animals raised for food. Those that do treat small animals are frequently small practices, with one vet, one exam room, a tiny surgery, and little or no space for hospitalization.

If you can possibly catch and transport the animal to the nearest town and take the animal to a vet clinic, then please do so. Offer what you can to help pay for treatment or to cover the cost of euthanasia. If there is nobody to care for the animal during recovery, then euthanasia may be the best solution for the animal. Please bear in mind that the vets do run very small clinics, and they may not have the space and time to help an animal in need for as long as it takes to resolve a problem, or to nurse and feed around the clock. This does not mean they are heartless, just pragmatic. 

We often have tourists ask us to collect the animal and they will pay all costs. Please bear in mind the majority of Kotor Kitties volunteers are not in Montenegro and there may not be other people available to help. You may be this animal’s only hope!

As well as contributing for this animal’s care, please also donate to our spay- neuter program. Without our spay-neuter program, next year — and for many years after — the situation will be even worse, and more animals will be sick and hurt.

If you absolutely cannot catch the animal, it really helps if you can take photos of the animal and the location. A GPS “location map” is particularly helpful. Please try not to leave a sick or injured animal unattended and later post messages for help; this is immensely frustrating to local volunteers.

Mother Nature can be very cruel. Sometimes the best you can do is to let her take her course, because there are so many animals needing homes and help in Montenegro. Far more than the country’s resources can care for. Until the population of unwanted animals is humanely reduced through spaying and neutering, there will continue to be far more animals than there are resources to help.

Reality check for many of us...

The few private shelters in Montenegro are usually run by individuals who struggle every day to care for more animals than they have resources for. None of these shelters have vets on staff; many don’t even have vets on contract for routine visits, although they are required to by law.

Volunteers who rescue animals usually do so at their own expense, after work, while juggling family obligations. They may or may not own a car. And their hands are always, ALWAYS full of more animals than anyone can manage. Somehow they do manage. But they see the very worst of what humans are capable of. If they say they can’t do something, they are telling you the truth. Don’t push them to the breaking point.

Another resource could be a government office. No, it is not their job to care for injured animals, but they will have the language skills and knowledge to start contacting local rescues and volunteers to try to find help.

Montenegro’s Animal Welfare Law says that anyone who finds an animal in need of help should help them; it’s everyone’s responsibility…. And yet, it’s nobody’s job or responsibility. Municipal governments go out of their way not to associate themselves with stray animals, to avoid lawsuits as the perceived or de facto owner. You may need to push very hard, and cite the law, to convince them to help.

With animals in Montenegro it’s a sort of “touch it and it becomes your problem” situation...

That leads to the understanding of why so many Montenegrins see a sick or injured animal and simply do nothing. They have had a lifetime of training in the need to just look away and keep walking.

The official language is of Montenegro is Montenegrin!

A linguist or anthropologist would tell you they speak a variation of Serbo-Croatian, which is the southern group of Slavic languages. That is a useful answer for anyone looking for helpful phrases to use in travel: look up Serbian or Croatian and you will find phrases you can use.

It is also helpful to understand that a language contains and expresses a society’s view of the world and of themselves. It represents their cultural identity. In the case of the Balkans, this reflects the political reality of their unification into the former Yugoslavia and their decision to disconnect themselves into separate nations following the death of Tito (Josip Broz Tito, the president of Yugoslavia, 1953-1980) and the difficulties that followed.* 

Regardless of what they called their language, the people of the seven countries which were united in Yugoslavia all spoke languages similar enough so that they could understand and be understood by other Yugoslavs. The furthest regions, Slovenia and Macedonia, were a little more difficult to understand, but still they communicated well.

Montenegro separated peacefully from Serbia in 2006. It was the only nation to gain independence without a war. Since then, the Montenegrin government has moved to distinguish a “Montenegrin” language by officially adopting a number of regional pronunciations, words and uses that are unique to them.

Within Montenegro you will meet some people who say their language is “Serbian” or “Serbo-Croatian.” But if you want to avoid offending anyone, it is best to call it “Montenegrin,” even though it will be difficult to find a dictionary or textbook in the language.

* On our Resources page, you will find a list of books and programs our volunteers have found useful to learn more about the recent history of the countries of former Yugoslavia. It includes links to learn a bit more about the language distinctions of the Balkans.

The population of unwanted cats and dogs in Montenegro is probably much larger than anyone can imagine unless they have spent time living there. There is no way that even a large portion of the animals can be helped. You couldn’t build enough shelters, recruit enough foster homes, or find enough rescuers to even begin to help them all.

We have to make a choice: how can we spend our donors’ money most effectively to solve the problems of overpopulation? How can we have the greatest impact on the most animals?

€30 can pay for one X-ray, OR 5 kitten vaccines, OR ...a spay that prevents the birth of several dozen kittens. It the sterilized cat to gain weight, to stop fighting off males and to become a more adoptable companion animal, should someone take notice of a particular street cat!

We hope someday the population of unwanted animals is reduced to a point that fits Montenegro’s capacity to care for them humanely. The only way to achieve that goal is to spay and neuter as many animals as possible, working our way through colonies, apartment buildings, and neighborhoods. And as we spay, we educate, unendingly, in every conversation, with every interaction we have.

Not at all! The name sounded fun when we chose it, and we didn’t anticipate how quickly the project would grow, or how widespread the interest and need would be! Our mission is to help all of the community animals of Montenegro — cats and dogs — through resource development, education, coordination and advocacy.

We limit our surgery funds to cats because no other group in Montenegro focuses on them. We have expanded to work with vets in 4 cities, and our only limitation is our fundraising ability. One of our vets even travels to outlying areas to perform sterilizations in farm clinics and other facilities, working to interest other vets in the idea of HQHVSN (High Quality, High Volume Spay-Neuter).

Kotor Kitties relies on the generosity of tourists and locals! Their donations make these sterilizations possible. 

We also seek grants and donations from foundations and corporations, to help us increase the number of cats we can help and broaden the scope of our work.

The short answer is simple: click here for links to all of the donation platforms for both the US and UK groups.

The long answer depends on where you live: Kotor Kitties (US) accepts donations through PayPal, Facebook, and GoFundMe. We are also happy to be a recognized charity with AmazonSmile and Giving Assistant in the US. Donations can also be mailed to Kotor Kitties or made directly to our bank account in Seattle.

Because of the generous support of the British government for registered charities, it is important that our supporters in the UK donate through the separate Kotor Kitties UK accounts for PayPal or contact contactuk@kotorkitties.org so we can benefit from Gift Aid. Support can also be shown with AmazonSmile and Easyfundraising.org in the UK.

PayPal, Facebook, and other fundraising platforms are unavailable for use in Montenegro. Residents of Montenegro can leave donations (and get a receipt) with any of our participating veterinarians (see contact details in the final FAQ at the bottom of this page:  What are the Partner Vets’ Contact Details?).

We also have DONATION CANISTERS in shops in Kotor, Perast, Herceg Novi, and Budva. Kotorske Macke does not yet have a bank account.

Tourists in Montenegro can also look for Kotor Kitties informational flyers. These contain a QR CODE that allows you to donate directly to one of our accounts outside Montenegro.

Kotor Kitties is committed to using licensed and registered local veterinarians who know the techniques for HQHVSN (High-Quality, High-Volume Spay/Neuter) and who agree to our policies and protocols for handling the cats.

Participating clinics are in Kotor (Vet Port Kotor), Nikšić (Veterinarska Ambulanta Gorašević), Podgorica (Royal Vet), and Herceg Novi (Igalo clinic). See contact details in the final FAQ at the bottom of this page: What are the Partner Vets’ Contact Details?

Sometimes Dr.Gorašević (Veterinarska Ambulanta Gorašević) travels to outlying areas to do spay/neuter surgeries in the large-animal (farm) clinics. We hope to do more of these spay events in the future!

To sterilize an animal means to remove its reproductive organs and permanently stop its ability to reproduce. The term “spay” refers to the surgical procedure used on female animals; “neuter” is commonly used to refer to the surgery performed on males.

There are 3 possible ways to spay a female cat. Our vets choose one of the first two, depending on the cat’s condition and circumstances:

Ovariohysterectomy: the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus are removed from a female dog or cat. This makes her unable to reproduce and eliminates her heat cycle and breeding instinct-related behavior. For decades this was the typical “spay.”

Ovariectomy: the ovaries are removed from a female dog or cat, but the uterus remains. Similar to ovariohysterectomy, this makes her unable to reproduce and eliminates her heat cycle and breeding instinct-related behavior. This has become the standard procedure in the EU, and is now being used more in the US as well.

Hysterectomy: the uterus and part of the fallopian tubes are removed from a female dog or cat. This makes her unable to reproduce, but her ovaries remain and will produce hormones. This may not eliminate the dog or cat’s behaviors associated with the breeding instinct.

There are 2 common ways to neuter a male cat:

Orchiectomy, or the typical “neuter”: the testes are removed from a male dog or cat. This makes him unable to reproduce and reduces or eliminates male breeding behaviors.

Vasectomy: only the vas deferens, which conducts sperm from the testes, are removed. This procedure makes the dog or cat unable to reproduce, but his testes remain and will produce hormones. This may not eliminate the dog or cat’s behaviors associated with the breeding instinct.

Source: American Veterinary Medicine Association.

It depends on where you are and what type and kind of animal you wish to sterilize. In Montenegro we work with vets who give us a significant discount because of the high volume of work we do.

Kotor Kitties’ rate is €36.30 for female cats (€30 + 6.30 VAT) or €24.20 for males (€20 + 4.20 VAT). The 21% VAT is charged by the Montenegrin government.

That’s a great question! There are many, many ways that people and groups can avoid paying the 21% tax, but they are not legal. Kotor Kitties has decided that we want to set an example not only of how to treat animals, but of how to treat other people, and to obey the laws of our host country.

We want to see this tax removed, both to help make sterilization more affordable, and to emphasize the government’s commitment to solving the problem of overpopulation. As added incentive, we believe they should remove the tax on all veterinary services for sterilized animals! Breeders or owners who choose not to sterilize their pets should of course pay the 21% VAT for vet services.

This means starting a dialogue with the government about the crisis with animal overpopulation. It’s not a conversation they welcome. We encourage Montenegrin citizens to contact their Parliamentary representatives to urge them to stop taxing the solution to the problem.

We also encourage all tourists to take a few minutes to let their government tourist bureau and their own country’s ambassador to Montenegro know what they think of the situation. Ask that they use some diplomatic means to help the Montenegrin government take responsibility for their community animals. Removing the 21% tax on sterilization would be a great first step.

This can vary. In our first full year of operation, Kotor Kitties sterilized 1435 cats. In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and reduced funding, our numbers were much lower: 1,099.

Working with our vets to estimate our capacity in years when sufficient fundraising allows more spays, our present capacity is about 4,500 cats per year. This translates to roughly €145,200 euros, or $173,000 USD or £130,000 GBP.

We call that an “ear tip,” and it is an internationally recognized sign that a cat has been sterilized. The vet removes a small portion of the point of the ear while the cat is under anesthesia for the surgery. While it may make us cringe to think about, the cats don’t seem at all bothered by it when they wake up! The ear is still fully functional for hearing, balance and movement: it twitches and swivels in the same way it did before the tip was removed.

We think of ear tips as a sign of love — somebody cared enough to take the cat to a vet and have it spayed or neutered so it won’t continue to add to the overpopulation of unwanted cats.

The benefits of an ear tip are primarily for the cat — when you are trapping a population of feral cats, you don’t want to needlessly trap a cat a second time, or subject it to a second surgery to ensure that it is spayed! The ear tip alerts trappers that they should focus on other cats, or if they have caught an ear-tipped cat by accident, to release it immediately.

In addition, ear tips make it easier to notice when a new, unsterilized cat starts showing up for dinner: time to make an appointment and borrow a trap!

Ear tips also tell people in a neighborhood that the cats are being cared for responsibly, so they are less likely to be hurt, poisoned, or shot as “population control.”

Our vets place the ear tips as done by the Feral Cat Spay-Neuter Project in Seattle, Washington: right ear tip means a female; left ear tipped means a male.

Following their surgery, the cats are released to their caretakers, feeders, or drivers with instructions for aftercare. Most of the cats are released the next day to a colony situation. Please see our section on Trap-Neuter-Return of feral cats for more details on why this is usually best. If complications arise during surgery, they may be held in the vet clinic or by the caretaker until they are ready for release.

We would like to!

Formally registering the NVO (Montenegrin non-governmental organization), Kotorske Macke, will open more doors for participation with the government.

Our participating veterinarians are in touch with the Veterinary Chamber of Montenegro and with individual veterinary colleagues. Not all veterinarians agree that public education, client education, or advocacy for the animals should be part of their professional activities.

Cultural change is a slow process. That’s what we’re working on in Montenegro: changing individual attitudes, encouraging institutional interest and capacity, building public and private partnerships. We’ll keep working on it!

Please see our section Adopt a Friend.

Yes indeed! Although veterinarians without a license in Montenegro cannot actively practice medicine, our vets can host colleagues and work with them in meaningful ways. Unfortunately we just can’t invite you in to run a Spay-a-thon, regardless of how much experience your team has.

Interested veterinarians, vet students, and vet technicians, please contact us via email with details about your background, your interests if you come to help in Montenegro (i.e., strictly spay-neuter, any particular type of clinical or surgical experience, well-animal exams, etc.), the time period you’re considering, etc.