Cats Vanish in Ceuta Amid Migration Pressure

The mystery of Ceuta's cats and the hoax growing around it

Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa, has been under unprecedented migration pressure for nearly three weeks, overwhelming the city's resources. In this setting, something else is vanishing: the 65 registered feral cat colonies. Reporting by The Objective reveals that dozens of cats that lived at the feeding points have disappeared without explanation. Authorities and veterinarians admit they have never seen anything like it, while caretakers report violent attacks on some animals. Andrés, a cat found dead, has become the symbol of a phenomenon nobody can explain.

What is known about the cat colonies

Andrés's case is not isolated. Residents and veterinary professionals describe an out-of-control situation at the 65 feeding points. Caretakers speak of the "murder" of animals. There is no reliable census and no single explanation: the hypotheses of abandonment, animal attacks and deliberate intervention all mix together, with none prevailing. The mystery remains exactly at that point.

The hoax that travels faster than the facts

The version blaming the disappearances on migrants is spreading fast on social media and in comment sections. There is not a shred of evidence. The attribution to a specific group does not appear in The Objective's reporting: what is documented is an anomalous phenomenon, not a pattern of consumption. Among the reactions, some see a saving of resources, some joke about the animals' fate, and others point out that cats are a predatory species that should be controlled. Amid this noise, the facts stall: without necropsies or an official investigation, the matter hangs between public alarm and hoax. That is exactly where, for now, the analysis stops.