I heard a rumour that on the small island of Tabarca, just off the coast of Alicante, cats outnumber people.
It sounds wonderful. The idea of living somewhere quiet, surrounded by animals instead of humans sounds like my dream location!
According to a study by the National Library of Medicine (NIH), around fifty people live on Tabarca all year, while the cat population is roughly double. It certainly is an interesting balance that gives the island an undeniable appeal to me.
Barely 1,800 metres long and 400 wide, it’s small enough to stroll across in minutes, yet packed with history.
The island where cats rule: Tabarca’s story
Tabarca’s story began in the 18th century when Genoese families, freed from slavery in Tunisia, were resettled there by the Spanish Crown. The town was designed with wide streets, a central square and strong walls to fend off pirates. Much of it remains intact today.
Even with its size, Tabarca has held onto its traditions. In 2024, representatives from Tabarca communities in Italy and Sardinia met in Genoa to celebrate their shared roots .
For most of the year, Tabarca is blissfully quiet. In winter, the streets are almost empty, and the cats bask in the sunshine.
Then summer hits. Suddenly, up to 10,000 visitors descend in a single day. Ferries come and go, cafés fill up, and the cats, I assume, wisely retreat to the shadows.
That’s when I paused my vision of moving there. The idea of escaping people, only to have a small army of them arrive by ferry each morning, rather put a dent in the dream.
Still, it’s comforting to know there’s a place that can be escaped to, where animals outnumber humans, even if only for part of the year.
