Inauguration of a Chatipi in Drancy on 5 July: an ethical project for stray cats and for raising public awareness
On Saturday 5 July 2025 at 11am at 5, Villa de l’Avant-Garde, the town of Drancy will inaugurate its very first Chatipi. This project will provide support for the feline population, offer shelter to stray cats and raise awareness among residents about their situation which is often overlooked. The inauguration of the shelter, located on municipal land, will take place in the presence of Ms Aude Lagarde, Mayor of Drancy, Ms Marie-José Pinto-Vaz, President of the association Les Animaux Errants de l’Économie, and Ms Mathilde Perrot, representative of One Voice.
A local emergency
Despite the actions taken by the town of Drancy and local associations, the municipality is facing an ever-growing population of stray cats due to excessive abandonment and the failure of owners to neuter their animals. Too often mistakenly perceived as self-sufficient, cats without families are in fact confronted with disease, cold, hunger and sometimes even human malice.
At the initiative of the town and in partnership with One Voice, this Chatipi will not only provide shelter for homeless cats which will be sterilised and tagged, but will also inform citizens about the importance of this operation and the need to respect these living beings.
Located in a residential neighbourhood, this initiative has been very well received by local residents, proving that awareness-raising and mediation can change attitudes.
Division of tasks
One Voice, the creator of the project, has financed the hut, the cat flaps and the educational panels, the veterinary costs for fifteen cats (sterilisation, tagging and tests for feline diseases), as well as thirty kilos of dry food for the launch of the initiative.
The association Les Animaux Errants de l’Économie will cover the long-term costs of food, feeding and veterinary care for the residents of the Chatipi. It will organise the trapping and health monitoring of the cats, and the fitting-out and cleaning of the hut. The most sociable cats will be put up for adoption.
The municipality of Drancy has kindly provided a plot of land belonging to it. The town’s technical services have been in charge of creating the concrete slab supporting the hut, assembling it and installing the panels and cat flaps. The town will also be managing the maintenance of all this equipment over time.
A multifaceted national programme
Across France, more than sixty Chatipis have already been created, including in nursing homes, schools and hospitals, to provide comfort or serve as educational aids. This initiative, which combines animal protection and civic education, is now recognised for its tangible impact in the field.
📍Practical information
Address: 5, Villa de l’Avant-Garde, 93700 Drancy
Date: Saturday 5 July 2025
Time: 11am
The inauguration will be followed by a reception organised by the town council.