🐈‍⬛ It’s Black Cat Appreciation Day – And Portugal Has Nearly a Million Reasons to Care

Happy Sunday, friends! 😺

Today is Black Cat Appreciation Day, and it feels right to talk about what this means as expats in Portugal. Right now, our home is basically a feline hostel: one ginger, two black adults, four black kittens still waiting for adoption, plus Ziggy, our dog who made the move from SA with us.

Portugal has a huge stray animal problem. Nearly 1 million, according to the latest National Census of Stray Animals (May 2024). Why does this matter for expats? Because belonging isn’t just paperwork and pastel de nata runs. It’s how we show up for the place we now call home. Stray animals touch daily life: late-night yowling, kittens under parked cars, stressed colonies around bins. Helping manage this humanely makes streets calmer, and helps you sleep better (no more water-pistol duels with the neighborhood cats at 2 a.m.).

So in honor of today, I’m sharing a few ways expats can help, including a quick list of contacts and welfare groups to save for when you need them.

Next week, we have a seriously cool article dropping on converting commercial property into residential, perfect if you’re cash-strapped and dreaming of owning your own home. If you love this newsletter, please share it! It helps us collaborate with more experts and bring you incredible content.

Later this month, we’ll feature our first reader interview sharing her local hustle. It’s super interesting, and you’ll walk away inspired! Stay tuned!

What’s on the menu today:

🐈‍⬛How expats can help with the stray animal crisis

🎭 Summer festivals and events to add to your calendar

🗣A Portuguese language video with useful vet vocab for your next visit

Let’s dive in, shall we?

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Chaves, in northern Portugal, is famed for its Roman heritage as Aquae Flaviae, a city built around Europe’s hottest thermal springs, which still bubble at an incredible 73°C (163°F) and have drawn visitors for their healing powers since ancient times. Its iconic 1st-century AD Trajan Bridge still spans the Tâmega River, a reminder of the city’s role as both a Roman hub and later a strategic medieval stronghold, known as the “keys” to Portugal. Just 10km from Spain, Chaves today thrives as a spa town, where therapeutic mineral waters meet rich culinary traditions like smoked sausages and hams. With its rare mix of history, wellness, and gastronomy, it remains one of Portugal’s most captivating destinations.

Throughout August and early September, you'll find festivals and events in every second town in Portugal. Portugal's late summer months burst with spectacular fairs that showcase the country's rich cultural tapestry. These vibrant celebrations offer the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in Portugal's living history and traditions.

Feira de São Mateus, Viseu (August 7 – September 21, 2025): one of Portugal’s oldest and largest traditional fairs, celebrating its 633rd edition this year in Viseu. Running for 46 days, it transforms the city into a vibrant hub of culture, music, food, and entertainment, drawing both locals and visitors from all over the country and beyond.

Festas dos Povos em Aqvae Flaviae, Chaves (21-24 August): this vibrant historical festival, known in Roman times as Aquae Flaviae, transforms this historic Roman city into a lively Gallo-Roman metropolis, complete with over 200 costumed participants portraying soldiers, gladiators, senators, musicians, dancers, and even mythological gods. Centered around a bustling Gallo-Roman market filled with traditional food, banquets, crafts, and ancient knowledge, the festival offers immersive daily spectacles including historical reenactments, gladiator combat, parades, military simulations, and street performances.

Dias Medievais in Castro Marim, Faro District (27-31 August): now in its 26th edition, this event is considered one of Portugal’s most impressive medieval festivals. During this event, the Castro Marim Castle and the entire village transform into a lively medieval setting, featuring kings, queens, knights, jesters, tournaments, street theatre, banquets, medieval music, and a bustling market with handicrafts and traditional goods. The festival offers visitors a full immersion into the magic and mystery of the Middle Ages, with thousands attending to experience spectacular historical reenactments, interactive performances, and authentic medieval cuisine in a unique and unforgettable atmosphere.

Cerco de Almeida (Siege of Almeida) Almeida, District of Guarda (29-31 August): is a major historical reenactment held in the fortified town of Almeida, commemorating the dramatic 1810 siege during the third French invasion of the Peninsular War. The 21st edition features immersive Napoleonic-era recreations in the streets and fortress. Visitors can witness thrilling battles, especially the Night Battle of Almeida, alongside educational activities, period markets, workshops, and concerts with well-known Portuguese artists. Drawing participants and audiences from across Europe, this event brings history to life and celebrates Almeida’s strategic role on the Spanish border

Vilar de Mouros Festival 2025 (20-23 August, Vilar de Mouros, Caminha): a landmark event celebrating 60 years as the oldest festival on the Iberian Peninsula. It takes place in the village of Vilar de Mouros in northern Portugal. The festival features an impressive lineup across four days, including international rock, punk, and alternative music icons such as Papa Roach, Sex Pistols with Frank Carter, James, The Kooks, Refused, The Damned, and many more. It blends multiple music generations and genres, offering an exceptional summer festival experience.

Shawn Mendes (28 August, Lisbon): will be performing his "On The Road Again" tour at the MEO Arena in Lisbon on August 28, 2025. This concert celebrates 10 years of his career with a setlist covering hits from his debut album to his latest release, "Shawn."

Madeira Wine Festival (August 24 - September 14): Madeira will be celebrating its grape harvest with one of the island’s most iconic events, blending centuries-old wine traditions with modern flair. In Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, visitors can watch locals in traditional dress harvest and stomp grapes in lively reenactments. In Funchal, the Madeira Wine Lounge at Praça do Povo offers tastings, DJ sets, and oceanfront sunsets, while Avenida Arriaga buzzes with folklore shows, art, and wine exhibitions. Highlights include the Harvest Parade, vineyard concerts, and culinary showcases that reveal the richness of Madeira’s wine culture. It’s more than a wine festival—it’s a joyful celebration of local heritage, flavor, and music.

Portimão Food Trucks Market (28-31 August): For four evenings, the Portimão waterfront will become a lively outdoor food court with creative food trucks, regional producers, music, and social spaces. The event highlights eco-friendly practices and inventive, waste-conscious cuisine, with organizers seeking innovative food trucks that reflect both street food trends and the Algarve’s local flavors. Festivities run from 6 pm to 1 am each night.

Festas do Mar – Cascais 2025 (August 28 - September 7): this beloved summer festival lights up Baía de Cascais with nightly free concerts, artisan markets, street food, and cultural exhibitions. Expect four performances each evening—including a family-friendly set—and a strong focus on Portuguese-language music and local talent. Drawing over 400,000 visitors, Festas do Mar is a can’t-miss celebration of music, community, and maritime tradition, all completely free.

Walk through any Portuguese town, and you’ll likely see a few watchful feline faces peering out from alleyways, café corners, or garden walls. Stray and homeless cats are part of the landscape here, but behind those curious eyes lies a much deeper problem: unchecked breeding, abandonment, and overpopulated colonies that municipalities and shelters struggle to manage.

The truth is, food donations and kind gestures, while always welcome, only address part of the issue. The real key to breaking the cycle lies in sterilization. That’s where Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) comes in, and it’s one of the most effective ways that local residents can help.

TNR programs capture stray cats humanely, transport them to a vet for sterilization and vaccination, and then return them to their territory. Once neutered, the cats can live out their lives without producing litter after litter, preventing colonies from ballooning out of control. Over time, this reduces the number of strays in a community, without the need for mass culling or overcrowded shelters.

In our neighborhood, we’ve seen TNR in action firsthand. When we first moved in, the resident stray male ginger cat had just started doing his rounds. We quickly realized the situation could spiral, especially since many locals on our street don’t sterilize their cats (a massive issue in itself).

We notified the municipality, and, although it took longer than we hoped, they finally arrived, captured him, and returned him a week later: neutered, vaccinated, microchipped as municipal property, and marked with the telltale clipped ear; a sign of a cat sterilized under the municipal program.

Not long after, the municipality also captured a black female cat who had claimed our property as part of her territory. She, too, was neutered, vaccinated, and returned with the same request they’d made with the ginger: would we feed and monitor her?

Unfortunately, because of the slow pace at which these cases are sometimes handled, we decided to pay out of pocket to have the resident black male cat sterilized ourselves. We simply couldn’t risk more cats lining up at our door each day. Most importantly, they won’t be adding to Portugal’s stray population anymore.

It’s a small success story, but multiplied across the country, these moments could change the future for thousands of animals.

Even if you can’t adopt, there are powerful ways to contribute:

Stray animals aren’t just a welfare issue; they affect public health, urban cleanliness, and community harmony. By participating in or supporting TNR, residents can take an active role in creating a humane, sustainable solution.

On this Black Cat Awareness Day, let’s pair awareness with action so fewer black cats, and cats of every colour, end up hungry or homeless.

After all, change doesn’t start in shelters or government offices. It starts in our streets, our gardens, and our willingness to care.

The golden rule of municipal cat work: squeaky wheel gets the spay. Don't just submit your request and wait; you'll be waiting forever. Call, email, and politely harass until they act, because Portuguese bureaucracy moves at the speed of molasses unless you light a fire under it. Make it crystal clear: you can't bankroll an endless stream of unsterilized cats (money doesn't grow on trees!), and if they don't sterilize now, the next litter explosion is on them. Apply pressure, or prepare for months of bureaucratic purgatory.

Stop dreaming, start converting: how to make your home-owning dreams real.

Next weekend, we’re diving into one of the hottest expat questions: how on earth can you actually afford your dream home in Portugal? Our friends at FRESH Properties are sharing a practical (and insanely useful) guide on converting commercial property into residential, a path that could save you serious money and open doors to homes you thought were out of reach.

Don’t keep this juicy info to yourself; share the newsletter with a friend who needs to see how they could actually afford their dream home in Portugal!

On the topic of pets, this video from Portuguese Lab uses a simple listen-and-repeat format to help you quickly learn the key vocabulary and pronunciation for your next vet visit. It’s a fun, practical way to feel more confident when talking about your furry friends in Portuguese. 🐩🐈‍⬛

Thanks for reading! 💌

Hustle on!

Angelique🧞‍♀️

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