This just came up as a headline in my Gmail account, and I had to check it out. Turns out, the London site of the 2012 Olympics is home to quite a few stray felines.

LONDON (Reuters) - More than 160 feral cats and kittens have been rescued from the site of the London 2012 Olympics as demolition work continues at a pace.

A local animal charity has been allowed access to the site to ensure the safety of the cats that have taken refuge in the various industrial buildings that are being bulldozed.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) said Friday that 168 animals had been discovered and were now in the care of the Celia Hammond Animal Trust.

There is also an online petition to support the Celia Hammond Animal Trust being allowed to enter the closed construction areas at night for the purpose of finding cats.

When I visited Rome, the Coliseum and almost all of the old graveyards were home to bands of stray cats. Italian humane societies had taken the strays, either spayed or neutered them, gave them their shots and released them again. In some places, there were even bowls of food left for them, and collection boxes to help care for the cats.

Stray cats — even neutered and disease-free — would be awfully dangerous at a construction site, but I really admire the programs to neuter and release strays.

Via Reuters.