Ukrainian Actor Spends Up to 30,000 Hryvnias Daily Running a Cat Shelter

Animal Advocate Oleksii Surovtsev

According to Главком: Oleksii Surovtsev, star of the TV series "Code" and a dedicated animal rescuer, cares for dozens of cats. In 2022, he opened a shelter for felines called "Bearded Cat Mom," which now houses nearly 90 cats. Daily operating costs range from 25,000 to 30,000 hryvnias, covering food, staff salaries, and medical treatment-with veterinary care being the biggest expense.

“On average, daily costs run between 25,000 and 30,000 hryvnias-this includes maintenance, feeding, salaries, and more. Right now, I’m losing roughly 20,000 hryvnias nearly every day. I have a reserve fund, but it will only last another month or two at most.” - Oleksii Surovtsev

Stories from the Shelter’s Residents

The cats under the actor’s care come from various backgrounds. Among them:

• A cat from the Donetsk region who survived fires and sustained injuries;
• A cat nicknamed Red Face, whose owner serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
• Cats with leukemia, housed in isolated enclosures.

Surovtsev shared: “He constantly asks, writes to me: ‘How is my Red Face doing?’ I send him photos.” He added: “Unfortunately, they are in quarantine here, but at Cat Park we will have a separate room for leukemia-positive cats, where they can at least go out and play… People are afraid of this disease.”

The actor is also building “Cat Park” near Kyiv-Ukraine’s first feline therapy center. During the full-scale invasion, Surovtsev rescued abandoned animals in Irpin, where he established a veterinary clinic and the “Bearded Cat Mom” shelter. Among the residents is a cat named Malevych, who appeared in an episode of the series “Code” and in a music video. Surovtsev notes: “By the way, he’s a star. He acted with me in the series, in a music video, and elsewhere. That’s Malevych-he’s one of the longest-term residents. He’s young, but one of the oldest cats we’ve had here. He’s been with me since 2022.”

The story of Oleksii Surovtsev and his shelter “Bearded Cat Mom” highlights the importance of animal protection in Ukraine, especially amid wartime. The facility not only provides refuge and medical care for animals affected by the conflict but also raises awareness about animal health issues. The “Cat Park” project aims to create a safe environment for cats with special needs, reflecting a growing societal commitment to animal welfare.