A new set of postage stamps to celebrate the love of cats in the Maltese Islands are to be launched by MaltaPost. The collection of four stamps was painted by local artist Andrew Micallef. Two of the stamps feature cats in Gozo.

The €0.20 stamp shows a close-up of a cat with a tri-coloured coat sitting relaxed in the countryside with a view of the Gozo Cittadella in the background.

A white tabby cat is depicted on the €0.45 stamp, lying down at the fishing village of Marsaxlokk, with the parish church of Our Lady of Pompei towering above the houses.

The €1.00 stamp shows a painting of an orange tabby cat posing on an outdoor wrought iron bench, with the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes standing on the promontory overlooking Mgarr Harbour.

The €1.91 stamp features a long-haired Tuxedo cat with the village of Siggiewi and its parish church, St Nicholas, in the distance.

This set will be issued in a sheet of 10 stamps, with each stamp measuring 44mm x 31mm, a comb perforation of 14.1 x 14.2 and bearing the Maltese Cross watermark. The sheets measure 115mm x 182mm and were produced by Printex Ltd in the offset process.

The issue consists of 100,000 of the €0.20 stamp, 500,000 of the €0.45 stamp, 50,000 of the €1.00 stamp and 100,000 of the €1.91 stamp.

The stamps will be available from all Post Offices in Malta and Gozo from Friday, the 4th of April.

Orders may be placed online at www.maltaphilately.com or by mail from the Philatelic Bureau, MaltaPost p.l.c., 305, Qormi Road, Marsa, MTP 1001; by telephone 2596 1740 or via e-mail info@maltaphilately.com

Photo: MaltaPost

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