The thousands of cats of Istanbul

In every corner of the city, there are encounter dozens of cats, pampered, fed, and petted by both locals and tourists.
Very often they sleep also inside the shops, cafe and malls.

The presence of cats can be traced back to the city's port and maritime nature, as historically, cats in Istanbul helped reduce rats and the associated public health issues.

Moreover, as in many other Muslim countries, cats are considered pure animals because, according to legend, a cat saved the Prophet Muhammad from the bite of a venomous snake.Read more