Okay, it’s official. I found the place I want to retire.
I was scrolling social media the other day and came across the City of Cats, otherwise known as Istanbul, Turkey – and yes the song was stuck in my head the whole day.
However, when I saw the photos, I just knew this place had my name all over it, and I had to do some research.
It turns out that there is an incredibly large population of cats that roam the streets of Istanbul, and the people in the city just take care of them as a community. The cats sit in parks, on streets, in outdoor cafes – some are even allowed in businesses to sleep in the windows.
Can you imagine this?
There are photos of people stopping to pet the cats and get a snuggle. I’m telling you, this is my idea of heaven.
The cats are protected by the city – they are not to be captured or harmed in any way. In fact, the law requires the cats be spayed and neutered and just recently named them “living beings,” which protects them from abuse.
There are felines of all different sizes and colors and it’s just so amazing. The guesstimate for the number of cats that actually inhabit the city is in the hundreds of thousands.
Some even speculate it could be near one million.
It turns out there’s actually history to this phenomenon that goes back to the Ottoman Empire. Apparently since the majority of the houses at the time were made of wood, this made it very appealing to the mouse and rat population – hence the need for the crafty feline.
History also shows that the cat is considered the quintessential pet in Islam. Cats are revered by the number one faith in the country, so I’m sure that helps. Because of this, the cats are even allowed in the mosques.
Apparently, the feline is admired and respected for its cleanliness in the Islamic faith.
In Istanbul there are tiny cat houses all along the streets where the stray cats live, and many of them are known by the locals, who make sure to put food and water out for them.
In fact, I found out there are actually vending machines along the streets so tourists can feed the cats if they should wish. The felines allegedly hang out near these vending machines, trying to entice a passerby for a nibble.
Man, I would put so much money in those vending machines. I’m a sucker for a cat with those “please feed me” eyes.
The photos of these cats are unreal. No one bothers them. They sit on ferries, buses, in classrooms, all over the town.
And they look healthy. I mean for stray cats! It’s clear the community really does care for them because none of them are dirty or clearly sick.
I mean, I’m sure there have to be some that are ill, but apparently the community takes care of them if that happens.
There have to be downsides, including feline leukemia and other communicable diseases, but there’s part of me that thinks that looks like a pretty nice utopia being surrounded by cats while you have a nice cup of coffee in an outdoor café or shop for your clothing.
I’ve got to show my sister this one. I swear she was born with cat DNA. If ever there was a human who would love to go to the City of Cats, it’s her.
Maybe we both can retire there. I’ll head home tonight to talk to my felines and see if they’d be interested in a trip across the ocean.
I have a feeling I already know their answers. But it doesn’t hurt to try.
The City of Cats sure seems and looks like a dream for the true feline lover.
***** Jennifer Vanderau is the Publications and Promotions Consultant for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, and can be reached at cvascomm@cvas-pets.org. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, call the shelter at (717) 263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org. CVAS also operates a thrift store in Chambersburg.
