Turkey – The Land of Cats

Turkey, the homeland of angoras and Turkish Vans is almost cats’ paradise. Even though veterinary care is quite expensive here, also cats living outside are taken care of well. Even in large cities like Istanbul and Ankara you can encounter a lot of well-fed and happy cats basking on car bonnets or resting in the shadows of side alleys.

Turks love cats and take care of them, are attentive and nice to them. Their positive relationship with cats can be traced well back to history. Cats have been worshipped and appreciated for their cleanliness since ancient times in near East. Cats even appear in stories about Mohammed quite frequently. One of the stories says that a cat saved his life from a poisonous snake, another one that Mohammed heard the call to prayer and rather cut his sleeve than wake up a cat that rested on it.

Istanbul is often called the city of cats. As I already mentioned, there are many street cats and they have become an inseparable part of the city. Shop owners usually know cats from vicinity by name, locals buy them insulated jackets for winter or even take them home. And it is no exception that Turks take a wounded or sick cat to a vet and take care of the animal until it recovers.

Noone is surprised when he/she meets a little beast in the hall of an office building or sleeping on a chair in a bar. And Turks will rather stand than to throw it out. Cats are not ashamed to jump to the laps of regular customers to rest there or have a little snack. In summer, some villages even encourage people to put vessels with water outside using posters and billboards.

When Turks take care of something, they do it properly. If they have a cat at home as their pet, they sometimes overdo it with care. For example, they give it only bottled water, provide their cat with several types of dry food or its own room.

Have you ever been in Turkey? And did you notice the cat population there? Do you have similar experience?