The secret life of Istanbul's street cats
Some cat-loving Istanbulites buy little feline houses to keep their furry neighbours warm on cold nights
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.In Istanbul’s narrow backstreets, cats perch on rooftops and window sills, crouch on doorsteps and rest on nearly every corner.
Whether lounging in sunlight, grooming themselves or scampering into shops in search of food, cats have become an inseparable part of neighbourhood life in Europe’s biggest city.
They are so ubiquitous that no one bats an eye at a cat padding across the lobby of a high-rise office building, or when one curls up to sleep on a nearby barstool. Shop owners and locals often know their neighbourhood cats by name and will tell tales about them, as if chatting about a friend.
Some cat-loving Istanbulites buy little feline houses to keep their furry neighbours warm on cold nights, taking advantage of the discount on cat supplies at pet stores during the winter months. Some even bring cats home on the coldest nights.
“Money is not an issue to some people when it comes to cats,” said Ozan, a pet shop employee.
“They take in cats with broken legs, blind ones or ones with stomach problems and bring them to the clinic. When they see that they are healed, they let them live on the street again.”
In the hip district of Cihangir, where the streets are lined with such little cat shelters, it is not uncommon for felines to take the last available seats in crowded bars, leaving adoring customers to stand by, petting them, as they awake from yet another nap.
Hairdresser Esra sits outside the salon where she works, tending to two cats in her free time. She said that looking after local animals at a nearby park helped her through tough times.
“I started petting dogs and cats there and buying food and feeding them,” she said. “Then I saw it really helped me.”
Nor is it unusual to see cats hopping into the laps of restaurant patrons, hoping for a comfortable spot to rest – and a chance to nab a scrap of food.
Necati, who makes his living collecting paper for recycling, steams chicken every morning that he hangs from the side of his cart. As he wends his way through Istanbul, he feeds strays.
Cats are sacred, he said, telling the story of a cat who protected the Prophet Muhammad from a deadly snake while he was praying. “One should love cats, not people,” he said. “People are ungrateful.”
Reuters
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments