In my last photoessay on Turkey’s biggest city, I wistfully recalled my many hours of wandering the cobblestone streets of Istanbul, my camera and imagination in tow. It was Autumn on the cusp of winter and the air got cold quickly, lending an urgency to my wanderings that I did not expect. I might have had all the time in the world, but I wanted to see it all before I froze. Pushed to walk quickly to keep warm, I covered more ground than I expected. And everywhere I walked, there were cats.
I should note that I’m a cat person. Am I cat-whisperer? Maybe not insofar as career choices go, but I do seem to be perpetually followed by cats. In Muang Ngoi, Laos, I would sit down to read on my bungalow’s porch and within minutes, a cat would deftly squeeze between book and knees. Daily, I’d wander to town for dinner and sit on a mat for some food. Seconds later, a feline (sometimes two) would push their way onto my lap, purring furiously. Wandering through Amman, I found myself stooping down to pet scraggly-looking cats, each materializing when I would stop to gather my bearings.
As if reading Robert Fisk weren't cumbersome enough without a cat on your lap? One of many cats in Laos.
In Istanbul, my cat-magnetism (catnetism?) reached higher levels. Walking outside my guesthouse, I was flanked by felines, to the amusement of the staff who wanted to know if I bathed in fish oil. Their suspicions deepened when I returned to my room after a day of wandering to find a cat sitting contentedly in my shower.
The cat-following was out of control.
Cat in my shower at Agora Guesthouse, Istanbul
It was a veritable cat factory, this city. Looking out my window, a green tarp was constantly covered in felines. No matter how many times I checked outside, a different set of cats (two, or three or more) would be gazing back at me, as if to say “what did you expect? We’re just hanging out.”
Cats in Sultanahmet, outside my guesthouse
The truth is, of course, that the city is awash in cats. Many were well-fed and clean, and almost all were affectionate. To be sure, the cats slimmed down and dirtied-up when I walked outside the busier zones of the city into the immigrant areas – parts of Fatih, for example. In those laundry-strewn, narrow streets the cats were more feral, more hungry and certainly less curious. But one constant remained: there were cats everywhere.
Why?
For starters, a predominantly Muslim society where cats are tolerated, even respected. Per an Associated Press article from August 2010, “Islamic lore tells of a cat thwarting a poisonous snake that had approached the Prophet Muhammad. In another tale, the prophet found his cat sleeping on the edge of his vest. Instead of shifting the cat, the prophet cut off the portion of the vest that was free and wore it without disturbing the pet.”
Looking through history books about Islam, many mention the prophet’s love of felines and while variations on the foregoing stories exist, the overarching affection for cats has been consistent.
My usual dinner companion for the kebap cart in Sultanahmet.
At the beginning of the introduction to Lorraine Chittock’s photography book Cats of Cairo, Annemarie Schimmel notes:
“When the British orientalist E. W. Lane lived in Cairo in the 1830′s, he was quite amazed to see, every afternoon, a great number of cats gathering in the garden of the High Court, where people would bring baskets full of food for them. He was told that in this way, the qadi (judge) fulfilled obligations dating back to the 13th-century rule of the Mamluk sultan al-Zahir Baybars. That cat-loving monarch had endowed a “cats’ garden” where the cats of Cairo would find everything they needed and liked. In the course of time, the place had been sold and resold, changed and rebuilt; yet the law required that the Sultan’s endowment should be honoured, and who better than the qadi to carry out the King’s will and take care of the cats?”
Park cat is pensive in Sultanahmet.
Indeed, a popular saying notes “If you kill a cat, you need to build a mosque to be forgiven by God.” As a result, wandering the streets of Istanbul you will see many small containers by the sides of buildings, and discreet food rations doled out by its inhabitants. While the cats are not adopted formally, they are taken care of by no one and everyone, a giant community network of cat caring. Even the World Basketball championships boasted a feline mascot, a blue-and-green eyed “Bascat” after the long-haired Turkish Van.
Sleeping cat at a shisha cafe in Istanbul
Unlike elsewhere in my travels, no one glared at me if I tried to feed then. I was the recipient of a big talking-to by a restaurant owner in Morocco; my feeding the strays would merely ensure that they returned time and time again. In contrast, when I went for chicken wings and couldn’t finish my plate, I tried to surreptitiously slip the cat underneath my chair a morsel of food. Seeing my furtiveness, the owner walked over and, a smile on his face, dropped the cat below a full drumstick to enjoy.
At a chicken wing stall near the old Spice Bazaar.
Of course, it’s not a purely idyllic life for the animals of Istanbul. As I already mentioned, walking the poorer parts of town will open your eyes to the less fortunate of Istanbul’s strays. Catfights in the dead of night are quite common and there are problems with the sheer volume of the strays in town (unless they are spayed they will, of course, beget more cats). Furthermore, until 2004 there was no formal animal welfare law in place, and even with the current law (Animal Welfare Act No. 5199) offenders are only subject to fines. And as this article about dogs in Istanbul notes, canines are treated with much less affection and care.
Curious cat at the Blue Mosque, coming to say hello.
In positive news, however, just last month, Turkey introduced a new law that would make it a crime punishable by jail time to mistreat, torture or leave animals without food or water. The law is in its infancy right now, but those interested in supporting it can go and sign this online petition. It will be interesting to see how, if passed, the rule will be enforced.
Dismounting cat.
As for my trip, I met, petted and cuddled with many a cat during my weeks in Istanbul. As a celiac, I can’t eat wheat flour and breads in Turkey (and thus kepab sandwiches and shwarma sandwiches) were off limits. But the platters of meat were giant-sized and I couldn’t finish them off. Trying to communicate my allergy was laughably impossible, so I would instead order the sandwich, grab a fork – to the confusion of the restaurant’s staff – and eat only the meat and vegetables. But what to do with the meat-soaked bread? Why, give it to the cats, of course!
They were … confused.
Cats and bread: not the best combination.
From cats that look like dictators…..
Not the friendliest-looking of cats.
…to adorable kittens in boxes around town, the history of Istanbul is not complete without considering a feline presence and they are firmly wrapped up in my memories of the city.
Kepab cats in a box, Istanbul
Kepab cats in a box, the back view. These guys sat there each day, with the box safely stored at night and repositioned every morning.
As my guesthouse noted when I departed last month “we look forward to welcoming you back to Istanbul – and the cats will too.”
-Jodi
Some of my colleagues do not hesitate to tell such city legends or stories about cats-in this case- which helps this misconception to grow further. Please do not forget that Istanbul has the most religious population only for the last 30-40 years. Never before was such as dense distribution. Just remember the Rums, Greeks, Armenians, all other minorities, they all loved and fed cats along with us. If you have been to Athens, you will be surprised to see so much dogs and cats on the streets. As I personally lived in Italy for a considerable time, I may say that all the missing cats in “centro” would meet you as you go to suburbs and small villages.
I am a former lawyer from Montreal currently eating my way around the world, one country at a time. Marshmallow enthusiast, volcano climber and cave spelunker - and also a geek. Traveling since April 1, 2008. See the 
When I was in Marrakech, a German guy told me that cats proliferated in that city because the butchers “emptied their penis cuts of meat onto the pavement for the cats to enjoy the semen” Just wondering if you heard anything similar in Istanbul? I mean the other explanations in your post certainly make sense, I just wonder .. ;) This was a very enjoyable post and lovely photos. Cats and birds are generally enemies so I wonder if your cat alliance is causing all the bird shits?
HA, no Phil I did not hear that in Istanbul. And I will REMIND YOU ONCE AGAIN that a bird has not crapped on me since July 1, 2011 and that’s with my time in Essaouira (replete with seagulls) and here in Chiang Mai (nighttime bird roosting fiesta).
I stayed in the Old City in Jerusalem and it was the same way, cats everywhere. I love all animals and it was heartbreaking to see the condition of some of the weaker cats. It made me grateful that my wife doesn’t like traveling – she would have had a nervous breakdown if she had seen how neglected some were.
That’s positive news about the anti-cruelty law, we can only hope that more countries would enact such legislation.
Agreed, it’s very sad to see. Susan Orlean has a wonderful long read about donkeys in Morocco and my heart just ached for them there, so desolate and hopeless – you could see it in their eyes. Different cultures see animals differently, too, and it’s hard to reconcile the way we’re often taught to treat animals in the West (though of course there are some people who don’t treat them well regardless), and the way they are treated elsewhere. In Morocco, a woman asked what the name of one of the donkeys was; the owner laughed loudly and said “why would I name him? He’s a donkey”. Differences….
I love the pictures of the cats with the bread. They’re all looking at it like, what is it? It smells like meat…but what do we do with it?? I’m a bit of a cat person myself. It’s amazing to see the difference in appearance from when I’ve traveled in Europe. Lots of cats on the Alhambra, but half of them were missing eyes or were just really dirty and mangy.
It’s true. That’s precisely what they were thinking. One of them walked up to the bread, giving it the side-eye, then tapped it gingerly to make sure it wasn’t alive. They smelled meat but were all “I just….I don’t -WHY DOES THIS NOT TASTE GOOD.” At some point a stray dog came up and ate it, but for a few moments, it was tense ;)
Hi Jodi! Have been a secret, loyal reader of your blog! Love it & I’m so inspired by all that you’re doing!! It really resonates with me because I love travelling and I’m a law student (but already planning my escape from the cubicle!)
Anyway, just wanted to say I’m not a cat person BUT your pictures are gorgeous! :D all the best!
Hello secret reader Sarah! Thank you for stopping by and saying hello. So many of the blog’s readers are lawyers or law students – some future Thrillable Hours interviewees, I’m sure ;) Enjoy your weekend and safe travels! Glad you enjoyed the photos.
I cannot even find the words to tell you how much I loved this post. I am more than ever excited to go!
There are an incredible amount of cats in the city, there’s also an abundance of food to eat on the streets which probably helps. The locals seem so fond of them too.
Great post Jodi! It’s interesting to learn about the perception of animals in other cultures. When my American friends in Uzbekistan wanted to send their pet cat or dog back to the US with them, the Uzbeks would reply, “Why it’s just an animal! WE want to be sent to America!!!” Hahaha.
Ha, yes perspective differs very much between countries, especially where animals are involved. Glad you enjoyed the post!
First of all my answer is to all not only you as an individual and if my English is unclear, forgive me, English is not my native language :). Yes, perspective differs from culture to culture because life differs. Can you tell an African person (Somalian, Nigerien etc.) About how adorable the cats, dogs and whole animals? Can you talk about the animal rights to these people while even they can’t live as an animal which lives in European country? These people are not living on the earth they are trying to stay alive. Over the world most of the people can’t find meal to eat or water to drink. Can these people respect to the animal rights?
I know, these are the examples from the edge. But I tried to explain that people do not have the same standard of living. According to Turkish Statistics Institution (www.tuik.gov.tr) there are approximately 3.5 million people starving and 13 million people live in poverty (18% of Turkish population). I don’t know the table for other countries but all I want to say is; living means fighting with life even for a Turkish citizen, and I can’t imagine the situation for the countries which have worse conditions.
Don’t misunderstand me, I am an animal lover (especially cats, I have three cats in my own house and feeding a lot more) and I think that animals should be treated as a human. I mean they shouldn’t be killed and tortured and people who does such kind of things must be punished. But please don’t compare all of countries with your own country. Because life is different and conditions are not equal.
Ms. Jodi, as you are a traveler I am sure that you observed the situation over the world better than me. I don’t know if the things I’ve written right or wrong, they are just my thoughts. Please answer me to help to improve my opinion :)
I hope, some day all humans and animals can live in the way that they deserve.
Hi Ugur, thank you for the long comment. As I said in the post, people around the world have different standards and mores with respect to not just animals, but of course many other things. Mostly, this was a post about cats in the city of Istanbul, and some explanation of why they are cared for (seemingly) more than in many other places I have visited. Yes, poverty is a real and important issue, and in cases where someone is trying to feed their own family, feeding animals will probably not be a priority. It is the same in many other countries with separate issues. But while I can see this perspective, I wish that people all over did respect animal rights, even if they are hard done by. They are, in my mind, separate things – if I go hungry, I will still treat an animal kindly even if I cannot feed that animal. While this might result from a Westernized mindset about animals, I am heartened to see that Turkey has introduced a more stringent animal rights law. Separate from whether you are hungry/caring for animals, there is no excuse for cruelty to animals and sadly it is something we see all over the world, including in the West.
I’m a huge cat person (and magnet), and there were several adorable kitties in Istanbul that I wanted to smuggle home with me. And I agree that the ones in Fatih did not look as well cared for compared to the ones in Sultanahmet, which made me want to adopt all of them. But in general, they looked like they had a nicer life than the ones in Rome.
The bread photo cracked me up. I have a photo of a cat trying to snatch a sandwich out of my hand near the New Mosque. After I gave him a bit of the bread, he moved on the the diners with meat.
It’s interesting because when I lived in the Philippines, cats would be fed leftover rice with a bit of fish as their dinner, and thinking back to my cat in Montreal there is no way she’d go near a plate like that. Like people, food is relative to availability and what you’re used to -rice-eating cats are common throughout SEA but at that point I had no idea!
My Turkish friend brought one of her cats to America and she had to pay $500.00 for a pet passport. She really loved that cat, and bringing her to America saved her on the cost of cat food. It is 3 to 4 times higher in Istanbul than in America.
My wife has 5 cats and she is very responsible with them. I always take 54 pounds of cat food when I go, to cut down on the price of food. But be careful, if your bags are over weight, putting the excess in a carry on bag may be a problem. When I went through security in Indianapolis, I was detained because the cat food showed up as scrapnal to the agent at TSA. 45 minutes later I was allowed to continue to the flight gate, but not without remembering the stressful event—–Dave——
*grin* For “not being” a cat person, your photos captured the essence of each cat very nicely…and this article is a wonderful introduction to the “cats of Istanbul”.
Ah no, I said I was a cat person and that I was noting it. For the record. Because I’m a former lawyer, who apparently STILL notes things for the record :) Glad you enjoyed!
I’m a big catlover, and was forwarded this charming article by my friend Miss LaiLai who I’ve successfully converted from doglover to fellow catlover ;)
Anyway, re the article– the huge cat & cat-caring communities exist not only in Egypt & Turkey, but in the entire Mediterranean region. South of France & Greece are full of contented kitties– well maybe not so much in Greece anymore. As a Moslem I grew up listening to those tales of Prophet Muhammad & cats, but as I grew up and studied history further, I came to believe it was older than Islam. It was a cultural thing. The Ancient Egyptians already had a cat goddess, named Bastet, thousands of years even before Prophet Moses. Yes, Bastet– made ya think of that World Basketball mascot’s name, eh? Me-ow.
Welcome Lynda, and thanks for sharing more the history here. It’s true that respect for cats reaches back to Egyptian times. Have you read the Cats of Cairo book? Hope you enjoy the site!
When my husband and I went to Istanbul a little over a year ago, we noticed all the cats as well. We asked our guide about them, and he basically told us similar info; cats are respected, etc. etc.
And they keep the vermin away.
My husband, who has in the past volunteered with the local SPCA, was very happy, and would often pause to have the cats come check him out (and of course, get some scratches if they’d let him).
I’m a cat lover as well… these photos made me miss my cat, Amelie – a former cat supermodel and bulimic (she stays at 8 lbs. never changes). I’ve only ever encountered a vegetarian dog, Raja. He lived at the home where I volunteered in India – dutifully eating chapatti and dal. He use to escort myself and the children into the nearby village. One day as we walked up the road towards the village, he caved and I witnessed him take down a live chicken. It was his nature.
Enjoyed the cat history and association to the muslim religion.. and I wonder if the same philosophy applies to the homeless. When I was in Istanbul in 2004, I never saw one homeles person (I’m sure they exist). My Turkish companion enlightened me: “Everyone takes care of everyone.” As with the cats.. :)
I agree with Phil, clearly you have some pheromone that cats are wildly attracted to, thus birds would despise. It all adds up!
Hm, that’s an interesting side bit of research. I did not see the kind of homelessness we are used to at home, or in Europe – i.e. cardboard boxes, or signs asking for money, or busking. However, there were certainly families living under bridges, and out of the way, keeping their homelessness out of view. In addition people asking for “ekmek parası” (Turkish for “money for bread”) was fairly common – perhaps partly it is a vocabulary/identity shift? As in, society might not accept the kind of over homelessness we are used to (though I”m sure what your companion said is partially true, since community is very important in Islam), so the words use / ways to ask for money differ as well? The UN estimates approx 6,000-7,000 homeless children in Istanbul alone, so it can’t be a non-issue.
Thanks for bringing up a corollary to this post! Glad you enjoyed the photos. :)
I don’t like cats much…but that photo of the cat above the shower is such a winner.
Ha, yes. I had to get a photo because I knew my hotel owner just wouldn’t believe me. Prior to The Shower Cat Incident, he thought it was strange that I was followed by cats, and I said “oh yes, they sit on my lap all the time.” To which he rolled his eyes.
So when I came home to find this guy sitting atop the window, I got out my camera right away.
The next day, I went downstairs and said “there was a cat in my shower yesterday.” And he said “no, there was no cat in your shower.” And I said “no, really – there was a CAT. IN THE SHOWER.” And he shook his head. So I went upstairs, got my laptop and showed him. His response? “HOW DID THE CAT GET THERE?” As though I tricked it into coming into my room. HA!
I went for a walk during the early morning call to prayer in Istanbul last March. Dogs claimed the exterior of Hagia Sophia, but friendly cats ruled the pocket mosques in the Sultanahmet District. Later, in Patras in Western Greece, the feral cats made their living on the rocky shore and slept in the nearby trees.
Try going to Istanbul in March! That’s the season of the cats, when they mate. Especially in Cihangir – the cats definitely weren’t so cute when they were yowling all night, every night! Doesn’t a city overrun by cats, though, seem so much cleaner than a city overrun by dogs? I very much liked the cats in Istanbul :)
Ah yes, during mating season – definitely less fun. I’m biased as my family never had dogs, and I honestly am not sure what to do with them. I pet them, and they’re cute and adorable…but I rarely want to interact further. But I do love cats! The Gili Islands in Indonesia are another cat-filled place – dogs are not allows (nor are cars or motorcycles) but there are plenty of felines, goats and chickens to keep you busy :)
This just confirms my decision to go to Istanbul was the right one. I am a cat person too and always look for kitty love when I travel (I miss the ones I leave at home). BTW, yes, I think they typically eat whatever the local culture feeds them. I’ve seen many a cat eating pasta in Rome. :-)
Thanks for sharing not only cat photos but actually delving into the reasons why they’re everywhere! I love the furtive glances of the black cat eating the chicken wing, and that Kitler is one of the best I’ve seen yet. I’m such a cat lover that I definitely want to visit Istanbul now.
I’m a cat person too and tend to attract them wherever I go – happened to me in the south of Spain and Portugal! That cat with the black mustache… is seriously a winner. I love it!
I have travelled a fair bit across western and southern Turkey – there are cats EVERYWHERE!!! :D
I was travelling with a group of cat loving friends, and we ended up travelling for 3 weeks with an adopted kitten – which was more than happy to be part of the road trip.
Also, Sheldon (TBBT) would remind us – a collection of cats is called a “clowder.”
I want a kitty. Can I start a movement to increase the number of kitties in Chiang Mai?
Just arrived in Burhainye, a small town on Turkey’s NW coast, and we happened upon a group of more than a dozen cats just hanging around by the bus station. A scraggly looking gang, I might say, and I wanted to scoop them all up and take them home with me! Alas, we are here for three months to take care of a home with FOUR DOGS. Kitties would not stand much of a chance here. Le sigh.
Sadly I have no “cheap eats” post for Buthainye ;) Good luck caring for the dogs and hope you get your kitteh fix in town. Enjoy Turkey!
hahaha yes! I love everything about this post and all of the pretty #kittehs!!
Wow, that’s crazy. Though, to be fair, when I left the house on Friday, I spotted two white cats that each had black and sandy coloured patches on them – really beautiful. It wasn’t until I looked up ahead that I counted seventeen – SEVENTEEN – coming out of the abandoned building in my road, all looking the same (white with black and sandy patches). A lot of Southern Mexico’s the same with dogs. Loads of stray dogs everywhere you turn!
Such a warm post. I loved it.
Few comments, I grew up in a nice place of Istanbul where we had zibilions of cats on our street. And my funny neighbour would actually carry his cat on his shoulder and joke around with the kids. And another neighbour would travel around 30 miles every weekend just to feed the cats on our street.
When I look back, now I can see that the underlying reason, as you’ve also pointed out, is the prophet Muhammed’s love for the cats. Even less religious Turk, such my parents would have engraved Prophet Muhammed in their core values and their culture. I guess that explains ‘Istanbullus” passion for the cats.
And lastly cats of Istanbul are likely to return simpler foods such as bread (assuming that you’ve got better options :) ghrrr
Thank you for the comment! It’s true, I could have probably been more generous in my food offerings, but I didn’t want the bread to go to waste. The dogs came and gobbled it up, however. Glad you enjoyed!
haha that’s too funny that cats follow you around like that! I like how in Istanbul, they don’t actually look that dirty for being strays; perhaps because people actually take care of them. :)
Pretty much love the photo of the cats all standing around the bread looking baffled. They’re thinking “it smells like meat, but what the heck do we do with it?!” :)
It’s true! They were very offput by my stingy offering.
Wow, that is a serious collection of cat photos. It’s nice to see that the cats all look healthy and loved and happy :) I must never ever take my girlfriend to Istanbul though.. all we’d ever do is wander around and stroke cats…
That’s a fair approximation of my days if you include eating and walking. Walk. Eat. Stop to pet cats. Rinse. Repeat. :)
Cat lover here. Nice post. I love meeting cats around the world – my favourite was at Angkor Wat, the lone guardian of the temple!
Now I am even more excited to go to Istanbul! :) I found cats all over the place in Ukraine too – which made me sad because it was so cold and snowy while I was there. I could hear them meowing outside my window at night and it broke my heart. I stayed at one hostel that had a cat and it came and slept on my bed with me. Loved it. :)
Love it! I can see why you enjoyed that hostel. I’m sure you’ll enjoy Istanbul thoroughly – but as a celiac like me you’ll have an interesting time with the bread :)
interesting theory! and I love cats. And somehow Istanbul has more cats then other places I traveled in Turkey. But again, there are also lots of cats in a island just off Athens, and I somehow have the impression that Lisboa also has quite some cats around… how could that be explained though?
I think cats do what cats do: make more cats! Certainly Istanbul isn’t an anomaly. However, I wanted to delve into the history for this particular place because it was a fun way both to showcase the felines and also to talk about the new animal laws in parliament. Thanks for reading and glad you enjoyed~!
Just read an article about you published in Qatar Tribune. Thats how i got to know about you & your web site,
As a lover of travelling & nature it was really amazing reading about all your odysseys…Good Luck Jodi,
Thank you Ravi! Didn’t realize the NYT piece would syndicated there – great to hear. Appreciate you reading and safe travels to you too.
Bir kedi iki kedi
Kedi bana ne dedi?
Makarna bile yedi
Ah! seni gidi kedi…
(from Google translate – A cat, two cats
What he told me the cat?
Even seven Pasta
Ah! You little cat …)
Just watched a Turkish movie last week; one scene includes street cats. So I particularly enjoy this post. Thank you.
(“Distant” is a quiet, introspective movie, with some gorgeous photography of the Turkish countryside, and of what I ken to be east Istanbul. At the Cannes Film Festival 2003, the best actor award was given to both of the leading actors in the film.)
I saw cats everywhere in Greece as well. Although I love cats, it’s sad to see so many homeless.
Absolutely love this article! The street cats of Istanbul were so friendly and bold, much more than the street cats of Napoli who scurry away.
They were everywhere, literally every table, every chair!
I’ll have to make it to Napoli at soem point soon :) Thanks for reading!
You must!! Its so interesting. There is so much to write about. Both bad & good.
Thanks Adina! Will hope to get there one of these days.
I LOVE this post! This makes me really, really want to go to Turkey!
Oh thank God!! When I started reading this post and you mentioned the abundance of cats, I worried that they were abused and neglected. I was SO relieved when you said they are respected and fed! Yay!
I think that the cat thing isn’t just a Turkish thing. Here in Dubai, there are loads of cats (compared to the Philippines where I grew up in). And boy are those cats FAT. Nice healthy felines.
The Dubai gov’t even has a new law now that you’re not allowed to feed strays, else you’d be fined a nice 200 AED (est 54 USD) if you get caught. Crazy right?
That is surprising, definitely. Is there any backlash to the law? Found this article after I read your comment and the comments to it are quite aggressive too: http://www.emirates247.com/crime/local/dubai-to-levy-dh200-fine-for-feeding-stray-cats-2012-03-19-1.449173.
well, so far nothing overtop. This is the Middle East after all and most of us migrant residents can’t do anything, but to comply with the law. I think especially true for those whose families’ livelihood depend on it. You get a hefty fine or if you resist, go to jail or get deported out of the country (worst case scenario of course)
On top of the fines for feeding stray cats, there’s also a law that fines people for snoozing in the Metro (train). LOL indeed http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/traffic-transport/dh300-fine-for-falling-asleep-on-dubai-metro-1.932625
Excellent article! I took several photos of cats in Istanbul, too. I was amazed at how many locals would go out of their way to make cats comfortable – giving them prime seating at their shops, climbing up ladders to help them down from gutters… really quite fascinating. But I didn’t think to look into the history of Istanbul’s special cat bond. Thanks for doing the research on this!