Istanbul’s street cats leave their paw prints on daily life
Street cats that greet shopkeepers opening their businesses in the morning, welcome passengers at ferry piers, rest in mosque courtyards and occupy the same corners of historic bazaars for years remain among Istanbul’s most familiar symbols.
While stray animals are an often unseen part of urban life in many cities around the world, cats in Istanbul have for centuries been regarded as symbols of neighborhood culture, solidarity and coexistence.
Given names by local residents, fed and taken for treatment when they fall ill, the cats have secured a distinctive place not only on the city’s streets but also in Istanbul’s cultural memory.
As part of International Cat Day, celebrated on Aug. 8 since 2002 on the initiative of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Anadolu Agency photographed street cats that have become symbols of Istanbul.
