In Istanbul, Turkey, Kanyon, a white cat with gray markings, became famous after losing his shopping cart at a shopping center. Since then, he has been given food, toys, and his own Instagram page by fans.
Kanyon is not the only one special: according to City Hall, there are more than 160,000 cats on the streets of Istanbul, regularly fed and cared for by residents of the city of 16 million people. These cats are cared for with a religious devotion.
Whether on the Asian or European side of Istanbul, or on the ferries that connect the two, cats can be seen lying on restaurant chairs, strolling through supermarkets, or perched in shop windows. And they are rarely troubled or chased away. "Istanbulites love animals," says Gaye Koselerden, 57, as she shows off Kanyon's corner, filled with toys, like a child's room.
Since the Ottoman era, many stray cats have become beloved community mascots. In Kadikoy, a bronze statue of Tombili, a cat that became famous on the internet for its iconic pose on a bench, was erected in 2016. In Hagia Sophia, Gli, the tabby that was petted by former US President Barack Obama in 2009, is still remembered. In Topkapi Palace, the former residence of the Sultans, the long-used cat flap was recently restored.
According to expert Altan Armutak, the abundance of cats in Istanbul is a result of the "deep love of the Prophet Muhammad for them." When the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in 1453, they noticed cats waiting for food in front of fish stalls and butcher shops. Over the past six centuries, cats have remained in the city, and today, City Hall manages their population, including the sterilization of more than 43,000 cats last year.
Despite everything, people and cats in Istanbul live together as equals. For residents, the city is incomplete without their pets. "Here, people and cats live together, as equals," said Fatime Ozarslan, a student from Germany who delivers food to Macka Park, home to more than 100 cats.
