When we began planning and researching our trip to Istanbul last year, we learned about the cats. The city is full of them. But these cats are not exactly strays. They don’t belong to anyone in the traditional sense, rather they belong to Istanbul, and the community. You see them everywhere. People make sure they are fed; all shops have water bowls out for them; every convenience store sells cat food & treats.

Our local spot, Babel Café–where we ended most evenings after a day of sightseeing–had several “house” cats that were always there, usually in one of the various cozy chairs. Lift a cat to sit down if you must, but understand that she will likely expect a warm lap in return. We certainly were happy to oblige.

For more on our Istanbul trip, check out our recent post on the amazing food we had there.