[kellyhound]

Cats have been a part of Istanbul's history for centuries, becoming an essential part of the city's culture. During the Ottoman era, they were valued for controlling the rat and mouse population in wooden buildings and granaries.

Islamic culture, which is prevalent in Turkey, views cats as clean and respected animals. The Prophet Muhammad is said to have admired cats and Islamic teachings encourage kindness towards them.

Cats are even allowed in mosques, and food touched by cats is considered permissible.

Locals and visitors alike embrace the presence of cats, with many people feeding and caring for them. This acceptance contributes to the large and healthy street cat population.

As a major port city, Istanbul has seen the arrival of various cat breeds throughout history, leading to a diverse population with unique appearances.

[houseoftechno]

Those are healthy looking cats for being strays!

[Mr.NoCredit]

The local population takes care of them. I’ve seen a documentary before. The cat’s are mostly loved and cared for even though they’re “Stray Cats”.

[WonderMomma]

mr_feelgood

[mr_feelgood]

Originally Posted by WonderMomma ↗

mr_feelgood

Thank you for bringing this to my attention. :)

[mr_feelgood]

It's against the law to mistreat the street cats in places like that I think