Everyone knows Istanbul is a city of cats. What no one tells you is where they sometimes hide — like behind a rusty gate leading down to a basement.
That's how I stumbled upon a little gang of kittens. At first, they huddled together warily in the shade, sizing me up through the bars — round eyes, ears pricked, like tiny detectives examining a suspicious stranger with a camera.
Then one of them — the bravest, a tabby with a soulful gaze — couldn't resist his curiosity and finally slipped out for a closer look. And I'm pretty sure he even struck a little pose.
That's the essence of an Istanbul cat: not homeless, exactly, but rather a free citizen of the city. No owner, yet the whole city belongs to him — neighbors feed him, shopkeepers leave out water, tourists stop to take photos. And in return, he may allow you to pet him… or simply continue to ignore everything around him with effortless confidence.
So if you're ever in Istanbul and hear a soft meow behind a grate, or catch a striped tail disappearing under a staircase — take a closer look. One of the city's little residents may have simply decided to come out and say hello.
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