Feral Cats of Türkiye

Welcome to Türkiye... Cats will probably be among those who will say "Welcome" to you when you go out on the street. What do you think about feral cats, which are the subject of at least one documentary, appear frequently on social media and are familiar to almost everyone in Türkiye?

This caught my attention: There is an English page on Wikipedia called "Feral cats in Istanbul". There is even a Georgian, Russian and Chinese version of this page; but no Turkish. There is even a 2016 documentary called Kedi (Cat), directed by Ceyda Torun. It is also necessary to remember the children's book "Searching for a Cat in Istanbul" written by Etsuko Shundo in 2015. I wonder if this is an internalized issue in Türkiye?

Unfortunately, the number of cats in the wild in Türkiye is quite low. The last Anatolian leopard was killed in the 1970s. On the other hand, it was reflected in the news that the Persian leopard was killed in the 2000s and 2010s. Interestingly, in 2015, the body of an Anatolian leopard cub was found. The number of caracal and jungle cats is also quite low. The numbers are also going down due to hunting, destruction of habitats, accidents on highways. However, it is not possible to say the same thing about fatal cats.

We can talk about four different species that come to mind when it comes to cats in Türkiye: The first of these is the Aegean cat, which is native to Greece. And second one is the real rulers of the streets are Tabby cats. There is even a research institute at the university in Van about the Van cat.

I don't know what the truth is; but there is a rumor from the Ottoman period: That people who are in good condition have cats in their homes... Cat breeding has a religious dimension; because cats, unlike dogs, react harshly when if you try to harm them. And this was seen as a special occasion. Of course, this is not limited to cats. Bird hospital in Dolmabahçe, cat hospital in Üsküdar, drinkers in mosques and cemeteries, birdhouses, and the first animal hospital of the world opened for storks that cannot return in autumn and in need of help, the Foolish Storks House in Bursa is the most beautiful place that the Ottoman gave to animals.

This habit continues today. It is quite normal to see a cat on the street or in a restaurant. The first photo is a coffee machine in a grocery. The second photo is above the footbridge. They can even sleep next to people, let alone run away. My grandfather was an interesting example for me. He lived in the village, in a house with a garden. There was a feral cat and he was giving its the leftovers from what he ate. Whenever my grandfather went to the mosque or the market, it followed him to a certain part of the street. In the hours when he would come, it would go to the same place again and wait for him. When he came, it  was re-entering its house, that is, in my grandfather's garden.

This has always been the ideal situation for me. On the other hand, there are those who put cat food on the streets and feed them, and those who give them a piece of their food while they eat at the restaurant. Do not be surprised when you arrive and wait for them to approach you...