Feral cats in Istanbul

The Turkish city of Istanbul hosts a sizeable feral cat (Turkish: sokak kedisi, "street cat") population, with estimates ranging from a hundred thousand to over a million stray cats. Many Turkish citizens view street animals as communally owned pets rather than traditional strays, and the country has a blanket no-kill, no-capture policy.^[1]

History

According to Fatih Dağlı, co-founder of Cat Museum Istanbul, many cats arrived in the city on trading ships trading in Phoenician times, where they were used to keep the rodent populations down. Later, as the spice and silk trades grew in the Roman and Ottoman eras, more cats arrived in ships.^[2]

According to Ayşe Sabuncu from Cats of Istanbul,^{[further explanation needed]} during Ottoman times, the vast majority of Istanbul's houses were made of wood, which gave shelter and enabled the proliferation of the mouse and rat populations. This made cats' presence a necessity in the city.^[3] Marcel Heijnen, photographer and author of City Cats of Istanbul, says that the love of the stray cats led to the creation of a full-time profession - that of the mancacı ("cat sitter"). Mancacıs ensured that the city's cats were fed, and residents could choose to purchase food from them and feed the cats themselves.^[2]

There is a positive attitude towards cats in Islam, the religion brought by the Ottomans, which remains most prevalent faith in the country.^[4]^[3]

Health

A 2000 study in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery found feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus common among outdoor and stray cats in Istanbul.^[5] Although stray cats can be a vector for rabies, out of all 21 rabies cases in Turkey documented between 2000 and 2014, none were through a contact between cats and humans.^[6] A 2011 Turkish study of strays in Istanbul found that 4.65% of the examined cats had Joyeuxiella pasqualei infections.^[7]

A 2015 paper published by Rutgers University academics stated that collective feeding leads to concentration of animals to a specific area, which in turn facilitates the transmission of certain diseases. Healthy cats' contact with objects such as food and water containers contaminated by sick animals can occur as a result.^[8]

A 2015 study conducted by faculty of Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa found that, among 316 stray cats in Istanbul, 1.8% had anaplasma/Ehrlichia/Bartonella, 3.4% had hepatozoon, and .3% had Toxoplasma gondii.^[9]

Each local council has a veterinary department to serve the cats in their area, which also offers a free neutering service. Private clinics offer treatment for street cats at reduced fees, and residents often share the cost of the bills.^[2]

Law

Before 2021, the Turkish law defined animals (strays and pets) as "commodities", rather than "living beings". This classification was criticized by animal rights activists, as it led to perceived lenient penalties against animal cruelty. According to the proposition that was accepted in 2021, pets and stray animals were given "living being" status, which allows from six months up to four years jail sentences for crimes against animals. The law also mandates the sterilization of all stray animals in Turkey.^[10]^[1]

In 2021 a Japanese national was deported from Turkey after he admitted to killing and eating 5 stray cats in Küçükçekmece, which gained widespread outrage in both countries.^[11]

Cat life in Istanbul

Approximately 125,000 stray cats are thought to live in Istanbul. When house cats are included, it is estimated that 200,000 cats live in Istanbul.^[12] Stray cats can be seen in many places in Istanbul, whether in university classrooms, on ferries, buses, or subway trains, with no one bothering them.^[12] This has led to the city being nicknamed "Catstanbul" by cat lovers around the world. Marcel Heijnen says that the cats are a kind of hybrid between strays and pets.^[2]

Generally, every street in Istanbul has cats that are familiar to locals. In these streets, tiny "cat houses" have been prepared for stray cats. Neighborhood residents place food and water containers in front of their houses to feed stray cats.^[12]The Municipality of Istanbul has placed vending machines for cats and dogs in many parts of the city; there are many cats around these vending machines. Citizens passing by put coins into these machines, ensuring that cats and dogs are fed.^[12]

In popular culture and media

The critically acclaimed 2016 Turkish documentary film Kedi centers around several stray cats that live in the city.^[13]

Etsuko Shundo [jp]'s 2015 children's book Searching for a Cat in Istanbul (Japanese: イスタンブルで猫さがし) is about the search for a stray Turkish Van cat by students attending the Istanbul Japanese School.^[14]

Notable cats

Tombili became internationally known due to a photograph that showed her reclining on the pavement, and after her death she was honored with a statue.^[15]^[16]

Gli (2004-2020) was born in and raised in the Hagia Sophia, gaining the attention of visiting tourists and being the subject of numerous posts on social media.^[17]^[18]