Cities and Islands Where Cats Belong

In 1745, Empress Elizabeth ordered cats to be brought from Kazan to protect palace rooms from rodents. The tradition continued into the life of the Hermitage Museum.

The cats became a museum symbol, with people responsible for their care, veterinary support and their own celebration, the Day of the Hermitage Cat. Alongside great works of art, there is an enduring place for living animals and their needs.

Who cares for the cats: Museum staff and volunteers supporting the Hermitage cats.

In Istanbul, cats are part of everyday neighbourhood life. There is a tangible record of this care: a 1714 engraving depicts a man taking food for cats to the city's market.

Today, residents leave water and food and provide shelters. A cat can have a place in the life of an entire courtyard through the attention of people who see it at their door every day. That relationship has become one of Istanbul's most recognisable images.

Who cares for the cats: Neighbourhood residents, local volunteers and municipal veterinary services.

After excavations in 1929, stray cats found shelter among the ruins of Largo di Torre Argentina. Local women, known in Italy as gattare, brought them food. In 1993, Lia Dequel and Silvia Viviani began the work that grew into the well-known sanctuary.

Its story now includes care for sick and older cats, sterilisation and adoption. Among stones that preserve ancient Rome, an everyday story of human commitment continues.

Who cares for the cats: Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary and its volunteers.

Cats on its stone lanes have become an unofficial symbol of Kotor. Local tradition connects their arrival with visiting ships; this is a story passed down, rather than a documented origin. The Cats Museum opened in the Old Town in 2013.

Kotor Kitties began in 2018 as a small effort to sterilise cats. Behind the familiar feline shapes beside the city walls is the shared work of residents, volunteers and veterinarians.

Who cares for the cats: Residents, Kotor Kitties / Kotorske Mačke and local veterinarians.

On this small Cycladic island, cats live around the port, villages and beaches. For Cats of Iraklia, the defining question was who would feed and treat them after the visitors left. Local nurse Kyriaki-Kia founded the project in 2017.

Behind the beautiful island setting is year-round work: winter feeding, sterilisation and journeys to a veterinarian on neighbouring Naxos. A few committed people can make a lasting difference to animals' lives.

Who cares for the cats: Cats of Iraklia, island volunteers and the Greek Cat Welfare Society.

In 2010, Joan Bowell and her husband Richard had just settled into their home on Syros when a sick kitten appeared in the garden. Helping that kitten became the beginning of God's Little People Cat Rescue. Joan rescued 30 cats in the first year.

Syros Cats also works on the island, caring for resident animals, feeding street cats and arranging sterilisation. Behind the familiar pictures of cats on island steps are people who have made care part of their daily lives.

Who cares for the cats: Syros Cats, God's Little People Cat Rescue and local caretakers.

Su Pallosu became known through photographs of cats beside the sea. Behind those images are the Atzori family's home and years of care. In early 2026, the caretaker reported that the original locally born colony had come to an end after its last native cat died.

Rescued cats, abandoned here in earlier years, remain in daily care with Andrea Atzori. That care continues for the cats living here today.

Who cares for the cats: Andrea Atzori; the I Gatti di Su Pallosu project history.

Stray cats had long lived near Agios Neophytos Monastery. In 2011, Dawn and Mark Foote began visiting once a week to feed them. Care soon became a daily commitment, and dozens of cats needing treatment were staying in their home.

Donations made fencing possible in 2013. Tala Cats gradually developed into a sanctuary with shelters and separate spaces for vulnerable animals. A large care project grew from a simple commitment to return and help again.

Who cares for the cats: Tala Cats, Dawn and Mark Foote, staff and volunteers.

Neko Jinja, a cat shrine, stands near the centre of Tashirojima. Local tradition describes cats as guardians of a good catch, a story preserved by Ishinomaki City as part of island culture.

Island residents feed and look after the cats. A 2026 government visitor project explains that tourists must not add their own feeding, so the residents can maintain managed care. Respect for this place includes listening to the people who live with its animals throughout the year.

Who cares for the cats: Island residents and local partners in care and visitor education.

As the coal industry declined, Houtong lost residents. Its cats, photographs shared by enthusiasts and the work of volunteers helped the village gain a new identity. The district's account links the cat village's emergence with improvements to the surroundings and care for the animals.

Houtong now has a Cat Office. In February 2026, Taiwan SPCA resumed operating it with local volunteers and the city's animal protection service. Each day begins with feeding and a roll-call of cats known by name.

Who cares for the cats: Houtong Cat Lovers' Society, Taiwan SPCA and New Taipei's animal protection office.