I would say that we are usually kind towards two beings: guests and cats in Istanbul. Ironically, apart from these interactions, Istanbul is an ‘urban jungle’ for the locals where it is a constant rush, A rush in which everyone is competing with one another to get ahead either in a line-up or in traffic.
My parents used to tell me stories of an Istanbul in the 1950s where people were kind towards one another. That Istanbul is just pure nostalgia now. But our tenderness surfaces when we encounter a foreign guest in our city, host a guest at our home or see a cat on the street. Istanbulites love cats as they have lived with them for centuries. People feed them, share their food with them, pet them, play with them, talk to them and befriend them whenever they see them. Even Hagia Sophia had a cat called Gli that was loved by tourists and locals. She even had a facebook page. She was the queen of this ancient glorious cathedral.
St. Sophia’s Queen Gli that has recently passed away
Cats are the kings and queens of the city, welcomed to shops, cafes and mosques. If you are a lover of cats, Istanbul is the place for you.
Here is the amusing story of a cat that steals the show in a classical music concert in İstanbul.
There is a beautiful documentary about cats of Istanbul called Kedi which means cat in Turkish. Have a look at its trailer, You might want to watch it some day.
