Speaker A
The city of cats. I love cats. Hello, guys. Welcome to Istanbul, or should I say Cat's Vale, number one cat city in the world. Deserve our love. How very beautiful. We love cats, but not in our coconuts. Why do you like cats? Yes, I do.
Explore Istanbul, the world's cat capital, where stray cats are loved, cared for, and part of daily life in Turkey's vibrant city.
Key Takeaways
- Istanbul is globally recognized for its large, well-cared-for stray cat population.
- Cats are embraced as shared community members, not just strays, with strong local support.
- Legal protections and cultural respect contribute to the cats’ well-being in Turkey.
- Cats play a significant social and emotional role in the lives of Istanbul residents.
- The unique human-cat relationship in Istanbul is celebrated and documented worldwide.
Summary
- Istanbul is known as the cat capital of the world with hundreds of thousands of stray cats roaming freely.
- Cats are deeply loved and cared for by the people of Istanbul, who view them as communal pets rather than strays.
- Turkey has a no-kill, no-capture policy for street animals, ensuring their protection and good lifespan.
- Cats are found everywhere in Istanbul, including public transport, universities, and streets, living harmoniously with humans.
- A strong community network provides food and care for cats, including vending machines for pet food in public spaces.
- Cultural and religious history in Turkey reflects a long-standing affection for cats, including Islamic traditions.
- Despite challenges like cat fights and overpopulation, cats remain an integral part of Istanbul’s social fabric.
- Viral videos and social media have highlighted the special bond between Istanbul’s people and their cats.
- New laws in Turkey protect animals from cruelty with punishments including jail time.
- Cats in Istanbul symbolize joy, companionship, and a reflection of human life and kindness.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
Very cute. I love cats. We all know Turkey is famous for the tea. Turkey's tea is up there among the best. Coffee is also popular in Turkey, of course. Every day the flags, which are all around the country.
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The spices and the friendly people. But Turkey is also a country full of cute cats, and especially Istanbul is seen as the cat capital in the world. Do you like cats? Yeah, of course. This is the city of cats.
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Just watching cats makes me really happy. [Music] But why are there so many cats in Istanbul? Welcome to Turkey, because we love them. Millions of cats have roamed these streets for millenniums. We love cats. Do you like cats? Yes. What's
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your favorite animal? Really? Cat. Humans and cats have a great friendship in Istanbul, but humans sometimes tend to overcomplicate things, while the cats are keeping it simple. This is my people. In Istanbul, they take good care of their cats.
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How much do you love your cat from one to ten? One thousand. Cats are part of the Turks' lives. Yes, I love cats. Do you have one yourself? Yes, Kidnan. It estimates there are between one hundred thousand to over a million stray cats in
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Istanbul. Many Turkish citizens view street animals as commonly owned pets rather than traditional strays, and the country has a blank no-kill, no-capture policy. In general, animals have a really good lifespan in Istanbul. Why do you like cats?
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They're very beautiful. They're sincere. Yes, stray cats can be seen in many places in Istanbul, whether on cars, on scooters, on chairs, in university classrooms, on the ferry, on the bus seat, or on the subway with no one bothering them.
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Why do you love cats so much? So, because they are so adorable that I feel love in my heart. Why do you like cats? Yes, I do. Very cute. [Music] How do you call cats in Istanbul? How do you call a cat in Turkish? We say
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pcpc, p-i-s-i. Can you say like a cup? I love cats. Lots of viral videos of animals in Turkey have helped get their plight out into the world. A tram stopping to wait for a stray cat to finish drinking water from the ground,
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a shopping mall letting dogs sleep inside wrapped in blankets during a snowstorm, and Iman painting cats in a mask, and my absolute favorite, a cat at the top of an escalator refusing to move despite being in the way.
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There are even statues of street animals in some cities. Most people prefer to hang out with cats, and most cats prepare to hang out with people. Cats are everywhere here in Istanbul. Does your sister have cats? No, she has just a cat and a dog. Istanbul
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Turkey introduced a new law that may get a crime punishable by jail time to mystery torture or leave animals without food or water. Cats will outsmart dogs every time, and they rule the world. Do you like cats? Jokes
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indeed. A popular saying notes if you kill a cat, you need to build a mosque to be forgiven by God. Every cat is my best friend. Wandering the streets of Istanbul, you'll see many small containers by the size of
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buildings and discrete food rations doled out by its inhabitants. While the cats are not adopted formally, they are taken care of by no one and everyone. A giant community network of cat-caring people put cat food in the streets or
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give them food on plates. It's just like a family member displaced. Vending machines for cats or dogs in many parts of the city. Citizens passing by put coins into these machines, ensuring that cats and dogs are fit, and the popularity of the cats in
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Istanbul has not gone unnoticed by those on social media. Time spent with cats is never wasted. Looking through history books about Islam, many mention the prophet's love of cats, and while variations on the foregoing stories exist, the affection
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for cats has been consistent. It's not just Istanbul. There are many cats throughout Turkey. Turkey is sevierdom in Istanbul's main tourist areas. They are mostly well-fed and clean and almost all affectionate. Of course, it's not a purely idyllic life for the animals of wisdom.
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Bull cat fights in the dead of night are quite common, and there are problems with the sheer volume of the strays in town. Ah, he is feeding them. Okay, what better than the love of a cat? [Music] Is it your cup? Yeah, it'll be all people
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like me care of them. [Music] And it's known as the cat capital of the world. Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis of Istanbul freely for thousands of years, wandering in and out of people's lives, impacting them in ways only an animal
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who lives between the worlds of the wild and the tame can. [Music] Are you sitting and comparing cats? Yeah, we will wait, wait, wait. Wow, you're drinking Turkish beer and I'm drinking Danish beer. So ironic. Cats and their kittens bring joy and
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purpose to those they choose, giving people an opportunity to reflect on life and their place in it. In Istanbul, cats are the mirrors to ourselves. Come here. We'll see who can get the cat to come. [Music] I'll win.
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[Music] I try with the Danish cats on, and she will try with the Turkey. [Music] [Music] All the cats are friendly. Yes, of course. [Music] So I'm out in the streets in Istanbul here with Yoxo, and we are searching for
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some cats today. They are a little difficult to find, but I know they are here. Cheers for the cats. Are they the friendliest cats in the world? In Istanbul? Yes, of course. They are the most friendliest ones, just like the Turkish people.
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Do you like cats? Yes or no? Would you visit Istanbul? Please comment below. All the people of Turkey, they think that the black cat can get you bad luck, but I think the black cats are cute. Also, remember to subscribe to Ghost on the Go
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and also the city of so many blacks. In all the times, Turkish people always had cats in their houses because they are eating the red. Do you like cats? Please comment below and remember to subscribe to Ghost on the Go. See you
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guys.
Topics:Istanbul catsstray cats Turkeycat capital of the worldTurkey animal welfareno-kill policystreet cats Istanbulcats and humansTurkish culture catsanimal protection lawsviral cat videos
