Istanbul (AFP) – For centuries, cats and Istanbul’s residents have been very close, an ancestral culture that remains even today. When stray cat Kanyon’s bed was stolen at a shopping mall, residents decided to build him a new home. He’s not alone: according to City Hall, Istanbul has more than 160,000 cats living on its streets who are regularly fed and fussed over by the city’s 16 million residents. “Istanbulites are animal lovers,” says 57-year-old Gaye Koselerden, adding, “They can even curl up on the most expensive duvet. No one would say a word.”
