Original photography by
PillartoPost.org.
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
who lives between the worlds of the wild and the tamed can. Cats and their
kittens bring joy and 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.
A
recent article in The Economist
points out Turkey is not unique among predominately Muslim countries for
honoring its cats, which are considered ritually clean animals in Islam. In
the hadith, the collected sayings, and actions of Muhammad, there are numerous
examples of the Prophet’s fondness for cats.
By
one account, Muhammad cut off his sleeve when he had to rise for prayers so as
to not disturb a feline that had curled up on his robe for a nap. In another
tale, the pet cat of Abu Hurayrah (literally “father of the kitten”) saved
Muhammad from an attack by a deadly serpent. Muhammad purportedly blessed the
cat in gratitude, giving cats the ability to always land on their feet. Cats
were considered guardians in other respects for the Islamic world: they
defended libraries from destruction by mice and may have helped protect city
populations from rat-borne plagues.
Istanbul
is made for the cat-obsessed on social media. A “Cats of Istanbul” Facebook
page has over 66,000 followers, and on Instagram, iconic Istanbul scenery
frames photogenic felines. In October, the Kadikoy district memorialized a cat
named Tombili with a bronze statue following an online campaign. Tombili had
become an Internet sensation after a photo showed the rotund cat lounging on
the street, one paw jauntily hanging off a step. A mosque on the city’s Asian
side also made headlines after photos circulated of cats at home among
worshippers. The kindly imam, Mustafa Efe, welcomes strays with open arms.
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