Wandering the cobbled streets of Sultanahmet, the main neighbourhood of the historical centre of Istanbul, astonishingly decorated by the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia, I enjoy my wanderings at the beginning of the spring. A fresh breeze and  some sunny spells accompany me along my encounter with this spellbinding city and an omnipresent cat population that is protected, fed and taken care of by anonymous locals.

The domestic cat is a revered animal in Islam, admired for its cleanliness. Cats have been venerated in the Near East since antiquity, a tradition adopted by Islam, albeit in a much modified form. According to Hadiths, Muhammad prohibited the persecution and killing of cats. It is told that Muhammad awoke one day to the sounds of the Adhan, the Muslim daily call to prayer. Preparing to attend, he began to dress himself; however, he soon discovered his cat Muezza sleeping on the sleeve of his prayer robe. Rather than wake her, he used a pair of scissors to cut the sleeve off, leaving the cat undisturbed. When he returned from the Mosque, Muhammad received a bow from Muezza in gratitude. He then stroked his beloved cat three times. (From Wikipedia)

A moggie takes a nap at an antiquities shop in the heart of Sultanahmet

A cat sits at the entrance of a restaurant at Haydarpasa Train Station.

Cat roaming around Nuruosmaniye Mosque and the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

All photographs are copyrighted and cannot be reproduced without permission. ©The Enlightened Flaneur