Around the world with 80 cats.

To anyone who knows me or follows this blog regularly, this will come as no great surprise: I love cats. I like dogs too, but I’m definitely more of a cat person. Wherever I travel around the world, from the deserts of Petra to the Roman ruins in Paphos, I always seem to find a cat. And if not just one, I make friends with a whole clowder of kitties (yep, that’s the collective noun for a group of cats, according to the Oxford Dictionary).

One might even go as far as saying I’m a Crazy Cat Lady, as I have three little cats of my own at home:

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There’s Tilly the tabby, Lola the tortoiseshell and Maybelle (pronounced “Mabel”) the Siamese.

Like any mother, my girls are my pride and joy; I couldn’t imagine life without them. They’re there when I come home from work, running up the garden path, so happy to see me. And they’re there when I go to sleep, most likely squashing my bladder and making me need to get up in the middle of the night for a wee, or fighting each other over who will get the prime position on my tummy.

But when I’m not cuddling up with them on a night to watch a film, taking videos of them playing fetch or uploading pics of them to their Instagram account, it’s usually because they’re being “cat sat” by my mum while I gallivant around the world. She loves her “grand kits”, spoiling them rotten with treats and toys galore. So I know she doesn’t mind when I suddenly text her with three days notice to ask if it’s ok for her to look after them while I jet off to Barcelona or head to Berlin for the weekend.

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I do miss them heaps while I’m away. I even resorted to getting mum a smartphone and setting her up on Whatsapp so the cats and I could video call while I was in Colombia for nearly four weeks. However, wherever I go in the world I’ve never been short of cat company. And I cannot help but take plenty of pictures of my new-found pals – many pictures of which never see the light of social media, for fear of more Crazy Cat Lady jibes.

But today, on Tuesday 8 August (aka International Cat Day) I’ve decided that all paw-some cats everywhere should be celebrated, so I’m sharing some of my favourite snaps of cats (Snapcats?) that I’ve encountered on my travels. Without further ado, here’s my fluffy, feline journey around the world…

Cats in Morocco.

One country where I couldn’t get enough cats was Morocco. There are so many wonderful things to see and do in this cultural and historic country, but what caught my attention the most was the kitties. They were everywhere I looked.

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The cities of Fez and Marrakesh, are loaded with hungry, dirty, disease-ridden street cats. But they are not feral. In fact quite the opposite; they are sweet, friendly, like attention and to be stroked. If they weren’t walking the sidewalks among the locals, I found them asleep, curled up in a special place like a dry fountain, a planter or an ancient garden.

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Seeing all these, malnourished, mangy little creatures broke my heart, and I wanted to bring them all back to the UK. I began dreaming, like I so often do, of setting up my own international cat rescue charity. I’d love to run some kind of re-homing programme for cats, to help find loving families for all the hungry strays. Like this guy, who I snapped wading through a massive pile of rubbish, looking for food and/or mice:

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On my first night in Fez I got in big trouble at an outdoor restaurant by sharing my dinner with dirty Lola-lookalike. The restaurant owners consider cats to be pests, and I was being disrespectful by chucking him little bits of food under the table. The way I saw it though, that cat needed that little tidbit way more than I did.

Oh how I wished I could have taken him back to my riad for a bath and cuddles:

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Some of the cats I came across in Marrakech were absolutely gorgeous, like this big fluffy ginger tom I met in Jamaa el Fna, who looked like the kind of kitty that people pay a lot of money for as a pet in the UK:

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Then there was a clowder (there’s that word again) of tiny little cats outside the Bahia Palace that I spent longer photographing than I did the actual palace…

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Cats in Jordan.

Morocco isn’t the only Arabic country where I’ve made friends of the furry feline kind, though. When I was in Jordan earlier this year, I came across this skinny little fella while visiting the ancient city of Petra:

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Crying loudly, he was so dehydrated and hungry, we gave him some water and fed him some oatmeal cookies (as that’s all we had on us, unfortunately). He was so malnourished and underweight – especially compared to this big, sad-looking fluffball:

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I found him staring at me from a pet shop window. With his weepy eyes, bent up whiskers and greasy fur, it took everything in my power not to give the pet shop in Amman the 20JD (about £21) they wanted for him, just to get him out of that hell hole.

I think animals being kept in pet shops is cruel, especially when I see them cooped up in tiny glass tanks, all crammed in, walking on their own pee and poop. I know that cultures and what is and isn’t deemed acceptable varies from country to country, but I think this is animal cruelty, whatever country you’re in.

Years ago, on a trip to Paris with an ex-boyfriend, I spent half an afternoon crying because of all the puppies in the pet shop windows that we strolled passed down one avenue. They were all barking and fighting with each other, pawing at the glass window. I just wanted to set them all free. Crazy Cat Lady, or Caring Cat Lady…

Cats in Turkey.

When I visited Istanbul in October 2015, I could immediately see why the Turkish city is nicknamed “Cat-stantinople”. Cats were everywhere, lounging in the warm autumn sunshine. Some of them really captured my heart, including this charismatic little chap:

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Then there this beauty, who at first glance, had me believing he was a soft toy. It wasn’t until I got really close and saw him softly breathing in and out that I realised he was real. He was so clean, healthy and happy, just dozing on a stack of embroidered cushion covers:

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They weren’t all as lucky as this though. Not so clean, not so healthy and not so happy looking was this ginger tabby, with his dirty mustache. I would have still taken him home if I could though, he was so affectionate and playful – we even got a silly little selfie:

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That little one followed me for a good while when I was walking down the street. Am I cat-whisperer? Maybe not insofar as a career choice, but I do seem to be perpetually followed by cats, wherever I go.

The other thing I saw a lot of in Istanbul was mummy cats with kittens. Out in the streets, in the middle of busy pavements, undeterred by people walking so closely to them. Some of the kittens were older, jostling with their siblings, but one was so tiny, it could have been but a few weeks old:

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Cats of Egypt.

From Turkey onto Egypt, an Arabic country that is believed to have been one of the first to domesticate cats. Thousands of years after those first wildcats were brought in as pets, the people in what would later be Upper and Lower Egypt began to worship many species of animals, including cats. Praised for controlling vermin and their ability to kill snakes, the domesticated cat became a symbol of grace and poise.

In fact, the Ancient Egyptian cat goddess Bast was originally depicted as a fiercely protective and war-like lioness, but over time became the deity representing protection, fertility and motherhood. Here are some snaps of the cats I found on my travels up and down the Nile back in 2013:

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Cats of Colombia.

Not all the cats I’ve encountered on my travels to 30 countries over the last 30 years have been unhealthy or mangy. The little family of feral cats I found on a farm up in the mountains in Buga in Colombia were clean, a good size and loved by the owners of the farm. Though they weren’t pets (ie, they weren’t allowed in the house or used to being cuddled and petted), the owners of the farm did feed them occasionally.

“They don’t have names – they protect the farm from mice and rats” said the owner, when I asked if he’d named the little baby that was lurking in the rafters.

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It’s really interesting to learn how other countries value and treat animals, both domestic and non-domestic. These cats in Colombia were very clearly wild, but the owners of the farm didn’t mind them being there.

Cats in the USA.

I’ve only been to the states of New York and Florida in the US, so haven’t got much to go on, but when my parents and I visited Florida back in 2009 (hence the very young, very blonde picture of me below), we made friends with the cutest little tabby cat. She followed us from the car park to our motel room, then proceeded to sit on the outside windowsill staring in on us while we ate our dinner. Of course, I couldn’t not share my food – she loved Ritz crackers and squirty cheese from a can. A girl after my own heart.

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Cats in Cuba.

When I visited Cuba last year with my (now ex) boyfriend, we found the teeniest, tiniest kitten hiding in a bush in the hotel gardens. I named her Tia the Tiny, because there was no way she could be older than about five weeks. I was so worried about her being out on her own, with no sign of a mum or siblings. But unfortunately as quick as she appeared, she vanished again.

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Cats in Puerto Rico.

While I’m over that way on my feline tour of the globe, another Caribbean country that had hundreds of cats was Puerto Rico. I’ve actually written a whole post about the cats of San Juan and the wonderful work that the Save a Gato charity does. The “Trap. Neuter, Release” programme the charity runs would definitely be beneficial in many other countries I’ve mentioned here.

Here’s just one of about 50 beautiful cats I found in Puerto Rico:

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Cats in The Netherlands.

Ok, so a bit different to the cats I usually find roaming the streets, but when I went to Amsterdam back in December 2016 I paid a visit to the Kattenkabinet, a museum dedicated to all things cat. I was in heaven, and spent ages looking at all the artifacts and displays. There was also this pretty tabby, snuggled up on the top of a radiator:

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Cats in Cyprus.

When I was in Cyprus a few months ago, I visited a tiny little town called Kouklia. Kouklia is home to Aphrodite’s temple and about 20 feral cats. There will be a full post on these frisky felines coming soon. But here’s a little sneak peek for now:

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Cats in the UK.

To end, here’s a pretty ragamuffin I met a few weekends ago. She belongs to the owner of Rainors Farm up in the Lake District, where my friends and I spent a long weekend “glamping”. On the last day the little beauty joined us in the sunshine in the garden. Obviously I couldn’t resist giving her a cuddle, and even half joked/half threatened to take her home. Isn’t she gorgeous?

It seems no matter where I go in the world, near or far, I will always find cats. Maybe I should set-up a separate site “Alwayscattyon”? That would definitely cement the Crazy Cat Lady title.

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128 thoughts on “Around the world with 80 cats.”

  1. I love all the pictures of the cats ! So adorable! But don’t worry, I don’t think you are a crazy cat lady 🙂 I love cats as well 🙂

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  2. Wow so many cats, amazing. Me and my husband are thinking of taking a dog but we are scared that when we are away, it will be so difficult for the dog..Cats in that sense are more easy going. They can take care of themselves…so good to know that your mother is helping you take care of them..

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  6. I just find it so funny that there’s always a bunch of cats.. just hanging about all over the world! I’ve definitely heard that Morocco is full of them! lol

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  8. You are exactly like me! Whenever I go abroad I always seem to find some kitty friends and it saddens me how many of them are mistreated or homeless. Lets set up a kitty shelter together and adopt like 100 cats. Btw your kit kats are stunning xx

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    1. Hahaha! That sounds like a plan Ana – I always say to all my friends that I want to set-up a cat home for all the strays, whenever I visit a new country lol. And thanks, Tilly, Lola and Maybelle are my babies xx

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  11. Haha there are some great pics there but I have to confess I’m not a cat person myself I’m more of a dog guy 😀 – I guess cats and dogs know which you prefer as I always end up making friends with dogs when I’m traveling (Even took in a stray pup when I lived in Bali 🙂 )

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  14. Every once in awhile you come across such a fun post. I like cats too although at the moment I don’t have any. It was neat to see the different cats from around the world. I like the fluffy grumpy one and the one on top of all the carpet pieces. It’s nice that you appreciate on your travels.

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  21. Lots in India as well although definitely Delhi has more dogs.. I love this! I always take photos of rando cats as well …. and dogs …. and cows…. and monkeys…. anything with a pulse really!

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    1. Yeah, there were soooo many dogs in India! I was saying to my mum yesterday that actually there a requite a lot of countries I’ve been to that I saw cats in, but I didn’t manage to get pics (India was one, as was The Gambia) of them. I also take pics of dogs, and little lizards!! I love them 🙂 x

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  29. I really loved this post. Your cat pics are so sweet, and inspired me to get booking that trip to Morocco I have been meaning to book for ages. You might like one of my posts – The Cat Whisperer – written in Santorini! 😀

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  30. You have a lot of pictures of cute cats here. I am just sad that I developed an allergy to them. I had some great cats as a kid and just can’t do it any more as a result. My favorites were a couple of the gingers that I had that were adorable and good natured as well.

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  36. This is such a sweet post! Cats are super popular in Japan also. They have these special cat cafes where you can have you coffee/drinks with a cat as your companion. ❤ Have you heard of it?

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  37. Wait a minute- did I just see cats in a library in Morocco? They’re so cute! I’m not much of a cat person honestly, I love dogs but these pictures are so adorable. You can see a lot of stray cats here in Dubai as well. They’re usually quite friendly and I love feeding them food when I’m at a restaurant, I usually get nasty looks from the staff when I do that. Haha.

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    1. Haha they weren’t in the library, that was a book/comic store, but yeah, they were EVERYWHERE! I’ve not been to Dubai yet, but I’m even keener to get over there now I know about the cats! x

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  39. I think I loved this post more than I should have! I had a beautiful cat that I miss dearly, she was our first cat and I instantly went from dog person to cat lady. I can’t wait to have a new cat in the house. I now want to follow your lead and photograph the cats we spot on our travels. x

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  45. I share your love for cats! They are such pretty pets and very low maintenance. I have both cats and dogs at home and they get along perfectly. Thank yo for sharing your photos of cats around the world. This is the first time I heard about the word clowder too.

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  49. Love this post! I’d like to invite you to do a link trade with me. If you can format a few atmospheric cat shots from your collection, as per my collection of cats around the world pics at http://berkeleyandbeyond.com/Way-Beyond/Photo-Galleries/Photos-of-Cats/photos-of-cats.html , I will sprinkle them in to my collection there along with credit to you and a link to this post. Please pick places I don’t already cover well.

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  50. Aww I love cats too. For the first time in my whole life I am currently without cat 😦 my cat passed away just before I moved into my new house. Now there is nowhere to pop a catflap! I feel like a need a cat in my life again 😦

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  52. Aw there are some real cuties here. (Have to say I especially love Maybelle btw!) I wish more countries trapped and neutered the strays, it’s heartbreaking to see so many babies so thin and neglected isn’t it 😦
    We’re huge cat lovers and my daughter always seems to make friends with them all when we go on holiday too.

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  53. Wow! You’ve definitely won the catography award for your endless shots around the world. We have a tabby cat and he would be pleased to hear of this celebration of his species.

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  54. To be frank,I’m not a cat person but I remember my granny had one and loved and cared for her pet like her life depended on it.Cats scare me but going through your posts and seeing all these lovely pictures make me want to get one.I’m loving cats already

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  56. I love this post so much. So many kitties. I don’t think you are a crazy cat lady yet. Lol. I do love how everywhere you go, you find some kitties. I think that is awesome. If you ever start a charity to help the kitties. I will donate to that.

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  62. What a cute post!! I LOVE cats, so does my daughter Eliana. At one point, I had three cats, time has passed and now I have one, Julius Caeser! Have you been to Santorini? I haven’t, but I have seen tons of cats in the background in pictures ppl post. The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear or see the word Santorini is cat! Seriously.

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  63. I must confess Becca, I’m more of a dog person than a cat! However, there are some real cuties in this post! I especially like the one in Jordan purring next to you, he/she looks very sweet. I remember the cats in Marrakech too, and actually felt sad for them as they were so skinny!

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  64. You should check Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary. These are ancient ruins in Rome and a lot of cats walk inside. They have a place to host homeless cats there and offer them for adaptation.

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  65. Wow this is interesting and definitely one for cat lovers. In Kenya and India the cats are skinny too. I remember our visit to Cuba; my husband loved it because there were so many kittens and cats. The locals do a lot of work to ensure they are safe. It’s quite touching.

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  67. thats quite a unique article i came across and cutest too..cats are adorable,,and you did a great job in collecting photos of these gorgeous cats from around the world…love it

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  68. Wow, that blue-eyed cat in Puerto Rico is just stunning! And who knew Kattenkabinet, the “museum dedicated to all things cat,” even existed? Thanks for an entertaining showcase of the feline friends you’ve made around the world. There are certainly some beauties and others needing love. I garnered my own little cat following in Positano, Italy and wondered if the phenomena was unique to the region. You’ve clearly answered my question: cats are everywhere! I love it. Meow!

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  70. This was such a sweet post especially for all the cat lovers. All the cat pictures are so cute, I can see how passionate you are about these little creatures. Its sad to know about the conditions about some of them though.

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