Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats'
Istanbul, Turkey is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca. August 8 is International Cat Day.
Kittens rest in a cat house on the street on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. August 8 is Internataional Cat Day.Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat rests in front of a toy shop on August 6, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city' streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A kitten looks out from a neighborhood cat house on August 4, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca and there are many stories in the history books referencing the Prophet Muhammad's love of cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat eats in a park on August 4, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city' streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - AUGUST 06: A cat waits by food bowls on a street on August 6, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca and there are many stories in the history books referencing the Prophet Muhammad's love of cats. In 2016 a documentary film "Kedi" meaning cat in Turkish, which followed the daily life of a group of cats in the city grossed more than four million USD at the box office making it one of the highest grossing foreign language films to date. August 8 is International Cat Day. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat rests on a moped on August 6, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat sits in front of souvenir shop on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca and there are many stories in the history books referencing the Prophet Muhammad's love of cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat waits to enter a shop on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat rests inside a clothing shop on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat looks out from an electronics store on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A man plays with a kitten on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca and there are many stories in the history books referencing the Prophet Muhammad's love of cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat rests in a plant pot on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A man feeds cats on the street on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat sits on a car on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat sits on top of a cat house on the street on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat sleeps on packaging material on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat walks along the shoreline of the Bosphorus on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca and there are many stories in the history books referencing the Prophet Muhammad's love of cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat sleeps next to an Ottoman bust on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat sleeps in a cat house in a park on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' In 2016 a documentary film "Kedi" meaning cat in Turkish, which followed the daily life of a group of cats in the city grossed more than four million USD at the box office making it one of the highest grossing foreign language films to date. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A kitten plays in a park on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath
Cats wait for fishermen to feed them their catch on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat sleeps at the entrance to an apartment building on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat sits next to fish caught from the Bosphurus on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' In 2016 a documentary film "Kedi" meaning cat in Turkish, which followed the daily life of a group of cats in the city grossed more than four million USD at the box office making it one of the highest grossing foreign language films to date. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A kitten plays with a feather in a park on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats.Photo by: Chris McGrath
A kitten looks out from a cat house in a park on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca.Photo by: Chris McGrath
Cats wait for fishermen to feed them their catch on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca and there are many stories in the history books referencing the Prophet Muhammad's love of cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat sleeps outside a luxury clothing store on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath
People pass by as a cat sleeps at a train station on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat yawns on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath
A cat is illuminated by car lights on the street on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath
Cats gather in the street on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath