“From Predator to Protector. Real Sultans of Turkey

“They would not move, though the Sultan himself passed by.” -Mark Twain in 1867
Did you know that cats are originally from Turkey?

According to the latest studies the domestic cat began populating households around the world 9,500-10,000 years ago, originating from a region that includes what is now Turkey. A second, stronger wave came 6,000-7,000 years later, this one out of Egypt. Even though scholars have various opinions of the origins of cats over time, domestic cats have become ubiquitous in Turkey, playing roles as both pest controllers and beloved companions.

There is a publishing by The Economist saying “SPRAWLING on doorsteps, on café benches, inside hammams: stray cats and dogs are everywhere in Istanbul. Some 130,000 dogs roam the city; at least 125,000 wild cats prowl its streets. The prevalence of strays across the city is nothing new: “The dogs sleep in the streets, all over the city,” Mark Twain wrote after a visit in 1867 to Istanbul. “They would not move, though the Sultan himself passed by.” More recently their presence has taken on a new, more modern twist.

The popularity of animal photos on social media—combined with a desire for a glimmer of good news in Turkey—has boosted the renown of these creatures both at home and abroad. There are at least half a dozen Facebook pages dedicated to the strays around Istanbul. One, “Cats of Istanbul”, has nearly 70,000 followers; its canine cousin, “Pups of Istanbul”, has a more modest 20,000, attesting to the pointlessness of competing with cats on the internet. One particular photo, of Tombili, an obese feline who was papped leaning casually against a step, so tickled its fans that a bronze statue (pictured, with original) was put up in his honor after he died. “