WE HAVE ALREADY seen many fantastic historical places in Istanbul, and I plan to tell you about some of these. But before proceeding with descriptions of landmarks in the history of Istanbul/Constantinople, let me relate something current.

Istanbul is full of cats. Wherever you look you are bound to see a cat – often looking extremely healthy. They feed both by scavenging and they are also fed by local people. They seem unafraid of humans.

During our first three days in Istanbul, we have noticed something we had not seen before. In several places, we have seen small kennel shaped ‘sheds’ which are large enough to house one big cat or a couple of smaller ones. The floors of some of these shelters are lined with soft material including bits of old bedsheets. Most of the sheds have round holes through which the cats can enter and leave the shelters.

Another feature that makes life more pleasant for felines is that compared with many other cities I have visited, there are few dogs around in the streets.

The cats of Istanbul have much to purr about!