Istanbul: The city of cats divided the banks of Europe - Asia

The city of Istanbul in Turkey has so many cats that people do not look sad if the animal has "strayed" into the office building, taking the last seats in the bar for them.

In the narrow streets of Istanbul, the ancient capital of Turkey, cats sit on the roof, the sill, run and jump on the steps or lingering limbs in every corner.

Whether sunbathing, feathering or visiting stores to find food, cats have become an integral part of the lives of people in the city divided by Eurasian banks, according to Reuters.

They were so crowded that no one looked sadly when a cat ran across the hall of an office building or when a child curled up to sleep on a nearby chair.

Shop owners and locals know about cats living in residential areas and will tell dozens of stories about them as if talking about a friend.

Some cat lovers in Istanbul buy homes for wandering cats so they don't get cold in winter, buy lots of cat food every time the supermarket drops.Some even took the animals home on nights when temperatures were lowest.

"Money is not a problem if it is for cats," Ozan, an employee at a pet store, told Reuters . "If they find cats with broken legs, blindness or digestive problems, they will take them to the hospital. When they see they are cured, they will take them back to the street."

In Cihangir district, where the streets are full of cat houses, it is common for customers to give their last seat in the bar to animals.They will stand next to them when they wake up after sleep.

The fact that cats leap into the hearts of diners in restaurants, looking for resting places as well as food, is also common in Istanbul.

Esra, who works as a barber, says she often takes care of and makes friends with two cats in the park near her workplace whenever she is free.She said this helped her through difficult times.

Meanwhile Mr. Necati, who works as a scrap dealer, says cats are sacred animals when telling the story of a cat protecting Muslim prophet Mohammed before a poisonous snake. " People should love cats, not love people , " he said. "People are very ungrateful".