1. CATS MUSEUM – KOTOR, MONTENEGRO 

 

While the museum’s namesake covers the prints and surfaces, the museum also strives to convey a broader meaning in your feline love, by utilizing the interest aroused by the animal to cultivate the feelings of “…respect towards nature, the animals and the environment continually threatened by man.” These goals may come from the inception of the museum itself, with the receipt of large collection of period images by the International Cats' Adoption Centre in Venice. The Cats Museum was purposely and aptly located in Kotor, the self-proclaimed “city of cats,” and over the last ten years it has continued its growth through additional donations and acquisitions. The museum boasts all your cat favorites to skim a few: cats in human poses, portraits, books, posters, advertisements, portraits of cats causing mischief, and live cat residents who live in the museum. An added bonus for those with feline friends at home, for a small fee your companion can become a member of the museum with their very own membership card!  

2. CAT ISLAND - ISHINOMAKI, JAPAN

Tashirojima island in Japan is known as “cat island” as the cats have overtaken the human population to become the island’s primary residents! With cats holding the population majority on the island, the laws of the land are pro-cat (No Dogs Allowed!). Though keeping the cats as pets is considered inappropriate, the locals believe that good luck and fortune are brought by cats, and even more so when you take care of them.

3. HOLY MONASTERY OF SAINT NICHOLAS OF THE CATS - AKROTIRI, CYPRUS

People who hate snakes, turned cat lovers! During the monastery’s construction, the area was under a severe drought and poisonous snakes had taken over, causing issues with the construction. The adorable solution? Cats, in a large shipment from Egypt and Palestine.  After the snakes were defeated in battle and the monastery completed, the saviors were moved in and cared for.  History repeated itself in 1983, when the monastery was given to nuns, and they found it overrun with snakes. The sisters brought in outside cats to rid themselves of the problem. In honor of the Cats’ centuries of services, the monastery accepts any stray cat brought to them. 

4. TORRE ARGENTINA (ROMAN CAT SANCTUARY) - ROME, ITALY

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Ever wanted to see the ruins of where Julius Caesar was killed but also see a bunch of cats sunbathing? Look no further than the Roman Cat Sanctuary, where you can do both! After excavation of the ruins the feral cats of Rome moved in and were quickly cared for by the local cat ladies.  Currently the location is home to 150 cats who are loved and cared for seven days a week by the sanctuary volunteers! 

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This Cat Boat got its start after a local cat lady’s rescues outgrew her homestead across from the canal. She decided to buy one of the boats along the canal, in 1968, as a rescue and sanctuary for the cats. A Dutch house boat now houses the remarkable cat sanctuary, with the original being retired in 1979. The boat is open to tourists and hopeful adopters a like, so whether you are looking for a new furry friend or just to give one a head scratch, what better place than this interesting sanctuary.