Cats of Italy – A Purrfect Story

Beware of Italian Cats
Caution

Pssst…I’m going to let you in on a little something.  The internet is full of cats.  They’re everywhere!

Go ahead, google cats.  I did… 665,000,000 results!!!  That my friends is a staggering amount of cat chat going on.  If each one of those results were a 2″ long coughed up hairball, they would circle the globe 383 or so times laid end to end.

 With that image in your head,  our post “Cats of Italy” is going to be number 665,000,001.  

Cats of Italy - Civita di Bagnoregio
Just Say Aaaaaw!

I will be first to admit that we are fans of the furry felines so crossing paths with a cat in Italy is always a good reason to stop and take multiple pictures of them.  Now, you may be thinking to yourself “What’s so special about the cats of Italy?”  Well… nothing really.  Nothing, until you spot one casually strolling along a narrow cobblestone street, sandwiched between multi storied buildings which are hundreds of years old!

These streetwise felines sport an obvious attitude of indifference towards the tourists that are all around them. The term “Cool Cats” could have been coined here by some traveller who noticed their swagger.

Cats of Italy - Castelsardo
Cool Customer

What makes the Italian domestic Felis catus seem more exotic than our own domestic house cats is location, location, location.

To demonstrate what I am saying, I’ll offer up this example to drive home the point.  Let’s just say I went out and got myself a nice haircut and a good clean shave.  Next, I get dressed up in a slick fitting suit to go out for a cruise in a sweet new Chevy Impala. For the most part, I would bet passersby would take one look at me and think…”Meh.”  Now On the other hand, put that same me in a shiny new Lamborghini and most certainly those same passersby would say… “Hubba hubba.”

Cats in Italy seem more exotic to me mostly because Italy still seems more exotic to me.

Cats of Italy - Monterosso
Sleeping it Off

A lounging cat can soften the look of the ancient stone environment they inhabit.

What’s fun about cat spotting in Italy isn’t that you might see one, (you will) it’s where you see them. Take a good look around and you’ll  most likely see them relaxing on ancient stone walls or resting at the foot of a famous monument.  Look up occasionally and you are likely to see one peering down on you from a window or balcony.

The contrast of soft fur and hard stone walls always makes for great pictures.  

Cats of Italy - Vernazza
This Bench is Taken

Knowing one’s boundaries is something the cats of Italy seem to know quite well.

Cats of Italy - Vernazza
Patiently Waiting

From what I can see the resident cat population seems to know the boundaries that they can and cannot cross.  Occasionally you will see a cat or kitten perched in the doorway of a ristorante, patiently waiting for a handout from a kind chef or waiter.  However, I’m pretty sure they are conditioned to know if they venture too far into the kitchen an unfriendly response awaits.

Cats of Italy - Civita di Bagnoregio
Waiting for a Handout

As we all know a picture is worth a thousand words, so I’ll let these photographs do the talking for me.

Cats of Italy - Vernazza
Looking Regal
Cats of Italy - Corniglia
Snow White
Cats of Italy - Vernazza
Pull up a Chair
Cats of Italy - Monterosso
Double the Aaaaw

When it finally comes time for you to visit Italy, take a good look around as you see the sights.

Amid the statues and ruins or moving among the humans in the middle of a piazza, there just may be a pair of cat eyes watching you.  If you’re lucky enough,  you may even get one to stop next to you, so that you can show them some love.

Cats of Italy - Montepulciano
Just Stopped in to say Ciao

If you need a bit more cute and cuddly, click our Pinterest link to cats for more! 

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6 thoughts on “Cats of Italy – A Purrfect Story

  • January 8, 2017 at 9:50 pm
    Permalink

    What a great way to showcase Italy! Thank you for your insight!

    Reply
  • January 17, 2017 at 8:00 am
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    Hi P&T,
    Loved your Cats article. Great photos! I have come to expect no less.
    Blog functioned perfectly on my old iPad2.
    Looking fwd to perusing your other entries, and the new stuff to come this summer!
    Kev

    Reply
    • January 17, 2017 at 10:18 am
      Permalink

      Hi Kevin. Thank you very much for the feedback and we’re glad you enjoyed the post. I hope you’ll enjoy our past and future posts as well. 🙂

      P&T

      Reply
  • November 18, 2022 at 9:24 pm
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    It’s interesting that the cats know not to venture into the restaurants. As a cat lover and cat artist, I loved this article!

    Reply
    • November 19, 2022 at 7:11 am
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      Thank you very much Cindy. It never gets old taking photos of every cat we see when we’re in Italy! 😀

      Reply

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