Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' Kittens rest in a cat house on the street on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. August 8 is Internataional Cat Day.Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat rests in front of a toy shop on August 6, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city' streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A kitten looks out from a neighborhood cat house on August 4, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca and there are many stories in the history books referencing the Prophet Muhammad's love of cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat eats in a park on August 4, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city' streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' ISTANBUL, TURKEY - AUGUST 06: A cat waits by food bowls on a street on August 6, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca and there are many stories in the history books referencing the Prophet Muhammad's love of cats. In 2016 a documentary film "Kedi" meaning cat in Turkish, which followed the daily life of a group of cats in the city grossed more than four million USD at the box office making it one of the highest grossing foreign language films to date. August 8 is International Cat Day. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat rests on a moped on August 6, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat sits in front of souvenir shop on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca and there are many stories in the history books referencing the Prophet Muhammad's love of cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat waits to enter a shop on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat rests inside a clothing shop on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat looks out from an electronics store on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A man plays with a kitten on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca and there are many stories in the history books referencing the Prophet Muhammad's love of cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat rests in a plant pot on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A man feeds cats on the street on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat sits on a car on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat sits on top of a cat house on the street on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat sleeps on packaging material on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat walks along the shoreline of the Bosphorus on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca and there are many stories in the history books referencing the Prophet Muhammad's love of cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat sleeps next to an Ottoman bust on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat sleeps in a cat house in a park on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' In 2016 a documentary film "Kedi" meaning cat in Turkish, which followed the daily life of a group of cats in the city grossed more than four million USD at the box office making it one of the highest grossing foreign language films to date. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A kitten plays in a park on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' Cats wait for fishermen to feed them their catch on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat sleeps at the entrance to an apartment building on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat sits next to fish caught from the Bosphurus on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' In 2016 a documentary film "Kedi" meaning cat in Turkish, which followed the daily life of a group of cats in the city grossed more than four million USD at the box office making it one of the highest grossing foreign language films to date. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A kitten plays with a feather in a park on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats.Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A kitten looks out from a cat house in a park on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca.Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' Cats wait for fishermen to feed them their catch on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. In Islam cats are considered ritually clean animals and the only animal to be permitted to enter the Great Mosque of Mecca and there are many stories in the history books referencing the Prophet Muhammad's love of cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat sleeps outside a luxury clothing store on August 8, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' People pass by as a cat sleeps at a train station on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat yawns on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' A cat is illuminated by car lights on the street on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath Photos: This place is known as 'The City of Cats' Cats gather in the street on August 7, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is known as the City of Cats and sometimes referred to as 'Catstanbul.' Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis for thousands of years. The city's streets are lined with food and water bowls and small cat houses placed by residents in a communal effort to look after the street cats. August 8 is International Cat Day. Photo by: Chris McGrath