Feral cats in Istanbul

Many Turkish citizens view street animals as communally owned pets rather than traditional strays, and the country has a blanket no-kill, no-capture policy.

The vast majority of Istanbul's houses were made of wood, which gave shelter and enabled the proliferation of the mouse and rat populations.

A 2015 paper published by Rutgers University academics stated that collective feeding attracts and leads to concentration of animals to a specific area, which in turn facilitates the transmission of certain diseases.

Healthy cats' contact with objects such as food and water containers that were contaminated by sick animals is another concern.

[8][1] In 2019 a Japanese national was deported from Turkey after he admitted to killing and eating 5 stray cats in Küçükçekmece, which gained widespread outrage in both countries.

[10] Stray cats can be seen in many places in Istanbul, whether in university classrooms, on the ferry, on the bus seat, or on the subway, with no one bothering them.