Türkiye might have concentrated on the plight of stray dogs nowadays amid a debate on their fate but cats continue to remain the favorite companion of the animal-loving nation. Whether at a primary school in the west or a small shop in the southeast, cats enjoy warm shelter, care and lots of food and love.
In a rural neighborhood of Izmir, Türkiye’s third largest province, Evrim Mutluay started the "Patili Okul" ("School with Paws") project to raise interest in their students' courses after a lengthy remote education period. Inside an unused storage room on the school premises, 30 cats found a new home but they do not stay there all day. As students, now more attentively listen to their teacher, they jump on desks and laps amid the loving looks of grade school students. "They formed a strong bond. I even have students visiting the school at the weekend just to care for the cats," Mutluay said.
The small school in Izmir’s Beydağ district has only 19 students but it has enough room for feline guests. Mutluay said she wanted to improve her students’ personal development when she noticed how much they loved animals and nature. She then started working to convert the empty storage room into a cozy home for 12 stray cats last year. Soon, both the number of cats and students’ enthusiasm for school increased. They rarely spend time separately, either in the classroom or in the schoolyard between classes.
Mutluay told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Friday that she was assigned to the school last year and noticed that the children were "colder" toward school after spending more than a year at home, in remote education due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "I had this idea of making a shelter for animals so they can be together more. Indeed, it endeared the school to children. They love cats so much. They helped with everything here, cleaning the cats and shelters, feeding them," she said. Over time, students themselves started bringing stray cats they found to the shelter. "It also helps them to develop a sense of responsibility, by caring for others. In a way, cats and children grow up together," she says.
Cemre Şen, one of the students, said she brought a cat she found in central Beydağ to the shelter. "I love them so much. They are beautiful animals. We feed them, care for them every day. We play games during the breaks," she explained. Ata Yıldırım, a student who lives in a nearby town, said he sought a transfer to the school after seeing the cats at the school on social media posts. "I have two cats at home and when I saw so many cats here, I convinced my parents to send me here. I am really having a good time here," he said.
Cemil Ercan echoes the same love for cats in his small shop in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır. Coincidentally, he is a volunteer carer for 30 cats he feeds, with the help of his neighbors.
The 55-year-old man, who runs an appliance repair shop in Diyarbakır’s Sur district, discovered his admiration for cats after he started caring for a kitten who took shelter in his shop. The father of 10 soon found himself surrounded with other cats he started feeding and caring for. He affectionately calls them his "children." With his daily earnings, Ercan purchases liver, a favorite dish of Diyarbakır locals and cat feed for his "children." As he appears in front of his shop with plates of food, cats rush in. Ercan clearly enjoys being surrounded by his furry companions as he dangles their food while comfortably perched on a plastic chair. "They are so lovely and they do not harm anyone. I have ‘cat time’ every day, at least one hour. The faithful can earn Allah’s blessing by caring for animals. I try to do my best," he told AA on Sunday. When he is ill and can’t open his shop, Ercan asks his neighbors and son to feed them. "We never leave them hungry. You can tell they are hungry when they paw your leg or arms but they are never aggressive. They just remind you that they are here and they need food. Once they are fed, they quietly leave and give you a loving look," he said.