I need to preface this by saying I don’t like cats (at all!), but there’s something magical about their constant presence in almost all non-American cities and provincial towns. One of the first things I heard about Israel after landing in Tel Aviv was “prepare yourself for the stray cats.” Sure enough, as soon as we set foot in the Degania Bet Kibbutz, two or three cats could be seen roaming the kibbutz’s patio at any given time.
Jewish Quarter, Jerusalem’s Old City: This cat made out with a very holy stone wall as our guide told us about the significance of the Dome of the Rock and explained the Armenian quarter of Jerusalem.
Given the cats are strays, we weren’t really supposed to touch them…
In France, I traveled with my mom, who really hates cats in addition to being very, very allergic to them. The French cats were much bolder than the Israeli cats as they crept above us on medieval stone walls in vaguely threatening ways.
I’m still searching for Spanish cats during my time in Madrid. So far, no cats, although so many Madrileños have incredibly well-behaved dogs. I will keep looking and update all.
Addictively Addy 