Stray cats strut Istanbul’s streets, a symbol of tradition in a churning metropolis

Cat culture thrives in Istanbul

ISTANBUL — When President Obama visited Turkey last year, he paused to stroke a tabby cat at the former Byzantine church of Haghia Sophia while Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan looked on with a smile. The cat, one of half a dozen living at the ancient site, seemed unfazed by the VIP attention.