I never planned to know these cats by heart, but now I could find them with my eyes closed. They spend their days lounging near the row of shops across from my office, stretching out on warm concrete or watching people pass as if they owned the sidewalk. They do not have collars or names anyone knows, yet they are part of the neighborhood the same way the old trees and cracked pavements are. Every morning when I walk by, I see them, and every time I feel that same quiet pull to stop for a moment and make sure they are alright.
Some of the shopkeepers have taken them under their wing in small but meaningful ways. A bowl of water placed in the shade, a little leftover food from lunch, even just the patience to let them rest without shooing them away. There is no schedule, no official group, just neighbors noticing a need and deciding not to ignore it. In a city where street animals are often treated as a nuisance or worse, those gestures mean more than they seem. They turn a random street corner into a place where compassion lives quietly, almost invisibly, but strong enough to keep these animals safe another day.
Looking after them does not always require much. Not everyone can afford to pay for vet visits or spay surgeries, but that does not mean they have nothing to give. Sometimes it is as simple as letting a cat nap in your doorway or making sure a bowl of fresh water is waiting during the hottest hours. Sometimes it is standing between them and a loose dog, or walking a few extra steps to check they have not been bothered. Care can be small, it can be free, and it can still matter just as much as anything grand.
Over time, the cats learn who they can trust. They know the faces that bring food, the hands that move slowly, the voices that stay soft. Street cats rarely give their trust easily, but when they do, it feels like a gift. There is something grounding about earning that blink of acknowledgment or seeing them stay put as you approach. They slow me down in the best way, reminding me to notice the details around me, to value the stillness in the middle of a busy day.
When I think about International Cat Day, these are the animals I picture first. Not the glossy images of pampered pets, but the street cats who rely on a web of strangers to make it through the week. They may never know they are being celebrated, but they feel the warmth of a safe place to rest, a bowl of food when they are hungry, and a pair of watchful eyes making sure they are not harmed. That is enough to change their day, and it is enough to remind me that kindness does not have to be loud to be real.
All photographs and content used in this post are my own. Therefore, they have been used under my permission and are my property.
