Roman cats

This is perhaps my favorite photograph. I found it here while clicking around the web looking for information on Roman cats. Around ten years ago, a card with this photo was sent to me from Rome by a couple who had adopted a cat from me. They had to move to France for a year, and the cat came back with us to stay until their return. On their travels, they sent their little cat a card at our home. I so loved the photo I had it framed and it has always found a place on my desk, moving from job to job.

There has been a lot of chat since yesterday about this article concerning pets in Rome

The new Rome by-law requires owners to regularly exercise their dogs, and bans them from docking their pets’ tails for aesthetic reasons.

It also provides legal recognition for cat lovers who provide food for the colonies of strays which live everywhere from the city’s ancient Roman ruins to modern office car parks.

It doesn't take much for an article to send me tripping across the internet for more information. For a first hand view of Roman cats, you should visit Torre Argentina feral cat sanctuary and I Gatti della Piramide.

And if you can read Italian, here is book for you.

I find it interesting that Babelfish cannot translate "gattare." I assume we baffle even Alta Vista.

Roman cats even have American friends at Friends of Roman Cats.