Malaysia Cat Beach Sanctuary + Other Destinations?

[FelisCatus]

Kitten Lady just posted a video of her trip to the Cat Beach Sanctuary in Malaysia


It made me wonder what other cat destinations there are for vacationing/volunteering for cat lovers.

In Hawaii there’s Lanai Cat Sanctuary

In Japan there’s cat islands, Tashirojima and Aoshima as well as smaller ones.
Also cat cafés.

In USA the name of the city/town I cannot recall, but it was featured in an episode of Must Love Cats as the place where modern domesticated cats landed with explorers from Europe (or something along those lines... it’s been a while).

Indirectly related there’s
the Sphinx, museums with Bastet in Egypt
the Mayan Jaguar temple in Guatemala
the loads of feral/stray cats in Istanbul, Turkey

Any destinations I missed?

 

[Willowy]

The Ernest Hemingway House has a bunch of cats.

Best Friends is a popular tourist spot now.

I don't think "cat islands" are usually all that great for cat lovers. The cats are often not well-cared-for and it can be distressing. Best to stick to cat cafes and proper sanctuaries.

 

[betsygee]

I will be going to this one in April.

 

[aliceneko]

I love cat cafes - I went to the cat cafe in Avignon, France and in Reykjavik, Iceland (I stayed next door to the cat cafe in Iceland, which was a crazy cat lady's dream!).

There's also a floating cat sanctuary along the canals in Amsterdam known as "De Poezenboot" which started in 1966 and is now a sanctuary in memory of the original owner:
The Catboat | De Poezenboot

The Ernest Hemingway House has a bunch of cats.

Best Friends is a popular tourist spot now.

I don't think "cat islands" are usually all that great for cat lovers. The cats are often not well-cared-for and it can be distressing. Best to stick to cat cafes and proper sanctuaries.

I agree. I know that one of the Japenese cat islands had to collaborate with an organisation in mainland Tokyo because the resident island cats were in such a bad way, and the organisation is also spaying and neutering cats on the island. Being so cut off from modern life, most of the locals don't know how to treat the cats and pretty much all of the cats aren't spayed or neutered, so the population keeps on growing, introducing more diseases and deformities in the cats.

 

[Willowy]

Oh, and cat-spotting at Disney World is popular. I've never seen one (in 3 visits) but my mom saw some when she was there on the 4th of July and the crowds were so heavy they started leading people out the back ways. The cats usually stay back there while people are in the park which is why it's so hard to see one.

 

[Kat0121]

Is there any better cat sanctuary in Japan than at Norachan 's house? I think we'd all love to visit all those beauties!!

 

[Norachan]

Is there any better cat sanctuary in Japan than at Norachan 's house? I think we'd all love to visit all those beauties!!

You're welcome, anytime!



One place I'd really like to visit is Yanaka Cemetery in Tokyo. It's a refuge for stray cats. People provide food, shelters and vet care for them and there is a TNR program in place, so the cats here are in a lot better condition than they are one the cat islands.


And it's a real cemetery too! I know some people might find that a bit weird, but I find cemeteries very relaxing places to visit. I've been to a couple of really beautiful ones in England and South America.