Yet One of Many

Street cats are a symbol of Istanbul. They are everywhere and serve a dual purpose of keeping vermin to a minimum while allowing passers-by a chance to pet a veritable rent-a-cat. Human beings also leave food for all city animals: cats, dogs and every manner of bird. In this shot, someone has put on top of a dumpster a "simit", a sesame covered pastry akin to a mix of bagel and pretzel. While the cat may show no interest, the gulls and crows will take care of it soon enough.
For those interested in the cats of Istanbul, a good film, "Kedi", follows the daily lives of seven of them in different parts of the city. Well worth a watch as it shows the kindness of neighborhoods and of strangers in this megapolis of 16 million people, as well as countless cats and dogs.