Did you know that small “cat doors” were built centuries ago at Topkapı Palace so that cats could move around freely? Restored and reopened in 2025, these small passages allow Topkapı’s cats to continue following the same routes through the palace’s stone-paved corridors, just as they have for centuries. Today, the area around the Golden Horn is home to one of Istanbul’s densest cat communities, while the cats of Topkapı continue to pass through these Ottoman-era doors, creating a living connection between the past and the present. One of the most charming representatives of this love today is Rixy, the cat of Rixos Tersane Istanbul. Accompanied by the sunshine of the Golden Horn and its starry nights, Rixy wins the affection of guests and stands as a warm symbol of Istanbul’s endless love for cats.