Kotor: The City of Cats

Kotor is best known to travelers as a medieval walled city with UNESCO heritage status.

It boasts ancient stone churches, courtyards and pathways, the remains of an ancient fortification system, and a setting of great scenic beauty.

While the Venetian lion is the official symbol of Kotor, domestic cats are so plentiful throughout the municipality that they’ve become the unofficial Good Luck symbol of this historic city.

History buffs will find interest in its long history, which dates back to the Illyrians, well before the Common Era.

Most recently, in June 2006, Montenegro was the only part of the former Yugoslavia able to achieve independence peacefully. Its constitution declared it to be a democratic, social and ecological state.

Kotor often features in Top City lists for cat-loving travelers.

It is said that cats first appeared in Montenegro long ago, when sailors brought their ships into port.

After traveling all over the world, the ships held feline “sailors,” who kept rats and mice out of the supplies and goods on board. Once securely docked, the feline sailors would head into the towns along the bay and take up permanent residence.

As the Bay of Kotor is situated between the mountains and the sea, there were plenty of mice, snakes and rats for fruitful hunting. The cats have protected the residents from invasions of these pests.

These days, however, any rodent living in Kotor would surely deserve a medal for bravery!

Long-time residents of the area do their best to feed and care for the population in and around Stari Grad, the Old Town. But the population of cats is often out of control because many cat owners see is as a safe area to dump unwanted cats and kittens. It is free of cars, has very few unleashed dogs, and cats are regularly fed by locals and tourists.

Unfortunately, this means that there are always more cats in need of a “snip and tip” (spay/neuter surgery and an ear tip!)

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