Our heartfelt thanks to:

 

Fatih Dağlı, creative director of Cat Museum Istanbul – for sending the Istanbul 

cat energy to our artist as she finished the drawings; for showing us around 

the museum and inviting us to imagine its future; and for all the brainstorming. 

Thank you for believing in us — and in this project.

 

Mimar Meral Olcay, founder, architect and volunteer director of Yedikule Animal Shelter,

and the staff and volunteers – for walking us through the shelter that day and 

showing us what true care for the city’s abandoned animals looks like. The reality opened 

our eyes, broke our hearts, but left us with deep admiration for those who took action.

 

Hilary Sable, founder of Cihangir ... Cool for Cats – for the serendipity of your 

street cat feeding, timed so perfectly with our random neighborhood stroll. 

Fate clearly had a plan. Thank you for the laughter, the rescue stories, 

and for helping this book find its way back to the Cihangir streets that inspired it.

 

Özgür Nevres, the software engineer who built a backyard sanctuary in Bahçeköy 

for street cats – for your insight, compassion, and friendship.  Thank you for 

making time for two strangers who came asking about neighborhood cats.

 

ikram Töre, Erdoğan Aydemir, Nazanine Ezdiari, Stephen Glick, and Philippa Grant 

for your interest and support; and last but not least, Karl Mautner, 

for your help, encouragement, and love.

 

And to all the cats of Istanbul who led us here – thank you for letting us follow.