Discussion: Cats of the World – August 2025 Photo Contest

This is where you can chat about all things feline. Here’s a beautiful specimen already:

I need to have a few photos...

Oh wow, an animal theme suggested by Isabelle! What a surprise!!! 😄

That’s not fair because I’ve already posted all my cat photos!! Now I’ve got to find a lion, but that’s not exactly easy in my backyard! 😄

I must have a few photos ...

I’m counting on you, Agnès! 👍

Oh wow, an animal theme suggested by Isabelle! What a surprise!!!

It's not fair because I've already posted all my cat photos!! Gonna have to find a lion, but that's not easy in my garden!

With all the trips you've taken in Africa, I doubt you don't have a few lions waiting to come out of your hard drives 😜

Absolutely uncooperative Bosnian feline. Shouldn’t have moved! 😼

Thai feline... This one’s not likely to move....

Peruvian option!

A little trip to Montenegro, Kotor





The cat seems to rule the world! 😊 !

Cat (?) upcycled... Somewhere in southern Portugal

Neighboring bungalow at Kalahari Tented Camp

A tortoiseshell cat—my favorites—they’ve got real attitude.

I love these fluffballs, even as decor I can't resist

Recycled cat (?) ... Somewhere in southern Portugal



Alcoutim. You must’ve gone there when you were in Cabanas de Tavira.

(I also have it in a photo, but I don’t have access to my pre-2022 photos right now)

Yes, that’s exactly it! 😊

Wow! I see that felines really inspire you 😁 Thanks everyone 😊

Iberian lynx in Lisbon



Iberian lynx south of Madrid

In the south of Cyprus lies the "monastery of cats"... and a vending machine that dispenses kibble for one euro!



Cats have been part of this place for ages. According to legend, during the construction of the first monastery in 327 AD under Saint Helena’s patronage, a terrible drought plagued the island, leading to a surge in venomous snakes. The situation got so bad that the poor builders eventually abandoned the site. The solution from the lovely Helena (who wasn’t a saint yet) was to bring in 1,000 cats from Persia and Egypt, trained to respond to two bell sounds: one signaling mealtime, the other signaling the start of snake-hunting. Once the snakes were eradicated, the monastery was completed. Even better, in 1983, when the monastery was handed over to a group of nuns due to a lack of cats, the snakes had returned. What do you think happened next? Cat got your tongue? Well, yes—the abbess Kassiani (who wasn’t an abbess yet) decided to keep 100 cats at the monastery. Though these weren’t Persian or Egyptian cats but rather local strays, the result was the same! Goodbye, nasty snakes… and hello, friendly tourists!

Love your story! 😉

Thanks for all your feline suggestions! 😊

Sorry if I’m not very active on the forum right now—I’m camping in Alaska, not searching for felines but for big teddy bears (the furry kind), and the signal is super spotty! 📶

@Kate, the domestic cat *Felis catus* is definitely a feline—you’re totally on theme! 😸

@Xrctn, we also came across a lot of cats at a lodge in Meru National Park in Kenya. The reason for all those cats is the same as your Cyprus cat story!

Hi,

Big cat at the window in Penang (Malaysia)

I could’ve also entered this photo in the contest—it was taken in South Africa in 2016—but it really needs the next one, taken just a few meters away, to explain the story...

Hi there,

No big cats for me, just those stray Greek ones.



Catherine

Even in Botswana, lions are suffering from overtourism ... 😉

He seems to not give a damn at all 😄

You’ve got until midnight tonight to post a few more felines—after that, it’s time to vote.

Feline tenderness:

A few felines:

Iberian Lynx

Cheetah on the prowl

Leopard on the hunt

Serval

Dinnertime!

Lion devouring a young hippo

Leopard dragging its prey

Just a heads-up: Isabelle’s back from Alaska!

Just got the scoop: Isabelle’s back from Alaska!

Yep, she made it back yesterday—just in time for me to handle the contest! 😄

Since voting is open, the slideshow is here. [;)

Since voting is open, the slideshow is here. 😉

Thanks, Agnès, for the slideshow! 😊

At the Auvergne wildlife park...

Thanks, Manu, for these beautiful big cats! I still haven’t had the chance to meet tigers or snow leopards in person. For wild tigers, you’ll have to head to India 😊. As for snow leopards, their cold, high-altitude habitat isn’t really my thing 😅.