Hagia Sophia in Istanbul: the perfect home for a CAT!

Meet Pakize, who lives inside the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkiye.

[@ms2189]

Smart cat, tired of life on the street, just walked in and made herself at home, and gained everyone's respect and love because of it!

[@erict7093]

Wow! That cat lives in a mansion with staff and has free healthcare! My life sucks.... haha!

[@RoanNebunescu]

I'm dying to visit Istanbul someday, beautiful food, mesmerizing architecture, fascinating history, and wonderful people.... and of course, all the lovely street cats to go make friends with, that's the best part! ❤

[@salima.anwar1]

You should! I went in 2022 and went to this exact mosque. It was beautiful and adoring, and yes i did stumble upon some cats that were in there and made sure to give them a nice pat! Hopefully you go there one day!❤❤

[@annierouleau8688]

Thank you for sharing this with us. Istanbul is renowned for its love of cats and this video is just another wonderful example of it. Continue to enjoy your trip with your husband.

[@WellISaidIt]

it all dates back to the prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and his love for cats.They are viewed as holy animals in islam.

[@jjbee11]

They are already home, this is pre-recorded footage from a few weeks ago that she’s just posting now

[@ryttu3k]

Istanbul loves its cats! Glad Pakize is continuing on the legacy of Gli, the former Hagia Sophia resident cat! (I was fortunate enough to meet her when I visited in 2013.)

[@janieclarke574]

I visited in 2019 and got to meet Gli. I’m so glad she has another cat who is continuing!

[@highhorse902]

Never visited Hagia Sophia, but glad to see you both recognise Gli.... I've seen her on the internet ❤

[@zeynepdag95]

Welcome to my country, I hope you have a good time here. We have built a common life with cats here, especially in Istanbul, but also in the rest of our country. I hope you enjoy what you see here. Much loves! ❤

[@jjbee11]

She’s already back home, this is footage from a few weeks ago ❤

[@alinaqirizvi1441]

Pakize (پاکیزه in Arabic script) is a name of Persian origin meaning pure or clean. Fitting name for this cat which looks like it has immaculate, clean fur

[@foxtoons1999]

This is so sweet! Even after Gli’s death, this cat will continue her legacy as the Hagia Sophia cat!

[@mysticfox9718]

That cat is living the dream! A big place to roam, lots of pets, food and warm places to nap at

[@ennui7778]

I adore Turkish history, culture, food, and of course, their love and respect for cats. Absolutely would love to visit someday!!

[@shefelldown1]

I love the way Turkiye treats cats. They are ao loved. My dorm had stray cats that were cared for.

[@GarryDumblowski]

Cats are particularly significant in Islam because they were the favorite animals of the Prophet Muhammad. Not only are they clean enough to enter mosques, they're actually considered clean enough that if they drink from the water used for ablution before prayer, it's not needed to replace the water.

[@khalidacosta7133]

If a cat eats your food, or drinks your water.... its still fine for you to consume too! .

[@mueezacat6546]

I love cats,Istanbul,and Turki people who love animals

[@SKS8080]

Turkey is a country that treats cats very well.

[@sophwitchproject]

Next time I find myself in Istanbul 😂

[@cherylf.4616]

Welcome home kitty! 🐈❤️

[@WendiintoancientHistory]

You are SUCH an amazing person. You are visiting places I'd die to see. You are gracing lucky cats with your kindness everywhere you go. Thank you for bringing us along!!!

[@PersonWeird]

Cant believe you visited where I live! Wish i got the chance to meet you. Lots of love from istanbul 💕

[@mousiebrown1747]

She’s soaking up the good vibes! 😻

[@Tekdruid]

"Oh, humans built an entire cathedral just for me? How nice."

[@tobyturcott]

So. Cat. I love how you respect the mores & sensibilities of this space.

[@zeeshawnali4078]

Can't wait to see Pakize on my next visit to Istanbul !

[@halaismailabbas9225]

❤❤❤

[@ultramet]

I’m there in 2 weeks. Thanks for the tip. Love this City.

[@elijahh2220]

That's such a healthy and happy looking cat! Also, "walked in and decided she lived here" is a story I hear all the time for how people have gotten their cats -- I love that this also applies to 1500-year-old mosques.

[@truthtriumphant]

For one-thousand years, it was originally a Greek Orthodox Church. The Ottoman Turks stole it from the Greeks and made it into a mosque.

[@werelemur1138]

Most cats don't get quite as much space to roam (or quite as many adoring fans).

[@Palestine4life25]

Kitten lady your amazing!❤

[@naomihirsch2796]

She is just gorgeous 😻

[@somarriba333]

Ancient city. Wars fought. Empires have risen and fallen. This is my home now. 😽

[@Hex04]

Thats a real heartwarming story❤

[@jovicrazed]

I love this. She is so cute. I hope people don't feed her too much though. I've seen so many videos about cats in mosques and how kind everyone is to them and it warms my heart.

[@catherinea.cheledingaywa599]

Happy International Cat day everyone and also Kitten lady 🎉 May all love their cats with all their heart

[@andreawendel2048]

Beautiful...

[@syasyaidyrazlan7115]

You look beautiful wearing the scarf!! 😊😊😊😊

[@garethleitner9547]

Pretty nice digs! She deserves it.

[@avacat8852]

😻💖🐈

[@kimberlycarpenter9468]

I'm glad to hear that Gli has a worthy predecessor, especially with the changes at Hagia Sophia to abandon its previous culture of welcoming all denominations.

[@skep1987]

Hagia Sophia was a Greek orthodox church before taken by the Turks.

[@Happy_Potato0]

Just love Cats and Turkish heritage it is the perfect home for pets 😊❤

[@johannarose8466]

hahahaha what turkish heritage??? it's a GREEK orthodoxe church from the Byzantine Empire. It has nothing to do the with turkish ''culture'' other than the fact that it was stolen and got vandalised by othomans..

[@Happy_Potato0]

@johannarose8466 There was a War and the ottomans won and conquered it.. there is a difference in "Stolen" and being "Conquered".. so why are you angry? It was in the past. They fought for it.

[@johannarose8466]

@@Happy_Potato0only the fact that it's not Turkish heritage??? I'm not angry you're delusional

[@highhorse902]

Pakeeza reminded me of Gli ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@omarzb6268]

rly good video!

[@jenn5628]

Aww ❤

[@risainnami5520]

Happy International Cat Day!! 😸💞💖🌠🐾😻

[@ladymermalade2329]

Welcome to my country hannah and Andrew love from Turkey ❤🎉

[@Drynrx]

İ live in İstanbul and Pakize is always there she is so cute 🩷

[@athena3551]

Damn greece needs to get agia sophia back just cuz of that cat

[@truthtriumphant]

Exactly exactly!!! 🇬🇷🙏👏

[@Happy_Potato0]

Plz do not be Political on this channel .

[@Arginne]

@@Happy_Potato0Not political to speak out on something objectively wrong. Stealing is wrong.

[@athena3551]

@@Happy_Potato0 as the other person said this isn't political, it's a well known historical fact. It's not like we are encouraging murders.

[@johannarose8466]

exactly... turkish people destroyed its beautiful architecture...it's criminal..

[@RisingPurpose9941]

& If I pack my stuff to live there😊they kick me out. what a world 😂Cats are the absolute best❤❤❤

[@kittyco3818]

So sweet 🥹

[@johnsivillo3064]

I would live there two great choice Hagie

[@jennglow4647]

😻

[@amenandhis7kids724]

Nice

[@Heymrk]

🎵 Istanbul, not Const-cat-inople! 🎵

[@truthtriumphant]

No- Constantinople is the name it is accepted as in Western Europe!!!

[@Heymrk]

​@@truthtriumphantit's a song. 🎵

[@mmperrier50]

I wonder if she gets the ’zoomies’ inside there ❤

[@craigbowie8925]

I've never considered going there. Now...hum...

[@Ilovedoumasomuchheismyhusband]

I live on “Farm” and I have two cats a male and a female my female cat recently gave birth to a litter of 4, I haven't checked to see their gender yet but they are really cute

[@jjbee11]

Please make sure you get them all spayed and neutered, especially if you’re planning on keeping any of the babies ❤ the boys will start spraying and yowling and fighting once they reach maturity, and they’ll 100% mate with their own parents/children.

[@Arginne]

“Mosque”

[@truthtriumphant]

Yep exactly..😡😢

[@Laruto722]

Because saying "former orthodox church, catholic cathedral, museum, now mosque" becomes clunky to say

[@Stirchley1951]

Presumably the sweet kitty is spayed. Gonna work on the assumption that she is. 😎🇬🇧🇺🇸👍

[@jjbee11]

Yep, you can see her ear tip ❤

[@DaveNeve]

I was in Turkey recently and was pleasantly surprised by how the street cats are helped by Turks. Wherever I went, they were fed. What I didn't understand was how the Turks stop them from taking over the place. Are they neutered too?

[@jjbee11]

There are a few rescuers trying to spay and neuter them, but unfortunately many are not ❤

[@user-jh8gz1lo4e]

There are more than 1 million stray cats in Istanbul alone and unfortunately, not all of them are neutered. But almost all of the more than 100,000 stray dogs in Istanbul have been neutered.

[@spinjector]

The "g" is silent. It's literally pronounced "hiya".

[@jkranites]

It is not a Mosque please. it was a Eastern Orthodox Church. Been around longer than the Vatican.

[@jjbee11]

It is currently being used as a mosque. She is not wrong.

[@lucymax2178]

It has been a mosque for a very long time a historical one take your bs somewhere esle

[@jkranites]

@lucymax2178 it was converted back to a Mosque three years ago. You goof. It was literally a Greek Orthodox Church, and then turned into a Mosque then a Museum until three years ago. Nice try

[@lucymax2178]

@@jkranites it was converted into a mosque back in the 1453 why tf are you lying

[@57yearoldjamesbond]

@@jkranitesWhich would make it… a mosque.

[@nikotheamazing16]

Its not a Mosque its a CHURCH! and it will always be a Church they have tried to cover our icons but they can't but the cat is cool though

[@efrosinivuletic9288]

Ακόμα και η γατούλα επέλεξε να μείνει σε έναν τέτοιο ιερό ναό ..... όσο και να θέλουν να την μετατρέψουν σε κάτι άλλο !!! Την αγάπη μου ❤️

[@nikotheamazing16]

@@efrosinivuletic9288 καλα λες

[@ercanylmaz967]

Cats are clean not like dogs.

[@Marauder1981]

The foot mold church.

[@johannarose8466]

why are you wearing a burka????

[@jjbee11]

She’s wearing a headscarf because it’s a religious building and that is modesty is required from both sexes.

[@laerwen]

It's a hijab, and this is a requirement in Islamic spaces of everyone to be modest.

[@inquisitivedawn]

​@@jjbee11I don't see the men covering their hair

[@inquisitivedawn]

​@laerwen what's immodest about hair

[@jjbee11]

@@inquisitivedawn because it’s not required for them to in this specific space. But in many other religious buildings it is required for men to cover their hair too.