Cats from Agadir {Morocco}

"The hotel I stayed at when I was on holiday in Agadir, Morocco, used to have a problem with wild cats. Many of these felines were abandoned by their owners and came to the hotel, pregnant," says Traveling Cats reader Julia E. Dahlgren. "Instead of trying to get rid of them, they decided to spay, neuter and vaccinate the cats and feed them daily."

Nowadays, the hotel grounds are full of healthy and happy cats. They are everywhere you go, even inside the restaurants, and they are not too shy to jump on people's laps.

The name of the hotel is Riu Tikida Dunas, in case you want to visit 😉

As a reviewer on TripAdvisor says, "If you like cats, this is the hotel for you. It's a cat's paradise."

Read next => Meet the cats of the Sunrise Resort in Eftalou

Photos by Julia E. Dahlgren

Cat from Ocean City {USA}

Pip the Beach Cat was once wounded and abandoned. Now, he's a famous spokes-cat for underserved children and seniors and even has his own book.

If you take a trip to Pip's hometown, Ocean City in Maryland, chances are you will meet this local feline celebrity.

He enjoys walking among the crowds and socializing with passers-by.

What he loves most, however, is spending time at the Ocean City beach. He can spend hours chasing seagulls, digging holes in the sand, running behind leaves, and even surfing on a boogie board. Because he spends so much time at the beach, local reporters named him 'Pip the Beach Cat'.

Read next => King the Beach Cat is a celebrity in Brighton, Australia

Pip is a real head-turner, and it didn't take long before he became a local celebrity. He is even doing official meet-and-greets now.

Once Pip was featured on the news, his human, Meadow, started to research other 'adventure cats' and found that many of them were not only traveling a lot but also wearing outfits, and 'working' as therapy cats. Soon enough, Pip followed in their footsteps.

While Pip isn't an official therapy cat just yet, he often visits kindergartens and homes for the elderly in order to spread smiles in the Ocean City community.

Read next => Cezar the adventure cat has more than 14 countries on his résumé, and he has no intention of stopping anytime soon

In May of 2019, Pip published his first book: Pip's Guide to Ocean City: Volume One. This cute little book is meant to teach children about their upcoming trip to Ocean City, or to remind them of all the fun memories they made there during a previous vacation.

The book will help raise money for three important charities in Ocean City. You can read more about these charities on Pip's website.

If you like Pip and want to support his cause, then don't forget to share this post with your friends and follow him on Instagram and Facebook.

By the way, Pip is feeling very generous today, so he's giving away a one hardback copy of his recently released book Pip's Guide to Ocean City: Volume One to one lucky reader of Traveling Cats. To enter, fill in the Rafflecopter below. The giveaway is open worldwide and ends on February 10, 2020. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cats from Málaga {Spain}

Feral cat communities can mainly be found in three different places in Málaga. Most of the cats reside at the Alcazaba fortress, but you can also find them at the Roman theater and at the Castle of Gibralfaro, which are all located in the proximity of each other.

The Alcazaba fortress stems from the 9th century. It is built against the Gibralfaro mountain and towers high above the city, which means that the views from atop the walls and gardens are stunning. From here, you can see the port of Málaga and the peer Muelle Uno on one side, and the Montes de Málaga and the old center on the other.

Just like the Alhambra in Granada, the building features many Arabic influences from the time of the Moorish rule, such as richly-decorated arches and an irrigation system in the gardens.

The cats of Málaga are protected and well cared for. They are being spayed and neutered and receive medical treatment whenever necessary. Volunteers feed them on a daily basis.

Read next => A day at the cat café of Barcelona

You can find the majority of the cats near the lowest roads leading up to the Alcazaba.

These cats are not afraid of people, but during the tourist season and on weekends, they prefer to nap in the bushes where you can't easily see them.

Read next => Meet the cat that guards the cemetery of Sitges

On quieter days, however, the cats are everywhere you look.

Some of them remain shy, while others are sociable and seek out your company.

Read next => The secret cat village of Conil de la Frontera

An entrance to the Alcazaba costs 3,50 euros, but you can visit the surrounding gardens and the cats without buying a ticket.

For 5,50 euros, the ticket also includes a visit to the higher located Castle of Gibralfaro where even more cats will be waiting for you.

It's possible to book your tickets to the Alcazaba Castle and the Roman Theater in advance. This way, you can rest assured you won't miss out on the cats of Málaga.

Read next => Cuddling cats in Pampaneira

Text and photos: Vanessa Morgan

Cats from Churriana de la Vega {Spain}

Churriana de la Vega is a small town, situated 20 minutes from Granada in Spain. Only about 13,000 people live there, and it's not the type of place that tourists have a reason to visit, although it's always nice to have your morning coffee al fresco with a view on the Sierra Nevada mountains. Or maybe you'd like to visit to see some of the local cats.

You'll find the majority of the cats in the alleys surrounding the Calle San Ramón.

They can also be found at a few abandoned sites.

And there's always a black cat lurking about the Plaza Maestro Antonio Agustín, especially near the tapas bar El Mosquetero. Maybe the cat knows that you get free tapas in this bar.

Would you like to visit Churriana de la Vega to meet the local cats?

Read next => Cats from Capileira, Spain

Cats from Cologne {Germany}

Each year, millions of tourists from around the world visit Cologne, Germany, to stroll around the famous Christmas markets (or “Weihnachtsmarkt,” as they say in German) and soak up the magical atmosphere.

But if you really want to make the most of your stay in Cologne, you can't go without a visit to a small, cat-friendly place called Café Schnurrke.

Café Schnurrke (the name comes from the German word for “purring”) is one of the coziest cafés you can go to in Cologne.

It's decorated as a living room – complete with vintage sofas and cute decorations – and the atmosphere is warm and inviting.

The best thing about it, however, are the four cats that roam the premises.

The concept is based upon the Japanese tradition of the “cat café,” a place where people spend a couple of hours cuddling cats because they are not allowed to have any pets in their own tiny apartments. Cat cafés have since become popular all over the world, with new cafés popping up in almost every major city.

Freddy is the most sociable cat in the café.

Born in 2017, he was found as a kitten in a dustbin in Sofia, Bulgaria, and was transported to Germany so he could spend the rest of his life snoring at Café Schnurrke. He immediately adapted to his new environment and loves meeting new people.

He also loves all kinds of food and just takes what is his, even though it happens to be on your plate.

Just like Freddy, Lora was found inside a dustbin in Sofia. She may seem reticent at first, but once she has assessed the situation she loves to play. She's less of an attention-seeker than Freddy, though, and she isn't fond of children.

Cheri is the oldest of the bunch. She's almost always sleeping in the back of the café, behind the kitchen, where no one can see her. She doesn't like cuddles and prefers to be left alone.

And then there's Cleo, who was born in May 2014. Before her arrival at Café Schnurrke, she used to be a restaurant cat, but she was never really welcome there, especially once she got kittens.

What to eat and drink at the cat café?

Only vegan and vegetarian snacks are served, such as home-made soup and cake.

There's also a wide variety of hot drinks and homemade lemonade. Around Christmas, you can also opt for flavored lattes or spiced hot chocolate.

How to get to the cat café?

Cafe Schnurrke is located just outside of Cologne's main city center, about a 15-minute walk from Cologne Cathedral.

Address: Ritterstraße 27, 50668 Cologne, Germany

Opening hours

From Tuesday to Friday from 12 am until 6 pm 

Saturday and Sunday from 11 am until 6 pm

Check out their Facebook page for more info and to make a reservation.

Although booking your spot beforehand isn't mandatory, it's always better to do so because the place is small and the café fills up quickly. And you wouldn't want to miss out on those amazing cats, would you?

A few other cat cafés to check out:

Espai de Gats (Barcelona) 

Meowtropolitan (Seattle) 

Le café des chats (Paris)

Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium (London)

Kuro Neko (Kortrijk)

La ronronnerie (Nice)