Cats from Tokyo {Japan}

"Akihabara, Tokyo. This headquarters of manga and animation houses some discreet shrines and temples. Tucked away between the railway road, a canal, and a row of buildings, the Yamagimori sanctuary is a small haven of peace where visitors pray and enjoy their lunch break on a bench while caressing the two old cats that sleep there."

Text and photos: Neko Land: Une vie de chat au Japon

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon FR

Cat from Najac {France}

Najac is exactly how you would imagine a picturesque French village. Built along a ridge above a bend of the Aveyron river, Najac has many little shops and restaurants and is dominated by a 13th century fortress castle.

The village is really small (less than 1,000 inhabitants). Yet it has a local celebrity: a castle cat. ”I photographed the castle cat on the old road towards the 13th century castle ruins,” says Werner Gladines from the Belgian travel blog Dichtbij en Ver Weg. “The cat was already on the wall when we were walking towards the castle, and two hours later it was still there. She posed like a real diva.”

P.S. Meet the feline manager of the Abbey of Reigny in France

Cats from Rio de Janeiro {Brazil}

Connecting Lapa with the higher situated Santa Teresa, the Escadaria Selarón (also called Selarón Steps or Selarón Stairs in English) is one of the most photographed places in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The artist Jorge Selarón started covering the steps in 1990 with colorful tiles he found in the trash. Over time, they became a tourist attraction. Seen from the top, the Escadaria Selarón looks like an ordinary, gritty staircase; it's only as you climb the stairs that the view becomes exciting and colorful. Cats can often be found on and near the Selarón Steps, making them even more scenic.

If you're interested in both cats and Brazil, you may also want to check out Purrball meets Burrball in Brazil.  In this cute children's book, Purrball the cat loses his little owner, Darryl, during an earthquake in Brazil. He meets a sloth named Burrball who will help him reunite with the little boy. Anne Zoet's drawings of the cat and sloth are adorable. All children between ages three to nine will love this book.

Cat from Gimmelwald {Switzerland}

When you book a trip to the tiny, stunning village of Gimmelwald, Switzerland, chances are you'll meet the local “mountain guide cat.” She recently made the news when a tourist got lost while he was hiking in the mountains, and the cat showed him the way back to the village. “It was the end of ski season, so the lifts weren't working and some of the trails were closed,” the hiker says. “The cat came up to me, and as she was walking she kept looking at me to follow. She led me straight to the path that would take me down to the valley. She seemed super friendly considering I was a total stranger.”

The mountain guide cat belongs to a hostel in Gimmelwald and often goes hiking with tourists. She walks ahead of hikers, pauses, and strikes a pose. She never fails to make their day.

Source: LoveMeow

Cats from Hermigua {La Gomera}

Greetings from La Gomera! Here are not that many cats, but there are some special places where you can find them. One of these rare places is the hidden beach Playa de la Caleta near Hermigua, in the North-West of the island La Gomera. You can reach this beach by foot on a hike from Hermigua or by car taking a quite narrow winding road. But it is worth it. At the moment there are several young cats at the beach.

Text and cat pictures: Claudia Mannes 

Related post: Cats of Arure, La Gomera

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Cats from Calp {Spain}

The gorgeous coastal town of Calp in Valencia, Spain, has a lot to offer as far as beauty and tourist attractions go. However, no one would expect a gang of cats welcoming them on top of the Peñón de Ifach, a natural park that is practically a small mountain. You'll be surprised at how fearlessly the cats look down upon the town of Calp.

Source: Lazy Penguins