The Cats Of The Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary In Rome
My husband and I travel to Rome several times a year and one thing always on our list is visiting the cats at the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary.
Feral cats in Rome, Italy are living the good life these days! If you have ever been blessed with the opportunity to travel to Rome, then you know that the historical Italian city has a distinct mood all its own. However, if you travel outside of the bustling cities and tourist attractions and take a trip to the Ancient Roman ruins, then you are aware that Rome also has an eerie aura about it.
A lot of tourists are certain that Largo di Torre Argentina and the Theater of Pompey may be haunted by the spirits of Romans that were brutally murdered there over the centuries, like Julius Caesar, some even claim to have heard ghosts at the archaeological site, but chances are they most likely just heard or saw some of the 250 cats that live there.
Like any other city, Rome, Italy has a surplus of feral and homeless cats. But, these cats have an entire abandoned temple all to themselves to take shelter at. Since the 90’s, after the site was excavated, the city’s feral cats have flocked there and Torre Argentina has become an official cat sanctuary, now housing around 250 felines.
There are volunteers, known as the “gattarre” (which loosely translates to “cat ladies”) who tend to the feral cats, feed them, and try to see that they are spayed and neutered to keep the cat population under control. Over the years, Torre Argentina has slowly evolved into a cat sanctuary mostly for abused, injured, or unwanted cats in search of a home. And, they must be in cat heaven when they arrive!
If you are ever traveling in Italy, Torre Argentina is a must see! And, not only for historical reasons. The cats are adorable, colorful, and some are even friendly. While you are taking in the historical scenery, you’ll catch glimpses of them playing with one another, frolicking up and down the stone steps, and sunbathing out in the open.
Some travelers actually volunteer at the cat sanctuary while they are in town, and the cats are even up for adoption! How amazing would it be to bring an Italian cat in need of a home back with you when your vacation is over! Even if you aren’t in a position to adopt one of the ferals from the Torre Argentina cat sanctuary, you will be truly missing out if you don’t stop by and stay “Hi” to the adorable Roman Ruins Roamers.
To find out more about the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary in Rome, GO HERE!
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[CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW FOR MORE TORRE ARGENTINA CAT SANCTUARY PICS]
If I ever make it down that way, I will definitely stop by. Sounds like an amazing place to see.
Wow! What an amazing place to visit! I never heard of this! So cool!
That is so cool! I have never heard of this before, but when we visit Rome, I will have to visit!
First how wonderful you are able to visit Rome several times a year. Second I never knew the cat place was there. Nice that there are volunteers to help. Hope the cats are being well taken care of and fixed so maybe the ferrel cat problem will slow down.
Those cats are so blessed to have a sanctuary and volunteers to make sure they are fed and healthy. I would love to stop by the ruins and see the cats.
I have a friend who studied abroad in Rome and she loved visiting the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary. Rome is HIGH on my travel bucket list and I really hope I get the chance to visit someday.
Oh. My. Gosh! I want to be there! Cats are so dear to my heart! We have 3 inside and rescued abandoned kittens when some renters left them! They live outside and are almost a year now. If I lived there, I’d be in heaven with all the cats 🙂
If I were in Rome, this would be somewhere I want to visit. I love cats and love helping animals, so this would be right up my alley.
I have always wanted to go see Rome. I would love to go to the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary. I am a huge cat lover.
First, that’s awesome that you get to visit Rome several times a year. Love that! Do you have family over there? Second, I love that there is a cat sanctuary! That is fantastic for those cats to have someplace safe to go to 🙂
Din’t know a place like this existed! very cool to see all those cats.
Oh wow! I would love to volunteer at a cat sanctuary!! How fun!!
What a neat place to visit. I bet it was pretty amazing to see in person. So glad that the kitties are being taken care of there.
The Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary sounds like an awesome place to visit. I would love to go there one day and I love that you can adopt from there too. Thanks for sharing the information and the adorable photos.
My daughter is currently obsessed with cats. We would love to visit a cat sanctuary like this. Cats are such lovely creatures. We might get a kitten soon!
Oh this reminds me of my childhood. Not that I likve in a place like this but I grew up with a lot of cats around the house.
Oh how sweet is that? It is really refreshing to see place where some stray animals can call home.
This is quite fascinating as I’ve never heard of such a thing. These cats are living real high on the hog.
Oh that’s interesting. They sure love their cats over there. Would it be that simple to adopt and take a cat home while there?
I love this Annemarie! <3