Travel is fun but can sometimes be overwhelming. So when feeling down, just look out for cats. These furry balls of calm are as therapeutic as your favorite dopamine fix.
There is something about the sight of a cat that brings comfort, whether I’m at home, out on the streets, and even more so when traveling abroad. To meet one in your travels feels serendipitous.
Who can say that a chance encounter with a stray calico lounging in the ancient alleys of Istanbul or a paunchy cat in Tokyo serenely perching by a window ushers in a familiar warmth, something that one experiences back home.
My paw encounters were nothing short of miraculous—tiny, purring interventions that melt moments of loneliness when I’m on the road, far across the continent, only to remind me that home is never a place but a feeling.
Cats seem to have a knack for appearing at the right moment and rising up to the occasion when you need them most.
It was a typically cold and gray February in Paris, the kind that makes you wonder when you last felt adequately warm and why you regretfully fled the tropical heat of your homeland in the first place. I was wandering around Montmartre and feeling foolishly alone in the city of love.
As I sat on a chair in one of the several cafes that lined the streets of Place du Tertre and tried to make peace with my melancholy, a tuxedo cat appeared out of nowhere. The creature nonchalantly jumped onto the opposite chair and sat facing towards me like a romantic partner on a date.
A mismatched pair sharing a silent pact and affection. “Oui, life is absurd, but isn’t it also delightful, mon chéri?” I could hear my feline date say.
For a good ten minutes, my quiet companion stayed with me before scampering to the next nearby table where another solitary soul may have needed some company. My solitude frittered away.
I once had a trip to Bangkok and needed a change of scene. I just quit my five-year job and somehow felt stuck in a limbo. It was unreasonably hot that day, and I decided to escape the punishing heat and weaved through the city’s sois, or back alleys.
I got lost—geographically, and I was lost—existentially. Just as panic began to set in, I spotted a white cat emerge under a vendor’s food cart. It stretched its back legs and went to bask in the sun-dappled corner. Its white fur glowed like a halo; as if it was receiving a blessing from Buddha himself. I stopped, and so did time. The old auntie beckoned me to come closer so I could pet the cat. In our brief moment of connection—myself, the cat, and the kindness of strangers—I felt that the world suddenly opened up and finally smiled upon me.
“I went to collect the few personal belongings which…I held to be invaluable: my cat, my resolve to travel, and my solitude.” ― Colette
In Lucca, a tabby became my impromptu tour guide as we both slinked our way through the city’s well-preserved Renaissance ramparts. The same thing happened to me in Penang, where a sleek stray showed me where I could find the best duck rice in town.
While exploring Split, a tailless, orange, chubby-cheeked cat took a liking to me. It followed me from column to column, up and down the steps, and crisscrossing the remnants of ancient history as if the four-legged fellow had been there since Diocletian’s time. Its reassuring presence was a poignant reminder that amongst the ruins, life goes on. These purring creatures unbothered by the weight of human drama.
Cats are masters of the moment. They are connoisseurs of calm and contemplation. They move past their shortcomings, nor do they overthink the future. Cats are happy to laze in the sun, chase shadows, and welcome all sorts of affections on their own terms and time. As a traveler vulnerable to anxieties and occasional pangs of loneliness, my encounters became a therapy—an invitation to pause, breathe, and simply be in the moment.
Sure, cats don’t speak our language, and they will never help you read a map or tell you which bus or train to take when you’re in a foreign country. But they’ll lock eyes with you and convey in the ways they know that you’re not alone as you think. They’ll nudge your hand, curl up beside you, or sit on your lap and cure homesickness by the magic of a purr. Whether I’m wandering through cobbled streets or bustling bazaars, I’ll always keep an eye out for those whiskered miracles. After all, you never know when a cat might prescribe exactly what your heart needs.
Meet some of the cats I have crossed paths with in my travels. This post will be constantly updated with more cat pictures. Choose your own prescription.
Rx: One cat, twice the joy. 🐱
How many feline friends have you made while traveling abroad? Have cats changed the way you see the world and travel? Which city did you go to and have the most uplifting encounter with a cat? Love to hear more about your cat therapy stories in the comment section below 😉
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