10 Reasons Why St Petersburg Is A Cat Lovers Paradise

St Petersburg is a very cat-friendly city. Cats have a lot of autonomy in the streets, infiltrating the city culture with their charm. Find them hiding under café tables, living in museum basements and lurking around the streets.

Cats saved the city

During the horrific years of the Siege of Leningrad, food supplies in the city were scarce, and cats inevitably became a source of food for the starving citizens. By 1942, cats were rare in St Peterburg, but with a shortage of cats came an infestation of rats, which ate the few supplies that were around and put the city at risk of disease, including the plague. As soon as the deadlock of the Siege was somewhat broken, one of the first orders in St Petersburg was to bring in more cats so that they could continue protecting the city from potential dangers.

1. Cats have their own museum

Museum

The Cat Museum is dedicated to basically everything cat-related, ranging from paintings and statuettes to costumes, household items and souvenirs from around the world. It is the place to go to immerse yourself in cat culture. Here, you can also read and see how cats have infiltrated print culture, complete with posters, cards, poems, nursery rhymes and folklore. The guides at the museum will happily share their knowledge on the secret life of cats and answer any cat-related questions. Booking a visit is essential on weekdays.

Cats go sailing

Spotted on a ferry going between Moscow and St Petersburg is cat Matros, or Sailor in English. He has been providing loyal service on board the Nikolay Chernishevsky boat operated by the Vodohod company since 2008 when he was brought on by the captain. As Matros is getting older, a newcomer, cat Botsman, now wears his old uniform and is learning all there is to know about getting his paws dirty on deck. Who said cats were afraid of water?

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Cats have contributed to science

Located in the courtyard of St Petersburg State University is the first cat monument in the city. The engraving on the monument reads ‘Humanity is ever thankful to the cat that helped contribute to the world numerous significant discoveries in the study of physiology.’ This modest and well-hidden sculpture commemorates the cats that partook in laboratory experiments, thus contributing to the development of the sciences.

Cats get a place at the table

Despite some reservations about hygiene, many restaurants and cafés have a resident cat that is just as unique as the menu. These cats feel at home, jumping onto chairs, napping under tables and getting chubby and round with all the generous leftovers they eat. Meet two fat ginger cats at the famous Pishechnaya (donut shop) or the grey cat at art-café Sunduk. Cat Gosha is kept warm in a blanket, due to his lack of fur, at the restaurant Mi Zhe Na Ti. Basya, the cat, is living it up on the other side of town at the Villa Zimaleto. Quite an enviable life these cats have.

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Cats roam the streets

Although there are many happy owners of cats who provide food and shelter for their beloved pets, many cats don’t have the same luxury. Cats are everywhere on the streets of St Petersburg; you will see them lurking in courtyards, hiding in basements, rummaging through the garbage and sometimes just rubbing against a stranger’s leg – waiting for a pat. Whether they are stray hooligans or domesticated award winners, cats have become an essential part of life in St Petersburg.