I’m an unapologetic cat lady. Maybe it’s stereotypical for a librarian of a certain age to love cats—but here we are. And that love doesn’t stop when I’m on the road.

I’m the kind of traveler who will stop mid-walk, no matter how busy I am, to try my luck with a local kitty. A little pssp-pssp-pssp, and if I’m very lucky, the cat will come over. It doesn’t matter if I’m in Paris, Busan, Copenhagen, or Heraklion— the promise of a head bump from a local feline will absolutely win over whatever major attraction I was supposed to be admiring.

Counting Cats Like Lucky Charms

One of our favorite travel rituals is tallying the day’s cat sightings: a “two-kitty day” is good, but a “five-kitty day”? Now that’s a charmed one. We had one of those magical days in Utrecht, Netherlands—complete with a cozy visit to Café DeRat, home to at least one very relaxed resident cat.

In Korea, we stumbled upon a peaceful cat colony near the Museum of Film in Busan, a highlight of our walk that day. Heraklion, Greece, was next level: cats on every alley and pathway, with locals leaving out food and water like it was part of the city’s hospitality plan.

We’ve already shared two cat photo essays on the blog—Korea and Greece—but for International Cat Day, I couldn’t resist revisiting a few more feline travel friends.

How to Take Better Cat Photos When You Travel

Want to document your own cat sightings on the road? Here are a few tried-and-true tips for snapping better photos of your new whiskered friends:

Stay on cat time. Cats move at their own pace. If one’s curious, it may approach—but only if you’re patient and calm.
Get low. Crouch or sit to appear less intimidating and get better angles. Your photos will thank you.
Master the slow blink. Direct eye contact can seem aggressive to cats. Try a relaxed slow blink instead—think of it as saying “I come in peace.”
Seek out sunny spots. Cats love warmth and light. You’ll often find them snoozing in sunbeams or perched on a warm ledge, often away from the busy thoroughfares
Respect their space. The best cat photos come from mutual trust. If the cat isn’t feeling it, that’s okay. Let them do their thing.

And honestly? These are pretty good guidelines for most travel encounters—not just the furry ones.