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15 Places All Cat-Lovers Should Visit At Least Once In Their Lifetime
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Anyone who appreciates cats knows that they are truly special creatures. Sure, they can be a little moody sometimes — but honestly, who can't relate to that? They might do whatever they want and constantly act like the king or queen of your household, but they can also be sweet, cuddly, and so loving. Cats are feisty, adorable little pets that can make you smile even when they're doing something they definitely shouldn't be doing. If you really love cats, you probably want to know as much about them as possible, and luckily, there are plenty of fun ways to go about that. There are certain places you need to visit if you love cats, and they're all over the world.

Whether you want to be surrounded by all different cats (think about how many you can pet in just a few minutes!) or want to learn more about them and their history, there's something for everyone here. Some of these spots make great tourist destinations with the added bonus of being filled with cats. Others are places you'll probably only find exciting if you're a feline fan... or, who knows, they could probably convert someone!

Check out the below to find your next vacation spot:

1

Ernest Hemingway Home And Museum In Key West, Florida

This is the ideal spot for anyone who loves cats and literature. At the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West, Florida, you'll get to tour the writer's former limestone house. Even better than the history is the fact that there are about 50 cats roaming around, all of whom descended from Hemingway's original Maine coon, Snowball. The cats are six-toed and many are named after famous people, which is how Hemingway used to pick names.

2

Cat Mountain Lodge In Tucson, Arizona

The Cat Mountain Lodge is a vintage ranch bed and breakfast located on the base of the Tucson Mountains. One of the coolest things about the place is that you get a big chance to see mountain lions and bobcats roaming around in their own habitat. The bed and breakfast is also located in a great spot for hiking and wildlife viewing.

3

Poezenboot In Amsterdam, The Netherlands

It might sound weird to mix cats and boats, but it works perfectly on this floating cat sanctuary, called Poezenboot, on Amsterdam's Herengracht canal. It was founded in 1966 by a local named Henriette van Weelde, who took in stray cats before moving them to a houseboat. It's a floating barge where you can visit the cats, volunteer to help them, donate money, or even adopt them.

4

Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary In Rome, Italy

Anyone who has visited Rome before can tell you that there are a ton of stray cats. In fact, simply going and walking around could be an experience for cat-lovers. But if you're there, you should also visit Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary. The place welcomes volunteers to do things like clean cages and distribute food, and they definitely need the help - there are more than 300 cats living there.

5

Feline Historical Museum In Alliance, Ohio

If you want to see something more historical, check out the Feline Historical Museum in Ohio. It's home to all cat exhibits, like collections of cat figurines, books, collectibles, and artwork. There's a four foot square Cat House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1954. Sometimes, live cats roam around the museum as well.

6

Tashirojima Island In Japan

There are tons of places for cat-lovers in Japan, but Tashirojima Island is one of the biggest. On this island, there are actually more cats than there are humans. This happened because, back in the day, the islanders raised silkworms for silk and brought in cats to control the mouse population. The locals believe that cats bring good luck and fortune. On the island, you'll find shrines and cat-shaped architecture and even cat-shaped cabins to stay in.

7

The Hermitage In St. Petersburg, Russia

Cats have roamed the Hermitage Museum in Russia since 1745, when they were brought in to control the mice and rodent problem. They are now very pampered with a team of security guards, including their own press secretary. The cats are kept underground, but they do escape sometimes, and visitors can hear them while walking around.

8

Kattenkabinet In Amsterdam, The Netherlands

If you love all things cats, you'll love the Kattenkabinet in Amsterdam, which is basically a cat museum. There's a collection of cat art, like posters, paintings, and even furniture. The gift shop has basically every cat item you could ever want. And yes — there are some cats roaming around.

9

Ranthambore Tiger Reserve In Rajasthan, India

Want to see something a little more exciting than a house cat? Check out the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in India. The park gives you a great chance of spotting tigers up close with tiger safaris in keep tours. It's famous for being one of the best locations in India to see tigers in their natural habitat, and they can be spotted quite often.

10

Kuching Cat Museum In Sarawak, Malaysia

The Kuching Cat Museum in Sarawak pays respect to cats, which are considered lucky there. You enter the museum through a giant cat face, and inside, you'll see exhibitions, artwork, and artifacts dedicated to cats. There's even a thousand-year-old mummified Egyptian kitty. Kuching translates to "cat city."

11

Cat Town Café In Oakland, California

Cat cafes have been popular in Asia for a long time, so it was inevitable for them to make their way to North America. Cat Town Café is the first cat cafe to open up in America, and it's a coffee shop and adoption center. Cats looking to be adopted roam around the shop while you can eat and drink. There are a lot of other cat cafes all over the country now, but this is the original.

12

Hello Kitty Theme Park In Tokyo, Japan

The Hello Kitty theme park is known as Sanrio Puroland, and is definitely going to be at the top of your bucket list if you're a fan of the cartoon cat. You can watch Hello Kitty-themed musicals, go on cat themed rides, visit Hello Kitty's house, and go on a boat ride to Hello Kitty's party.

13

Stray Cat Hostel In Istanbul, Turkey

The Stray Cat Hostel is your typical hostel found in Turkey, but with a special surprise: there are stray cats all over to keep you company. It's a great place to stay if you need accommodations and don't mind being surrounded by cats.

14

Cat Museum In San Francisco, California

The Cat Museum in San Francisco, California looks at the unique relationship between humans and cats. There are exhibitions on everything from the worship of cats to the way they're portrayed in famous movies. It's very interesting!

15

The Cat Museum In Šiauliai, Lithuania

This unique museum holds about 10,000 feline exhibits from around the world, along with sculptures, photographs, stained glass windows, and thousands of poems about cats. It's the perfect spot to learn in a fun way.