Walk through Tbilisi's Old Town long enough and you'll notice them — lounging on sun-warmed stone walls, weaving between café chairs, sitting imperiously in the doorways of ancient churches. Georgia's street cats are not strays in the ordinary sense. They are, to a large degree, a beloved and cared-for part of Georgian urban culture.
Why Cats Are Special in Georgia
In Georgia, feeding street animals — especially cats — is considered both a cultural tradition and, for many, a spiritual act of goodness. You'll see elderly women leaving out saucers of food, shopkeepers keeping bowls near their entrances, and restaurant owners allowing cats to sun themselves on outdoor terrace furniture as if they own the place. They do, really.
Georgian cats are uniquely self-possessed. Unlike skittish strays in many countries, Tbilisi's cats have grown up surrounded by humans who treat them with affection. Many will walk up to you, allow a pet, and accept a treat with dignified indifference. They are neither fully wild nor domesticated — they occupy a middle realm the Georgians seem genuinely comfortable with.
Tbilisi — Cat Capital of the Caucasus
The Old Town (Dzveli Tbilisi) is ground zero for cat encounters. The neighbourhood's narrow cobblestone lanes, ancient wooden balconies, and stacked courtyards create a perfect urban ecosystem for cats. The sulfurous baths of Abanotubani — the city's historic bathhouse district — are a particular favourite, where cats gather on warm stone rooftops near the natural hot spring vents.
Head to Narikala Fortress at dusk and you'll find cats prowling the ancient walls with the city spread behind them — one of the most photographed scenes in Georgian travel photography. Shardeni Street, Tbilisi's most charming pedestrian lane, is lined with café tables where cats circulate as naturally as the waitstaff.
Batumi's Seaside Cats
In Batumi, Georgia's Black Sea resort city, street cats take on a different character. Here they gather in the seafront boulevard parks and beneath the shade of palm trees in the botanical garden. The Batumi Botanical Garden, perched on a cape above the sea, is home to dozens of cats who have apparently decided that subtropical gardens with ocean views are a reasonable place to live. Visitors often bring cat food specifically for the garden trip.
Cat Cafés and Shelters
Tbilisi has developed a small but enthusiastic cat café scene, where visitors can enjoy Georgian coffee alongside resident cats that have been rescued and socialised. Georgian animal welfare NGOs have also run TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) programmes in Tbilisi since the 2010s, reducing overpopulation while keeping the beloved street cat culture intact. Many cats in the programme wear small ear-tip notches as identification.
Tips for Cat Lovers Visiting Georgia
- Bring treats: Small dried fish or cat treats are welcome. Locals will approve instantly.
- Best neighbourhoods for cat-spotting in Tbilisi: Abanotubani, Narikala fortress area, Sololaki, Metekhi bridge.
- Don't be alarmed: A cat walking into a restaurant in Georgia is normal. The staff will likely name it.
- Photography: Georgian cats are exceptionally photogenic and surprisingly cooperative. Shoot at the golden hour near Narikala fortress for stunning light.
- Respect locals' feeding rituals: If you see an elderly Georgian woman feeding a group of cats, this is a daily practice that may have been going on for years. Watch, smile, participate if invited.
Georgia's cats are not a tourist attraction in the traditional sense — they're just there, living their beautiful, unhurried lives alongside the city's human inhabitants. That naturalness is precisely what makes them worth noticing. In a world where so much is curated for visitors, stumbling across a sleeping cat on a 300-year-old church wall in Tbilisi feels surprisingly like finding something real.