Walk through Tbilisi's Old Town long enough and you'll notice them, they will be lounging on sun-warmed stone walls, drifting between café chairs, sitting 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 the outdoor terrace furniture. 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. They are neither fully wild nor domesticated and they occupy a space that isn’t uncomfortable for Georgians.
Tbilisi — Cat Capital of the Caucasus
The Old Town (Dzveli Tbilisi) is ground zero for cat encounters. The neighborhood's narrow cobblestone lanes, ancient wooden balconies, and abundance of courtyards create a perfect urban ecosystem for cats. The sulfurous baths of Abanotubani, the city's historic bathhouse district are a particular favorite, where cats gather on warm stone rooftops near the natural hot spring vents.
If you head over to Narikala Fortress at dusk then you'll find cats scaling the ancient walls with the city behind them and it’s 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 around the entire area.
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 Animal Welfare
Tbilisi has developed a small but enthusiastic cat café scene, where visitors can enjoy Georgian coffee alongside resident cats that have been rescued and socialized. Local animal welfare organizations and municipal services operate active TNR (Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return) programs. Cats that have gone through the program often wear a small plastic ear tag or an ear notch, signaling that they are spayed/neutered and vaccinated.
Tips for Cat Lovers Visiting Georgia
- Bring treats: Small dried fish or cat treats are welcome. Locals will approve instantly.
- Best neighborhoods 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 have a name for 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.
