Bringing Ruins to Life at Rome’s Cat Sanctuary

Rome dabbles in time travel. Thousand-year-old ruins rub shoulders with modern high-rises, and the stones of ancient buildings are incorporated into the foundations of newer edifices. And at the Largo di Torre Argentina, dozens of cats bring an unexpected dose of life to the grassy ruins where Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE. The gatti di Roma have found a welcoming home at Rome’s Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary.

At the corner of Via Florida and Via di Torre Argentina, just a few minutes’ walk from some of central Rome’s most famous sites, visitors gaze out over the sunken ruins of Largo di Torre Argentina, where temples and a theater once stood. Dotted among the ancient columns and toppled stairways stroll upward of a hundred feral cats. These are the cats of the Torre Argentina.

A small flag at one corner of the ruins marks the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary. Walk down the stairs and you’ll find yourself in the company of felines. They sun themselves on the outdoor patio, where you can pet the most social of the bunch. Inside the sanctuary, meet the cat lovers who feed and care for the animals. Here you can learn more about the program, buy shirts and other souvenirs, or make a donation to keep the cat sanctuary running. There’s an adoption program as well, as well as a “distance adoption” program that allows you to donate funds to a particular cat and receive news and photographs in return.

More from SmarterTravel:

• World’s Most Adorable Animals (and Where to Find Them)
• Flying with a Dog? Here’s What You Need to Know
• 5 Places Where the World’s Cutest Animals Have it All Figured Out

Christine Sarkis likes cats and loves travel. Follow her on Twitter @ChristineSarkis and Instagram @postcartography for more advice about making every vacation the best vacation.