(CNN) — Since when were a bunch of kids so interested in ancient history?
Whole families were pressed up against the railings at Largo Argentina, the square in Rome, craning their heads toward … a hole in the ground. Rome is full of holes in the ground, many of them historically significant, but this one was extra special. It contained the remains of the theater and temple where Julius Caesar was assassinated.
But the kids weren’t there for the ancient general-turned-emperor, murdered by treacherous senators in 44 BC. They were there for the cats.
Here’s more about Rome and four other places where cats have the run of the place:
1. Rome’s kitty ruins
Rome’s noble ruins are a favorite haunt of feral cats. The “gatti di Roma” star on postcards and wall calendars sold all over the city.
Now, thousands of sterilizations are carried out each year — around 30,000 and counting since 2000.
2. Japan’s cat islands
That’s right: islands. Plural.
Dogs have been barred from Tashirojima for as long as anyone can remember. The island’s cats vastly outnumber its human population. Tashirojima’s furry inhabitants are well cared for by local fishermen, who hope to ensure a good catch by leaving offerings at a cat shrine.
The island’s most prominent structure, the Manga building and campsite, is embellished with a pair of pointy ears, in tribute to the island’s lucky charms.
Japan’s other cat island, Ainoshima, is a little more remote, a 20-minute ferry ride from Shingu port in Fukuoka.
A scrum of happy cats hangs out by the port, waiting for the next fishing boat or ferry to dock. In fact, the island represents a doubly incentive for the cats — rugged Ainoshima is also a popular birdwatching site.
3. Houtong, Taiwan
Houtong’s proximity to Taipei — it’s an hour away by train — ensures a steady stream of visitors each weekend. Cats here are used to amateur paparazzi. Their portraits are all over Facebook and Flickr.
4. Kalkan Kats, Turkey
KAPSA neuters them and provides basic healthcare, then releases them.
When tourists disappear for the winter, KAPSA feeds and cares for more than a thousand cats, relying on donations to fund its operations. Eager photographers can snap cats all over Kalkan, snoozing on hammam towels, curled up in fruit bowls or enjoying the air conditioning in the resort’s stores.
Several often gather by the old mosque, close to Kalkan’s beach, to pose for the cameras.
5. Hemingway’s cats, Florida Keys
Ernest Hemingway earned a reputation as one of the world’s great drinkers. There’s even a statue of him propping up the bar in El Floridita, Havana. Less known is that Hemingway was also a cat lover.
In some rooms, it feels like the great author has just stepped out, even though he died in 1961. And his 1850s house is still a home — to a colony of polydactyl, or six-toed, cats.
Hemingway was given a white six-toed cat named Snowball in the 1930s. Some of Snowball’s descendents are among the 50 or so furry residents of the historic home today.
