Cat sanctuary in Rome ruins
Cats have have long been associated with Rome and its ruins. Some estimates put Rome's cat population at 300,000, and an Italian "biocultural heritage" law, introduced in 1991, dictates that, wherever five or more cats live together in a "natural urban habitat," they can't be moved or chased away.
Many of Rome's stray cats live in ancient ruins, such as the Colosseum and the Forum (home for almost 200 feral cats). In the 1920s, a large number of homeless felines took up residence in the newly excavated Roman temples at the Largo di Torre Argentina, a square in the city centre that hosts four Republican Roman temples, and the remains of Pompey's Theatre. It is located in the ancient Campus Martius. Also Julius Caesar was killed in the Curia of the Theatre of Pompey, and the spot he was believed to be assassinated is in the square.
Over the years, the cats at Torre Argentina were cared for by a succession of gattare, or "cat ladies," who operated an informal cat shelter from dungeon-like quarters beneath the sidewalk at the Largo's southern edge.
In 1993, two women, Silvia Viviani and Lia Dequel, founded the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary (in Italian, Colonia Felinia Torre Argentina, or "Torre Argentina Feline Colony").
Today, the shelter offers a sterilization and adoption program, and it also cares for sick, handicapped, or elderly cats that are difficult to place in homes. Almost 350 cats live in the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary at any given time, with the healthiest cats roaming freely among the ruins or interacting with passersby at street level. Seven days a week volunteers, feed, clean and look after them.
The Largo di Torre Argentina excavations are surrounded by sidewalks, with stairs leading down to viewing platforms. You'll find plenty of cats to admire, photograph, or play with; some are quite friendly and enjoy being stroked behind the ears.
If you have time, go down the metal staircase at the southern edge of the square (Entrance at Largo di Torre Argentina, corner of Via Florida & Via di Torre Argentina it's marked with a sign) to visit the underground shelter. Visitors are always welcome to look around, visit the cats and browse the CatShop or adopt one of the cats at a distance, all to help our little friends. There, in modernized, hygienic rooms, staff and volunteers of the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary, seven days a week feed feed, clean, sterilize and immunize cats, offer adoptions, and provide indoor housing for cats that need special care.
The Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary sells feline toys, gadgets, and gifts to raise funds, and it relies heavily on donations from visiting tourists. We encourage you to visit the sanctuary and donate what you can afford. If you'd like to have a cat while outsourcing your responsibilities as a pet owner, you can "adopt at a distance" by pledging a monthly donation for a specific cat at the shelter.
Visiting hours are noon to 6 p.m. daily. For more information about the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary in English, visit theyr website
Recap: you can visit the cat sanctuary in Torre Argentina every day from 12 to 6pm. Visitors are alwas welcome!
