New Chapter TLV

Once Upon a Time, When Cats & Dogs Ruled the City…

One of the first things I noticed about Tel Aviv is that it is a very pet friendly city. Dogs and cats are everywhere.

Admittedly, the city does seem to have a stray cat issue on its hands, but most of the cats I see around the neighborhood seem to be very well fed and content. And they are literally in every place you’d think to look: dozing off on roofs of cars, stretching on garden fences, snooping around garbage cans, sitting on tree branches, climbing on air conditioner units, sleeping on sunshades of shops, etc. These are all usual spots where you might find street cats, right?

But there are also some cats that seem to have climbed up higher in whatever hierarchy may be in place among the street cats.

There is one cute cat that regularly sits in a little clothes shop on King George street – she has her own food and water bowls just outside the store, but on most days she prefers to take her naps inside, either in the shop window if the sun hits it just right, or on the counter if the window is in the shade. I wonder if she also gets discount on the dresses.

My favorite cat though is the very regal-like, silvery smooth “unofficial owner” of HaKosem, one of the best falafel places in Tel Aviv. He is there every day, without fail, mostly napping on the big couch (when it’s not too crowded) or on one of the chairs during the busy lunchtime.

But when he’s awake, he’ll stroll among the tables looking very royal and casually sit next to someone. He won’t beg for food like a normal street cat would, but he’ll give you a very snobbish look like he’s entitled to share whatever it is you’re having and you’ll just find yourself giving him a bit of your meal. He is one classy guy!

But cats aren’t the ones having all the fun here… Even though dogs need to be on a leash and there are fines in place for those who let their dogs run loose, there are so many places you can take your dog with you without thinking twice about it. Most cafés and restaurants will accept dogs and provide bowls with water for them and you’ll see a lot of dogs having lunch and coffee dates with their owners all around the city. Quite a few hotels and holiday-apartments accept pets, which may not be that unusual any more, but I’ve also seen dogs in hairdresser’s, galleries and shopping malls.

One dog is even regularly on the front seat of a delivery truck, delivering – very appropriately – pet supplies to a pet store in my neighborhood .

My favorite little guy is this scruffy little bookstore protector – he is “at work” every single day, usually in the shop window, sometimes napping but more often barking to protect his territory from passer-by dogs.

Most commonly, you’ll see dogs in parks or boulevards and I have to say there is something very relaxing about spending a sunny afternoon on a bench with a good book in your lap and a dog at your feet…

If you are in Tel Aviv and you love dogs but don’t currently own one, you have an opportunity to acquire one every weekend: on Fridays, you can either buy purebred puppies on Shenkin street or choose a more charitable option – adopt a puppy in front of Meir Park.