In Istanbul, a public transport commuter was confronted with a problem. A cat had settled on a terminal, making it impossible to swipe access cards.
Even worse, every attempt to move the cat slightly was met with a pawing blow. The cat’s reaction had people cackling on social media.
Istanbul has long been described as a feline paradise. Most cities would consider the Turkish capital’s estimated 125,000 stray cats a problem but not Istanbul.
Anyone who has been to the spectacular city will have noticed the number of kitties on the streets. In this urban sprawl, stray cats are loved and considered an integral part of the community and the city’s character.
Istanbul is those moggies’ home; therefore, they treat it as such. As a result, city residents have gotten used to spotting cats doing their thing in a corner.
Yet, sometimes the felines can settle in inconvenient positions, preventing humans’ access to some services. And whenever a human-cat clash rages in Istanbul, the puss always wins.
On the subreddit r/Aww, a user recently posted a video of their experience at a subway station. Captioned “Excuse me,” the video illustrates cats’ territorial nature to perfection.
In the short clip, the commuter is standing in front of a subway turnstile, attempting to scan his subway card to pass the barrier. However, a tabby cat is comfortably installed on the pillar with his behind covering the optical scanner.
The commuter diplomatically squeezes his card under the puss to reach the swiping area, but the feline doesn’t appreciate the intrusion. Bothered, it wiggles and casts the human a disapproving glance.
When the commuter makes a second attempt, the cat immediately retaliates, throwing a kick toward the invasive hand.
Back off the cat scan
After a few unsuccessful turns sanctioned by pawing slaps, the commuter gets the message loud and clear. Here, the feline is king.
The person proceeds to find another turnstile under the kitten’s disdainful stare.
On October 12th, Redditor u/ReBeL222 posted the funny interaction in a forum, eliciting amused reactions from the audience.
@nzo_baglioni translated the cat’s response, writing:
“Out of service. I SAID OUT OF SERVICE!”
Redditor @Ermghoti commented:
“The icy glare of pure contempt at the end is *chef’s kiss*.”
Another commenter thought the cat’s scornful look meant:
“Oh, so you did know there was another turnstile available.”
Many Istanbul residents intervened in the discussion, explaining how this situation was common in their city.