( 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 were n't there for the ancient general-turned-emperor , murdered by treacherous senators in 44 BC . They were there for the cats . 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 . The ruins at Largo Argentina host an open-air cat sanctuary that 's more than just a good show for visiting and local children . The city 's strays have been fed and watered at the site almost since it was first excavated in the 1920s . The 1990s brought an injection of funds into the Torre Argentina Roman Cat Sanctuary , money that allowed more cats to be trapped , neutered and returned to their colony . Now , thousands of sterilizations are carried out each year -- around 30,000 and counting since 2000 . More : How to Travel with Your Dog . Japan 's cat islands . That 's right : islands . Plural . Tashirojima in Miyagi Prefecture , is Japan 's best-known feline isle . It usually goes by the name Cat Island . 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 . More : The cat that saved a Japanese train station . Houtong , Taiwan . The riverside town of Houtong , Taiwan , fell into feline celebrity by accident . Houtong once sat on top of Taiwan 's largest coal mine . When the mine closed in the 1990s , the town 's population dwindled . Then some new , furry residents arrived . The Houtong Coal Mine Ecological Park ( Houtong Road , Ruifang District , New Taipei City ; +886 2 2497 4143 ) was established to showcase the mining heritage of the town and surrounding hills . But visitors mostly come to photograph the 120 or so playful cats , who laze around the Cat Village and soak up the fuss -- and inevitable treats . 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 . More : Intimate interview with Boo , the world 's cutest dog . Kalkan Kats ( Turkey ) A pretty resort on Turkey 's Turquoise Coast , Kalkan is another tourist destination with an active cat protection squad . Established in 2008 , KAPSA is a voluntary organization run by locals and expats that traps stray cats . KAPSA neuters them and provides basic healthcare , then releases them . Animal loving visitors regularly give up vacation time to help out and share their experiences and photos on the Friends of KAPSA Facebook group . 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 . 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 . The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum ( 907 Whitehead St. , Key West , Florida ; +1 305 294 1136 ) , Key West , is stuffed with antique furniture and fine art . 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 .
In Rome , kids prefer cats over ruins . On Japan 's Cat Island , dogs are banned ... or have fled . Comment: Hemingway 's former Key West home is full of six-toed cats .