No wonder Cat Stevens converted

Allah's Apostle said, "A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked until it died of hunger." Allah's Apostle further said, "Allah knows better - Allah said to the woman, "You neither fed it nor watered it when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth.""

In the Islamic world, cats are respected and protected. There is a story that Mohammed's cat Muezza once fell asleep on the sleeve of his master's robe - instead of disturbing his beloved cat when he had to leave, Mohammed cut off the sleeve of his robe.

Some of the best experiences I had in Turkey involved cats - they are everywhere, well treated and friendly. Things like helping a shopkeeper round up street kittens for their evening meal; dinners under the stars with furry guests; and a shared smile with a homeless man as he opened his jacket to show me the sleeping cat at his side.