The Unlikely Cat Sanctuary in Rome

Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary, Rome
Dear Cat Lovers,

Here’s a place that’s going to light your heart on fire.

The place is Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary in Rome, where cats roam among grand and historical ruins. But they’re not just any old ruins. It is here where Julius Caesar breathed his last breath, where he was murdered by Brutus in 44 BC.
Cat Sanctuary at Largo di Torre Argentina
It’s hard to believe that this archaeological minefield is today a shelter to around 250 cats and has aided over 3000 cats since its humble beginnings in 1929 after the square of Largo di Torre Argentina was excavated.

However, the place has recently found itself at the centre of a debate that could lead to its closure – city heritage officials say that the sanctuary, which lies on the periphery from where Caesar was stabbed to death, must close because it’s unhygienic, was built without proper planning permission and compromises one of Italy’s most important archaeological sites.

This frustrates me. How can city heritage officials grumble about it compromising one of Italy’s most important archaeological sites when they let millions of visitors each year stampede through the Colosseum, the most important archaeological site in the whole of Rome?

The Cat Sanctuary is a tiny cave-like refuge that works to benefit society and offers charity to sick and helpless cats, it’s so small that you’d miss it if you weren’t specifically looking for it. The important thing to know is that only cats – those graceful, lithe creatures – are free to wander around the ruins.

If animals could speak, the dog would be a blundering outspoken fellow; but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much ~ Mark Twain

Up until the mid-1990s the cats survived on generous donations from ‘cat ladies’ (Amen to them!) but it all changed in 1995  when an English woman named Molga Salvalaggio put them in touch with A.I.S.P.A. (Anglo-Italian Society for the Protection of Animals). The organisation helped set them up with proper materials, resources and moral support, and from that day fourth a proper care system was born which increased the number of cats brought into the clinic.
Largo Cat Sanctuary, Rome
Torre Argentina cat sanctuary, Rome
What’s more, the interest and exposure of the sanctuary has encouraged more volunteers and public donations to ensure the upkeep of the place. It’s also possible to adopt cats and I was told from a volunteer called Sarah, who is originally from Canada, that several have been placed with new owners from all around the world. But if adopting a cat to live with you isn’t practical, then there’s also an option of supporting a cat long distance for a small donation per month. This money then goes towards food and any medical treatment which is required.
Torre Argentina Cat Santuary, Rome
The healthy cats are free to roam around the ruins but the poorly ones are permanently cared for indoors. Many of these cats have been in road accidents or are blind due to untreated infections like chlamydia so they move around really precariously, this makes them very endearing to watch indeed. I fell in love with a black one with a fractured jaw after being in a road accident, and as a consequence, its little tongue constantly poked out from its mouth.

Torre Argentina, Cat Sanctuary in Rome

As well as caring for sick and homeless cats, the sanctuary also offers an extensive spay and neuter program to keep the feral population in check.

I can’t think of another city which needs a cat sanctuary more than Rome because if there’s one problem that Rome struggles with, it’s traffic. Cars roar across the city like lightening and send a bolt of pedestrians into a scrambling frenzy of tadpoles, so Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary really is a sanctuary in the purest sense of the word. I really hope it doesn’t get shut down.

Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary, Rome

For more information visit their here.

And for more interesting and unusual things to do in Rome, see here.

Would you like to support Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary by visiting?

the culture map blog

Hi, I'm Shing

Welcome to The Culture Map, a place where I share my travel guides, adventurous tales, and capture the inspiring diversity of our world.

8 Responses

  1. Those are great pictures of the regal felines, Shing! Though, I highly disagree with Mark Twain on that particular quote 🙂 That would be horrific crime against the cats to have provided the sanctuary then taking it away. I’m glad you gave a detailed description because I thought maybe they were climbing all over the place. But, you make it crystal clear. Here’s to thoughts and prayers for the sanctuary staying intact! 🙂

    1. Oh Mike, I actually thought of you and your lovely dog when I put up the quote haha!!

      I’m happy that you think the cat sanctuary should stay – it’s been there so long that it also benefits tourism as well as the well-being of cats. As you say, it would be a ‘crime’ to close it down!

  2. Interesting stuff, hope it survives. My wife’s dream is to run a place like this. We saw loads of malnourished stray cats in Dubrovnik, and she bought tins of Whiskas for them every day!

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