If you follow any travel or nature Instagram account, you’ll probably notice Iceland makes up more of their photo feed than any other country. From their great fjords to their black beaches, Iceland is renown for their beautiful photo-ops and serene wilderness. That being said it’s always nice to learn little tidbits about the overlooked culture of the Icelandic people.
According to 2019’s happiness annex report, the top 7 spots for the happiest countries are filled by Scandinavian nations, with Iceland at #4. So it’s no surprise to know they are very friendly and happy people. It may be because of their friendliness, their Atlantic fish diets, or even their amazing mochas; but the cats that inhabit Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, are prolific in numbers and equally as friendly.
There’s an ongoing joke suggesting that the cats of Reykjavik secretly run the city. You’ll even find that joke on hokey souvenir mugs and shirts. The best part is, stray cats aren’t even really stray, they’re more liberated than anything. They frequent parks and restaurants where locals are more than happy to play with them or feed them. It’s as if there’s an unwritten, unspoken loose ownership or adoption; they’re community cats. You won’t find a single “stray” skinny or unfed. Additionally, they’ve got voluminous manes, shimmering and clean; better coats than any house cat here. And there are so many of them, they even have an Instagram account dedicated to the cats of Reykjavik @reykjavikcats. Some honorable mentions I’ve come across my experience abroad are Petur (the chonker happy to pet), and Rosalind (the one that doesn’t look too happy to see me). Fortunately, we left on good terms.
