3 min read Man Opens Up Mosque’s Doors For Stray Cats And Kittens

In a city where hundreds of cats roam the streets, never to call any place their home, one mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, is opening its doors to those who seek warmth and shelter. Imam Mustafa Efe began welcoming stray cats into the mosque last year, and since then, his story of generosity has spread throughout the world.

He calls the cats "guests" of the mosque and, as you can see, he's made them feel right at home.

@hafizmustafaefe https://t.co/1qEiMrZFgx — İbrahim Düzkalem (@ibrahimduzkalem)

One of the cats felt so comfortable at the mosque, she decided it would be a good place to raise her young ones.

In the video below, the mother stray carries her kittens, one by one, into the mosque and up the stairs of the minbar, the pulpit where the imam delivers sermons.

Imam Efe had a few kind words to say about the cats who surprised him during a Friday sermon. "The kitty has found the heart of compassion and mercy," he wrote in a Facebook post.