Here’s one of the hundreds (if not thousands) of feral kittykats “guarding” the sacred grounds of the Acropolis. Built a mind-boggling 2400 years ago, in its heyday, the Acropolis of Athens served mostly as a religious and ceremonial hub, dedicated to Athena, the city’s patron goddess.

Though Athens is one of the most cat-friendly capitals in the world, these furry felines were not originally native to Greece and have not been part of Greek mythology. Ancient Greeks and Romans did however import them to Athens from Egypt (where they were worshiped as deities) to control rats and other rodents. Hats off to cats for that important role.