Marrakech cats

Marrakech is the fourth largest city in Morocco, after Casablanca, Rabat and Fes. Marrakesh is possibly the most important of Morocco's four former imperial cities (cities that were built by Moroccan Berber empires). The region has been inhabited by Berber farmers since Neolithic times, but the actual city was founded in 1062 by Abu Bakr ibn Umar, chieftain and cousin of Almoravid king Yusuf ibn Tashfin. In the 12th century, the Almoravids built many madrasas (Koranic schools) and mosques in Marrakesh that bear Andalusian influences. The red walls of the city, built by Ali ibn Yusuf in 1122–1123, and various buildings constructed in red sandstone during this period, have given the city the nickname of the "Red City" or "Ochre City". Marrakesh grew rapidly and established itself as a cultural, religious, and trading centre for the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa. Jemaa el-Fnaa is the busiest square in Africa.
Marrakesh has the largest traditional Berber market (souk) in Morocco, with some 18 souks selling wares ranging from traditional Berber carpets to modern consumer electronics.

Marrakech was the setting for the first half of the Alfred Hitchcock film "The man who knew too much" which stared Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day. It was during the making of this film, when she saw how camels, goats and other "animal extras" in a marketplace scene were being treated, that Doris Day began her lifelong commitment to preventing animal abuse. She was so appalled at the conditions the animals were in that she refused to work unless they were properly fed and cared for. The production company actually had to set up "feeding stations" for the various goats, sheep, camels, etc.--and feed

them every day--before Day would agree to go back to work

It must be said that many of the street cats in Marrakech are living in very poor conditions, compared to the cats I saw in other parts of Morocco. There are a number of animal welfare organisations in Marrakech including the Helga Heidrich SOS Animals Foundation a
charitable, non profit organization founded in 2005 for protection of
animals especially wounded, abused, tortured and mistreated animals. There is also The Animal Protection Society and Nature (SPANA Morocco) is a Moroccan association whose Honorary President is HRH Princess Lalla Asmaa.