When you go to Lima, Peru, you can see many things. What if I told you there was a park full of cats? Well, there is. It is called Kennedy Park and you may find it in the Mira Flores district of Lima, Peru.
Do The Cats Like Us?
Many of these cats are used to people and will allow you to get close enough to take photos of or even pet. I saw many people cuddling with the animals as well. I also heard that locals sometimes come here when they want a new cat. I have also heard that these cats have microchips in them and if you do that, you will be in trouble. Regardless, it is a fun park to visit.
Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend taking any cats from here. I’m sure some inbreeding occurs as it is, so the more cats that are here, the better. Genetic variety is a good thing!
The Origins of The Cat Park
The stories of how these cats came to be here vary, depending on who you ask. Some people claim it started when a woman dropped of a pregnant cat here, and once it had babies other people began abandoning felines here as well. Another story is that a nearby church brought the cats in to deal with a rat problem. I have even heard a story about how the government placed they cats here in order to draw in tourists.
Regardless of how the original cats got here, one thing is for sure, there are many cats here today!
What To Expect
I really enjoyed seeing the genetic variety of these Latin felines. There even seems to be some Scottish fold in their lines. I not only saw cats with folded ears, but I saw a few sitting like we do in chairs.
Some cats are furry, others are short haired, and some are even marked like leopards. You can find just about every variety of feline in this park. Their appearances vary greatly.
You don’t have to come here just for the cats, there are many beautiful buildings and landscaping displays to see as you walk through the park. Just be care about where you step; there’s a lot of cat poop here!
This cute little guy woke up when I knelt down to take a photo of him. After I was done taking a photo, he went back to sleep. The cats are pretty relaxed here.
I tried to get the cat above to look at the camera, but he or she just wasn’t in the mood to look at the camera.
The same for this guy. I even poked him and he didn’t move. Rest assured, he was definitely alive.
One popular thing to do here is to bring food for the cats. I bring them shredded boiled chicken sometimes. A lot of people bring them cat food, but I have seen people feeding them anything from hot dogs to olives. Yeah, the cats here will even eat olives; that’s how hungry they are!
I felt awful for the cat pictured above. He was so sick. I would have taken him to the vet myself, but since the local police informed me it was forbidden to take the cats, I did not want to risk it. It is a shame too, he was quite obviously pretty miserable.
Conclusion
Parque Kennedy (Kennedy Park) is definitely worth a visit if you are visiting Lima, Peru. I highly recommend this place. It’s very safe, there are many nearby restaurants to try and the cats are pretty damn cool too.
