Cats in Riga

Knitted Cats on stall in Egle
Craft Market, Riga

Last week I was on the bus from Riga to Tallinn when I checked my twitter stream to find that Zverik had asked me to look out for this souvenir:

@SK53onOSM Hi! If you encounter the souvenir in the photo, could you please bring two of it? Also, a 2 Lat coin :) pic.twitter.com/bSchGuwN8a
— Ilya Zverev (@ilyazver) August 1, 2013

Unfortunately the message arrived too late. Knowing the fondness for cats of many OSMers in Eastern Europe I thought I'd check a few souvenir shops in Riga on my return. I didn't know of Riga's association with cats, especially black ones, but soon found out.

Latvian folk-beliefs about cats
from sign on Craft Stall (Egle)

For cat lovers here are a few photos of cats and feline iconography around Riga.

Detail of Laba Kompanija / Good Company by Andra Kurzemniece
Exhibition of textile art, St. Peter's Church, Riga

Park Cat

Souvenir Cat
(outside shop which sells wooden cats seen above)

Street Cat

House Cat

Hotel Cat

Cat House

Fed Cat