The cat of Rome does what it wants — an affectionate observation about Roman independence and the city's famous feral cat colonies, used metaphorically to describe the Romans' own refusal to be governed or constrained by rules they find inconvenient.
Rome is home to an estimated 300,000 feral cats — one of the largest urban cat populations in the world. The cats inhabit the ancient ruins, particularly the Area Sacra di Largo Argentina (where Julius Caesar was assassinated) and the Colosseum's surrounding grounds, living in a semi-wild state protected by volunteer caretakers known as 'gattare.' In 1991, the city officially recognized the cats as part of Rome's 'bio-cultural heritage,' giving them the legal right to live in the places where they were born and ensuring their care through the municipal veterinary service. This institutional coexistence reflects Rome's characteristic attitude toward untidy realities: rather than eliminating them, the city absorbs and formalizes them. The metaphor of the Roman cat — sovereign, indifferent, beautiful, and completely self-directed — is irresistible as a portrait of the Roman character.
Rome's cat colonies were legally recognized as 'bio-cultural heritage' under a 1991 municipal ordinance, making Rome one of the first cities in the world to formally integrate feral animal colonies into its official heritage framework — a typically Roman synthesis of pragmatism and cultural pride.
A Roman explains why he ignores his boss's memo about office hours
Io arrivo quando arrivo. Er gatto de Roma fa quello che vole.
I arrive when I arrive. The cat of Rome does what it wants.
A visitor watches a Roman cat ignore tourists at Largo Argentina
Guarda quel gatto — ignorava tutti. Er gatto de Roma fa quello che vole.
Look at that cat — it ignored everyone. The cat of Rome does what it wants.
A Roman grandmother describes her independent-minded granddaughter
Quella ragazza nun la comanda nessuno — er gatto de Roma fa quello che vole, e lei pure.
Nobody tells that girl what to do — the cat of Rome does what it wants, and so does she.
A Roman driver explains why he parks on the pavement
Le strisce gialle so' un consiglio, mica un obbligo. Er gatto de Roma fa quello che vole.
Yellow lines are a suggestion, not an obligation. The cat of Rome does what it wants.