In November 2026, the practice of electing animals — primarily cats and dogs — to symbolic posts of mayors of cities and small settlements is gaining popularity in Arab countries and around the world. This trend, described in a piece by the Ra2ej portal, turns furry candidates into genuine public figures who attract tourists and unite local communities.
A striking example is a cat named Stubbs, who from 1997 to 2017 held the post of honorary mayor of the town of Talkeetna in Alaska. Residents elected him in protest against human candidates, and over two decades Stubbs became a true landmark: he "worked" daily at the local shop, drank water with mint, and brought the town millions of media mentions. Similar stories recur in other American towns: a dog named Bosco ruled Sunol in California for 13 years, and in Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, pit bulls and other breeds have become mayor several times.
In the Arab world there are still fewer direct analogues, yet the cultural context favors such a practice. Cats here are traditionally considered clean and blessed animals: they are allowed into mosques, and they symbolize grace and good fortune. In Istanbul, where the influence of Islamic tradition is strong, thousands of street cats effectively "run" the city — residents feed them, build them little houses, and consider them part of the city's identity. This creates fertile ground for the emergence of symbolic "mayors" among cats in Arab countries as well.
The mechanism of such elections is simple and informal: residents vote for animals in protest against politics or simply for fun, and the proceeds go to charity and the development of the town. The animals do not make decisions, but they fulfill an important social role — they lift spirits, draw attention to problems, and become living symbols of a place.
For actual owners and communities, this means new opportunities: growth in tourism, stronger neighborly ties, and a reminder that politics can be not only serious but also kind. In a world where trust in traditional politicians is falling, four-legged mayors show that sometimes the best leader is the one who simply knows how to purr or wag a tail.
