Among the most usual protagonists of tourist photos from the Greek islands, apart from dreamy beaches, remote villages and stunning sunsets, are the beautiful Aegean cats, a naturally occurring landrace of domestic cat originating from the Cycladic Islands of Greece.

One of the cutest and most photogenic animals of the Greek fauna, the Aegean cat is noted for its affinity for water and fishing. It has been domesticated for many centuries and thus has become adapted very well to living among humans.

Although Aegean cats have only very recently begun to be bred systematically, their characteristics have been studied by cat fancy organizations: they are social pets, intelligent and active that often seek to draw people’s attention, which probably explains their popularity with tourists.

Here are some photos of these amazing creatures in the natural habitat, the Greek Cyclades.