'Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou horizontal?': Stray orange cat interrupts Turkish purrformance of Romeo & Juliet, and steals the show

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Jun 15, 2026 12:45 PM EDT

We always say the one thing that could make every purrformance better is a cat, but this ballet performance of Romeo & Juliet in Turkey actually got one.

Turkey has the most wonderful relationship with its country's cats. It's the ultimate destination for cat lovers (and for hair transplants, but that's a different story). The citizens there love and care for the stray cats, and there are even lots of laws protecting them. Community animals in Turkey cannot be captured or put down, they must be fed, sterilized, and then returned to their neighborhoods. They're a part of the citizens' lives, and it's not abnormal for them to randomly join into the hoomans' activities, but one stray orange cat decided that it was his turn in the limelight.

Whether by accident or on purrpose, the little orange stray found himself on stage during a ballet purrformance of Romeo & Juliet. The dancers, unphased, continued on with the purrformance as if nothing was there, which is not something we could do if a cat was trying to eat our hair while we were resting on stage. 

Some argue that the brain cell-less kitty interrupted the purrformance, but we think he enhanced it. If you think about it, there were probably lots of stray cats during that time period, so it seems more historically accurate that a cat would wander up to a poisoned Romeo, and loaf on him while he was still warm. 

One thing is fur sure, though, is that this cat stole the show. The video of his star purrformance is going viral on X right now thanks to @Yoda4ever 's post depicting the whole thing. Purrhaps this is the key to getting more people into ballet performances nowadays, simply add cats and see how the audience and dancers react. We might be on to something!

See all the discourse below about this surprise star on the rise, and how the internet is reacting to his purrfect performance!

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    Cheezburger Image 10638768384
    via @Yoda4ever
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    Yog Follow @Yoda4ever Orange cat interrupts "Romeo and Juliet" theatre performance..
    via @Yoda4ever
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    Cheezburger Image 10638769664
    via @Yoda4ever
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    kokii @kokiimichii A good actor that one e
    via @kokiimichii

  • You probably didn't know this, but before we became I Can Has Cheezburger expurrts, we had a career as a pawfessional dancer (for 13 years). We started in ballet companies (shoutout to Charlottesville Ballet!), and althought we never actually purrformed Romeo & Juliet, we did have our fair share of dramatic ballet moments on stage. None involved a cat, though, which is a shame. Maybe if there had been a cat, we might have stayed longer! 

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    Cheezburger Image 10638769920
    via @Yoda4ever
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    Darth Caul @DarthCaul Bro stole the scene, unbelievably natural behavior acted out by the cat, 10/10 = || GIF
    via @DarthCaul
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    Cheezburger Image 10638768640
    via @Yoda4ever
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    Bones @boneless_bones7 no this feels historically more accurate
    via @boneless_bones7
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    Cheezburger Image 10638768128
    via @Yoda4ever
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    Sango Mwesigwa @SangoMwesigwa How bro feeling after the show
    via @SangoMwesigwa
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    Cheezburger Image 10638770176
    via @Yoda4ever
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    (late)) @BlessethWeb314 There's no way I could have stayed in character.ee
    via @BlessethWeb314
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    Cheezburger Image 10638770432
    via @Yoda4ever
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    Orange Kitty ❤ @rebeccajkey Romeow, Romeow! Giveth me a treat, Romeow!
    via @rebeccajkey
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    Cheezburger Image 10638770944
    via @Yoda4ever
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    giblacker = @Ososweetswede Orange cats are a special kind of crazy.
    via @Ososweetswede
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    Cheezburger Image 10638771200
    via @Yoda4ever
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    Cheezburger Image 10638771456
    via @Yoda4ever
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    + ktkm.bsky.social Kat Morgan Wake up, Romeo! Its time for my dinner! @ktkm
    via @ktkm
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    @AA_Fighting4U Romeo, trying hard to not lol while cat chews on hair AA Patriot. 0 ...
    via @AA_Fighting4U
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    riyu @ryubamii Jun 13 as always, the orange one... ...
    via @ryubamii
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    @AlongKumar1 abhi Chaudharye This cat didn't interrupt the performance... it elevated it. Romeo finally got the emotional support he needed in the tomb scene The orange one is clearly the real star here. Kudos to the actors for staying in character the whole time
    via @AlongKumar1
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    Cheezburger Image 10638771712
    via @Yoda4ever
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    Curio X @curious_X A cat interrupts opera performance in Turkey
    via @curious_X
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    Tony C @TCus2408 Everyone posting about politics: I'm over here like: I like cats
    via @TCus2408
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    I do adverbs Yellow cat you say? @firstHat
    via @firstHat
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    zulma de la ferme @ZulmaFerme 'Of course, wee orange ones love some drama!'
    via @ZulmaFerme
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    I have no voice and I must meme @Adino1298824 The cat is not interrupting, he is inserting himself into the play. Lord Marmaladio, Prince of Purrona. "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou horizontal?"
    via @Adino1298824
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    via @Yoda4ever

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stray cats Turkey orange cats romeo and juliet
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