<p>Several unusual Google Maps geotags featuring local cats have gone viral across Bengaluru. Among the most popular are ‘Nigesh the cat’, a five-star-rated orange cat in Malleswaram; ‘Battarahalli Bar Nigesh Cat’, which includes a group of black, orange and calico cats at a bar in Battarahalli; ‘Nigesh the Caaat’, a grey cat in Kaggalipura; and ‘The Friendly Orange Cat and His Kitten’ in Koramangala.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The cat-tagging phenomenon is part of a wider global trend in which users pin obscure or humorous locations on maps. In Bengaluru, the trend appears to have picked up around early 2025, when commuters repeatedly spotted a female cat sleeping inside Entrance C of Indiranagar metro station. Social media posts about the unusually relaxed feline soon went viral, with people visiting the station specifically to see her. Over the past week, similar cat geotags have cropped up across the city. Most of these locations are marked ‘open 24 hours’, though some follow the timings of their host venues. These listings are populated with reviews, photos, precise coordinates and even AI-generated summaries of the cats’ personalities.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Visitors from across the city reportedly drop by to pet or feed the animals. Some cats are informally cared for by nearby shops and residents, while others remain strays. Their food supply now partly depends on their accidental ‘tourist attraction’ status. A staffer who works at a Khan Saheb outlet, located next to the geotagged location ‘friendly calico cat’ in Basavanagar, says, “There are many cats in the area, we do not care for them, but people that pass by often feed the cats.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">An employee of The Bookworm bookstore on Church Street explains that the store used to look after cats for years, but the cats have not been coming for the past couple of months. The cat, which is geotagged ‘Church Street Nigesh’, sits on the stairs of a coffee shop right next to the bookstore. It has a bowl of food that is filled by strangers and the people who work in different businesses located in the building.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Simran Punjabi, a sales associate at a tattoo and piercing shop, has visited a couple of these spots, from Indiranagar to Church Street, and says that she accidentally came across these cats and only later found them online. “I will keep going and try to visit all the cat locations one by one,” she says. </p>.<p class="bodytext">To find these spots, users can simply search ‘cats tourist attractions <br />Bengaluru’ or ‘Nigesh the cat’ on Google Maps.</p>.<p class="bodytext">MEME EXPLAINED<br />The term ‘Nigesh’ is youth slang derived from a viral clip of Malayalam actor Suresh Gopi addressing a man named Nikesh. His accent made it sound like<br />‘Nigesh’. Online, the word is now used humorously to label amusing people, animals or objects.</p>.<p class="bodytext">WHAT TO FEED THE CATS<br />Veterinarian Dr Aswin K advises visitors to avoid giving milk, as many cats are lactose intolerant. Raw meat, eggs and heavily spiced food should also be avoided. If a cat lives in an area where it can hunt, small portions of cooked meat are safest; dry cat food is preferable in areas where hunting is limited.</p>
<p>Several unusual Google Maps geotags featuring local cats have gone viral across Bengaluru. Among the most popular are ‘Nigesh the cat’, a five-star-rated orange cat in Malleswaram; ‘Battarahalli Bar Nigesh Cat’, which includes a group of black, orange and calico cats at a bar in Battarahalli; ‘Nigesh the Caaat’, a grey cat in Kaggalipura; and ‘The Friendly Orange Cat and His Kitten’ in Koramangala.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The cat-tagging phenomenon is part of a wider global trend in which users pin obscure or humorous locations on maps. In Bengaluru, the trend appears to have picked up around early 2025, when commuters repeatedly spotted a female cat sleeping inside Entrance C of Indiranagar metro station. Social media posts about the unusually relaxed feline soon went viral, with people visiting the station specifically to see her. Over the past week, similar cat geotags have cropped up across the city. Most of these locations are marked ‘open 24 hours’, though some follow the timings of their host venues. These listings are populated with reviews, photos, precise coordinates and even AI-generated summaries of the cats’ personalities.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Visitors from across the city reportedly drop by to pet or feed the animals. Some cats are informally cared for by nearby shops and residents, while others remain strays. Their food supply now partly depends on their accidental ‘tourist attraction’ status. A staffer who works at a Khan Saheb outlet, located next to the geotagged location ‘friendly calico cat’ in Basavanagar, says, “There are many cats in the area, we do not care for them, but people that pass by often feed the cats.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">An employee of The Bookworm bookstore on Church Street explains that the store used to look after cats for years, but the cats have not been coming for the past couple of months. The cat, which is geotagged ‘Church Street Nigesh’, sits on the stairs of a coffee shop right next to the bookstore. It has a bowl of food that is filled by strangers and the people who work in different businesses located in the building.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Simran Punjabi, a sales associate at a tattoo and piercing shop, has visited a couple of these spots, from Indiranagar to Church Street, and says that she accidentally came across these cats and only later found them online. “I will keep going and try to visit all the cat locations one by one,” she says. </p>.<p class="bodytext">To find these spots, users can simply search ‘cats tourist attractions <br />Bengaluru’ or ‘Nigesh the cat’ on Google Maps.</p>.<p class="bodytext">MEME EXPLAINED<br />The term ‘Nigesh’ is youth slang derived from a viral clip of Malayalam actor Suresh Gopi addressing a man named Nikesh. His accent made it sound like<br />‘Nigesh’. Online, the word is now used humorously to label amusing people, animals or objects.</p>.<p class="bodytext">WHAT TO FEED THE CATS<br />Veterinarian Dr Aswin K advises visitors to avoid giving milk, as many cats are lactose intolerant. Raw meat, eggs and heavily spiced food should also be avoided. If a cat lives in an area where it can hunt, small portions of cooked meat are safest; dry cat food is preferable in areas where hunting is limited.</p>