Tombili, the Istanbul cat immortalized in a statue for his laid-back pose (7 photos)

There are many monuments around the world to animals that have earned recognition for their courageous deeds or their service to science. But there are also animals immortalized in bronze simply because they exist and delight their owners and everyone around them. This is precisely why a simple mongrel cat named Tombili received a personal monument in Istanbul's Ziverbey district.





There are a lot of cats in Istanbul, and the attitude toward these cute animals is special. To stand out from the tens of thousands of their fellow cats, you have to be special. That's exactly what Tombili was—a plump tabby cat with a white belly.



Tombili became famous because he would go outside every day and, lounging like a seasoned Turkish pasha, assume a relaxed pose on the sidewalk, gracefully leaning against the parapet. At first, the cat's pose delighted the residents of Gulech Alley, then it became known throughout Ziverbey, and when someone thought to post a photo of the animal online, Tombili achieved worldwide fame.

The fluffy symbol of Ziverbey became a popular internet meme, known to users as "the funny cat." Tombili's pose is played out in various ways by pranksters—using Photoshop, they dress him in a Roman toga, seat him on a sofa, at a bar, hand him a cocktail, or place a hookah nearby. It's impossible to list all the images the cat can evoke in an observer.









Alas, with rare exceptions, a cat's life is short-lived, and in August 2016, Gulech Lane lost its languid mascot. Grateful residents refused to accept this and decided to immortalize the memory of Tombili, who brought fame to the area worldwide. In honor of International Animal Day, the district mayor ordered a bronze statue of the cat to be erected in his favorite spot, in his characteristic pose.



The small monument, a life-size version of Tombili, became a local tourist attraction. The statue was even stolen, though the perpetrators were so horrified by the repercussions of their actions that they soon tossed it back.



So the plump bronze cat sits, observing the street life and thinking about something of its own, in a colorful Istanbul alley, right at the feet of bustling passersby.