Tombili
Tombili (Turkish for chubby) (birthplace and date unknown, died August 1, 2016) was a street cat from Istanbul. He was internationally known because of a photograph that shows his reclining on the sidewalk.[1] The city of Istanbul honored Tombili after his death with a statue.
Life[edit]
Tombili (a common Turkish nickname for a chubby pet)[2] was a street cat who lived in Ziverbey in the Kadıköy district of Istanbul. Media reports state Tombili's sex as male; however, that is disputed.[3] Tombili became popular with residents of the neighborhood for his friendliness and his way of leaning against steps. As a result of a photo of this pose, the cat became known worldwide in social networks and became an internet phenomenon.[4] In the district of Kadıköy, he gained cult status. In 2016, Tombili fell seriously ill and eventually died in early August.[5]
Monument[edit]
After his death, a petition to honor his memory received 17,000 signatures and Kadıköy Mayor Aykurt Nuhoğlu agreed to officially commemorate his life. A local sculptor, Seval Şahin, made a sculpture recreating the pose which had gained him fame, and was inaugurated for World Wildlife Day on October 4, 2016.[6] Hundreds of people came to pay their respects, and Kadıköy deputy mayor Başar Necipoğlu spoke at the event, which was aired on Turkish TV.[7]
Theft and return[edit]
A month later, the sculpture went missing. A photo shared on social media showed the statue missing from its place, leaving behind only the sculpture's brass plaque.[8] Kadıköy Municipality announced on November 8, 2016, that the statue had been stolen,[9] prompting outcry and concern both in Turkey and elsewhere. "They stole the Tombili statue. They are enemies of everything beautiful. All they know is hate, tears and war," Turkish MP Tuncay Özkan was quoted as saying in translation. However, on November 10, 2016, the statue was safely returned.[10]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Istanbul's phenomenal cat Tombili dies". Hürriyet Daily News. 10 August 2016. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022.
- ^ McKernan, Bethan (1 October 2016). "Tombili: Istanbul cat and internet meme honoured with statue". The Independent. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
- ^ Hanson, Hillary (4 October 2016). "Famously Chill Cat Memorialized With Her Own Statue". Huffington Post. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ "Istanbul's Most Famous Cat Honored With Its Own Statue At Its Favorite Spot". Bored Panda. 6 October 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ Gutierrez, Lisa (October 6, 2016). "Lazy in life, lazing in death: Tombili the fat cat gets a statue". The Miami Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
- ^ Paiella, Gabriella (October 10, 2016). "Gaze Upon the Visage of This Beautiful and Haunting Cat Statue". New York Magazine. New York Media, LLC. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ "Sculpture of cat phenomenon 'Tombili' inaugurated in Istanbul". Hurriyet Daily News. Anadolu Agency. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
- ^ "Sculpture of Istanbul's social media phenomenon cat Tombili stolen". Daily Sabah. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "Sculpture of iconic Istanbul cat 'Tombili' stolen". Hurriyet Daily News. November 8, 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
- ^ "Stolen statue of beloved Istanbul cat returned". The BBC. November 10, 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2017.