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Istanbul’s Most Famous Cat Honored With Its Own Statue At Its Favorite Spot

All cats are remembered by their owners, but few cute cats are remembered by the world. However, everybody will remember the late and great Tombili because the famously laid-back feline just got immortalized with its very own cat statue.

Tombili rose to fame when somebody snapped and shared a photograph of it chilling in a ridiculously relaxed pose on the streets of Istanbul. The adorable cat soon became an internet legend and so, when it passed away in August, it seemed only right that the famous cat was honored in the real world as well. Now the feline’s lackadaisical pose has been eternalized in the form of a beautiful sculpture that’s just been unveiled in the very spot where Tombili was originally photographed showing the world how to chill in style. This beautiful statue will forever be there to remind us that in this increasingly hectic world of ours, sometimes we need to take a moment to relax. RIP Tombili! (h/t: lovemeow)

Tombili the cat passed away recently but it will never be forgotten

laid-back-cat-statue-tombili-istanbul-2

Image credits: Unknown

Because somebody made a statue!

laid-back-cat-statue-tombili-istanbul-8

Image credits: Unknown (left), Anadolu Kedisi (right)

It’s made of bronze and it sits in the same spot where Tombili was snapped in its famous pose

laid-back-cat-statue-tombili-istanbul-6

Image credits: Anadolu Kedisi

Cats in the neighbourhood came to pay their respects to Istanbul’s most famous feline

laid-back-cat-statue-tombili-istanbul-3

Image credits: Anadolu Kedisi

The statue will be officially unveiled on October 4th to coincide with World Animal Day

laid-back-cat-statue-tombili-istanbul-9

Image credits: Anadolu Kedisi

Tombili’s memory will now live on forever

laid-back-cat-statue-tombili-istanbul-14

Image credits: ykpykseler

Rest in peace Tombili!

laid-back-cat-statue-tombili-istanbul-4

Image credits: ykpykseler

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What do you think ?

POST

Ebru Dogan 8 years ago

It was not just a cat, he was one of us. :(

39points

Գևորգ Մարտիրոսյան 8 years ago

yeah, I remember like now he used to sit there with mysterious face and meowed profound things...(((

17points

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Evisa Isabella Rose 8 years ago

Heroes get remembered, but legends NEVER die!!! :''') R.I.P. Tombili!

27points

Halit Acar 8 years ago

R.i.p beautiful cat

23points

Fikret Yeşilyurt 8 years ago

Btw, "Tombili" means "chubby" in Turkish :) R.I.P. Tombili!

16points

Caree Graybow 8 years ago

Especially when the story calls him an "it" he was a cat, he was a male cat! Not an it! The statue is an it of HIM! Thank you very much!

15points

Asafdsa Afdsfd 7 years ago

tbh tombili was female

0points

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Hans 8 years ago

The sculpture is not so close I think, but a nice gesture nonetheless.

12points

Rob Walrond 8 years ago

Totally agree. Pity the artist didn't go for a better likeness. If they really were paying tribute they would have made sure it actually looked like him. But RIP Tombili may you be remembered as you really were.

6points

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David Robinson 8 years ago

Tombili is with Harambe now.

9points

Alusair Alustriel 8 years ago

Hope the chubby fellah lived a happy life!

9points

Jonathan Eatsalot 8 years ago

kind of gave up on the statue's head

8points

M.E. Delle 8 years ago

HE, not "it". RIP, beautiful boy.

4points

Karen Bunn 8 years ago

Tombili didn't miss too many meals. Now that's a role-poly kitty tummy!

3points

Stephanie Cohen 8 years ago

Wish they'd give a location, so people would know where it is!

3points

Barış Kural 8 years ago

You can find his sculpture in ziver bey/kadikoy/istanbul. The location is so close to me. Feel so lucky couse i live in kadikoy :)

2points

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Gillian Concannon 8 years ago

What a lovely way to honour Tombili.

3points

Olf Hrzg 8 years ago

Ok that's awesome.

3points

Shinomi Chan 8 years ago

It's... like Hachiko ;__; So adorable....

2points

Şahin Doğan 8 years ago

👍

2points

Luke Matthew 7 years ago

Oh this beautiful cat. I tried to find the statue on Google Street View. The Street View image pre-dates the statue's installation, but look who I did find!! https://goo.gl/maps/d2UaHykT9652

1point

Meeow 8 years ago

Awww, Rest in paradise Tombili!

1point

سوميه آلكريم 8 years ago

Timbili (RIP)

1point

sandeewiens 8 years ago

So sorry for your loss, but what a beautiful reminder!🐤🐦

1point

Haleema 8 years ago

Awww I hope he is having a great time in cat heaven

1point

Koko Sempai 8 years ago

His seat is taken now

0points

Dabria McGinnis 8 years ago

Rest in peace u adorable feline

0points

Maddie Brozen 8 years ago

where is the statue located?

0points

Luke Matthew 7 years ago

https://goo.gl/maps/d2UaHykT9652 (the street view image pre-dates the statue, but look who i found in the same spot!!)

0points

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Oğuzhan Serdenci 8 years ago

Tombili adamdır :(

0points

Wilhelm Stuttgart 8 years ago

I love the cat lovers of Istanbul.

0points

matylda ariadna 8 years ago

:)) impressive!

0points

matylda ariadna 8 years ago

cats, cats, cats are so inspiring sculptors.. ;) https://www.facebook.com/espace.artes/photos/ms.c.eJw1yMERACAMArCNPGqRwv6L~_fDMM8W2NEE48fSqF8529YZ~;BCrqEBcH4ApK.bps.a.1365584363454895.1073741829.1333203323359666/1438667909479873/?type=3&theater

0points

frank0ys 8 years ago

...Awww. :(

0points

Nathalie Le Maire 8 years ago

I had a cat that once in a while, he'd sit just like that, but never in public, for this precious one to be so relaxed, it's because he was truly one of us and loved and trusted us to the point where he wasn't afraid to bear his tummy and chat to us...R.I.P. Tombii, you will be missed ;(

0points

Anna Salerno 8 years ago

He reminds me of Istanbul's version of Garfield, roly poly. He was a well fed cat. R. I. P. Tombili.

0points

Anna Salerno 8 years ago

What a wonderful tribute to a fabulous majestic cat. He was beautiful. R. I. P. Tombili.

0points

Lee Anne Chapman 8 years ago

Great story! Was Tombili female or male? It's unfortunate the author has referred to Tombili as an "it" rather than "he" or "she" or just "the cat" if this isn't known. Language is powerful. Referring to animals as things undermines the fact that they are living beings like ourselves. For example, animals farmed for food are referred to as "it's" by the industry to distance ourselves from the fact they are living creatures who suffer. Our choice of words matter. Respect for animals is so needed in the world today, my respect to the person who made the statue. What a beautiful thing to do!

0points

Deniz Aytekin 8 years ago

İMAM HATİPLER KAPATILSIN

0points

Oğuzhan Serdenci 8 years ago

Seni yunana iteliyorum Vooav great comment, good job greece boy

1point

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Adnan Yaman 8 years ago

Well, the name explains everything tough, "Tombili" means Fatty in Turkish <3

0points

Anna Mcaffee 8 years ago

Awww that's so cute. Btw he was really fat. I ♥ this story.

0points

Tracy Moorhead 8 years ago

That is such a great story!!!

0points

Susan L. Miller 8 years ago

An artist of the chill He always knew the drill Will we miss him, yes we will But this statue fills the bill!

0points

matylda ariadna 8 years ago

that cat I like more https://www.facebook.com/espace.artes/

0points

matylda ariadna 8 years ago

that cat I like more :P https://www.facebook.com/espace.artes/

0points

Ana T. 8 years ago

how he died?

0points

Kjorn 8 years ago

bring me food puny human

0points

Evil Smiley 8 years ago

But why and how did tit die? :'(

0points

Özgün Özden 8 years ago

He got sick and sadly couldn't be resmen. Died on 1st of August.

0points

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POST

Ebru Dogan 8 years ago

It was not just a cat, he was one of us. :(

39points

Գևորգ Մարտիրոսյան 8 years ago

yeah, I remember like now he used to sit there with mysterious face and meowed profound things...(((

17points

Load More Replies...

Evisa Isabella Rose 8 years ago

Heroes get remembered, but legends NEVER die!!! :''') R.I.P. Tombili!

27points

Halit Acar 8 years ago

R.i.p beautiful cat

23points

Fikret Yeşilyurt 8 years ago

Btw, "Tombili" means "chubby" in Turkish :) R.I.P. Tombili!

16points

Caree Graybow 8 years ago

Especially when the story calls him an "it" he was a cat, he was a male cat! Not an it! The statue is an it of HIM! Thank you very much!

15points

Asafdsa Afdsfd 7 years ago

tbh tombili was female

0points

Load More Replies...

Hans 8 years ago

The sculpture is not so close I think, but a nice gesture nonetheless.

12points

Rob Walrond 8 years ago

6points

Load More Replies...

David Robinson 8 years ago

Tombili is with Harambe now.

9points

Alusair Alustriel 8 years ago

Hope the chubby fellah lived a happy life!

9points

Jonathan Eatsalot 8 years ago

kind of gave up on the statue's head

8points

M.E. Delle 8 years ago

HE, not "it". RIP, beautiful boy.

4points

Karen Bunn 8 years ago

Tombili didn't miss too many meals. Now that's a role-poly kitty tummy!

3points

Stephanie Cohen 8 years ago

Wish they'd give a location, so people would know where it is!

3points

Barış Kural 8 years ago

You can find his sculpture in ziver bey/kadikoy/istanbul. The location is so close to me. Feel so lucky couse i live in kadikoy :)

2points

Load More Replies...

Gillian Concannon 8 years ago

What a lovely way to honour Tombili.

3points

Olf Hrzg 8 years ago

Ok that's awesome.

3points

Shinomi Chan 8 years ago

It's... like Hachiko ;__; So adorable....

2points

Şahin Doğan 8 years ago

👍

2points

Luke Matthew 7 years ago

Oh this beautiful cat. I tried to find the statue on Google Street View. The Street View image pre-dates the statue's installation, but look who I did find!! https://goo.gl/maps/d2UaHykT9652

1point

Meeow 8 years ago

Awww, Rest in paradise Tombili!

1point

سوميه آلكريم 8 years ago

Timbili (RIP)

1point

sandeewiens 8 years ago

So sorry for your loss, but what a beautiful reminder!🐤🐦

1point

Haleema 8 years ago

Awww I hope he is having a great time in cat heaven

1point

Koko Sempai 8 years ago

His seat is taken now

0points

Dabria McGinnis 8 years ago

Rest in peace u adorable feline

0points

Maddie Brozen 8 years ago

where is the statue located?

0points

Luke Matthew 7 years ago

https://goo.gl/maps/d2UaHykT9652 (the street view image pre-dates the statue, but look who i found in the same spot!!)

0points

Load More Replies...

Oğuzhan Serdenci 8 years ago

Tombili adamdır :(

0points

Wilhelm Stuttgart 8 years ago

I love the cat lovers of Istanbul.

0points

matylda ariadna 8 years ago

:)) impressive!

0points

matylda ariadna 8 years ago

0points

frank0ys 8 years ago

...Awww. :(

0points

Nathalie Le Maire 8 years ago

0points

Anna Salerno 8 years ago

He reminds me of Istanbul's version of Garfield, roly poly. He was a well fed cat. R. I. P. Tombili.

0points

Anna Salerno 8 years ago

What a wonderful tribute to a fabulous majestic cat. He was beautiful. R. I. P. Tombili.

0points

Lee Anne Chapman 8 years ago

0points

Deniz Aytekin 8 years ago

İMAM HATİPLER KAPATILSIN

0points

Oğuzhan Serdenci 8 years ago

Seni yunana iteliyorum Vooav great comment, good job greece boy

1point

Load More Replies...

Adnan Yaman 8 years ago

Well, the name explains everything tough, "Tombili" means Fatty in Turkish <3

0points

Anna Mcaffee 8 years ago

Awww that's so cute. Btw he was really fat. I ♥ this story.

0points

Tracy Moorhead 8 years ago

That is such a great story!!!

0points

Susan L. Miller 8 years ago

An artist of the chill He always knew the drill Will we miss him, yes we will But this statue fills the bill!

0points

matylda ariadna 8 years ago

that cat I like more https://www.facebook.com/espace.artes/

0points

matylda ariadna 8 years ago

that cat I like more :P https://www.facebook.com/espace.artes/

0points

Ana T. 8 years ago

how he died?

0points

Kjorn 8 years ago

bring me food puny human

0points

Evil Smiley 8 years ago

But why and how did tit die? :'(

0points

Özgün Özden 8 years ago

He got sick and sadly couldn't be resmen. Died on 1st of August.

0points

Load More Replies...

Istanbul’s Most Famous Cat Honored With Its Own Statue At Its Favorite Spot

Tombili the cat passed away recently but it will never be forgotten

Because somebody made a statue!

It’s made of bronze and it sits in the same spot where Tombili was snapped in its famous pose

Cats in the neighbourhood came to pay their respects to Istanbul’s most famous feline

The statue will be officially unveiled on October 4th to coincide with World Animal Day

Tombili’s memory will now live on forever

Rest in peace Tombili!

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