Locals Memorialize Infamous Street Cat By Putting A Statue Of Her In Favorite Spot
Dec 17, 2019 by apost team
When exploring a city, it’s pretty typical to stumble across statues that make you pause and think. Yet if you visit Istanbul, you might encounter a rather unusual statue. Located in Ziverbey, is a little statue that will make the child within all of us smile. Instead of a soldier in full regalia or a local famous person, this statue depicts a cat reclining comfortably against a set of steps in its hometown.
Tombili, as she was known, was a local stray known to the residents of Ziverbey. An overweight tabby cat, she was often found lounging just as the statue depicts. This cat’s relaxed demeanor made her popular amongst the town’s citizens, but a photograph that went viral of Tombili chilling turned her into a superstar overnight. Just looking at the picture, people could instantly relate to this cat and her personality. Looking like she was ready to binge-watch a series and order a pizza, the photo made a celebrity out of the local street cat.
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When Tombili passed away in August of 2016, the denizens of Ziverbey decided they needed to honor their local kitty celebrity. Therefore they commissioned a statue by a local sculptor, Seval Şahin. Taking the famous photo as his inspiration, Şahin created a masterpiece that almost looks identical to Tombili and her relaxed pose. The sculpture was unveiled in October of 2016 and stolen a month later! Thankfully the thieves must have felt remorse as Tombili’s statue was returned in November.
Have you ever encountered a strange statue when visiting a new city? Tell us about your experience! Did the story of a stray little cat and her statue make you smile? If so, pass this story onto your fellow pet lovers and help make their day a little bit brighter!