During the opening event, Kadköy’s deputy mayor stated that thousands of residents had requested a commemorative statue.
The local officials have recognized “Tombili,” a chubby cat adored by Istanbul’s Ziverbey district. And they created a statue to keep its memory alive forever.
This cat was familiar to citizens of Ziverbey, a neighborhood in Kadköy. They used the word Tombili ( a Turkish term used to refer to overweight pets) to call him. The cat got this name for his laid-back attitude towards anybody who wished to interact with him.
Tomblin rose to fame after a picture of him lounging in one of his preferred locations on the sidewalk was posted to Facebook.
Countless people added ironic remarks or made memes to the photograph.
According to his caretakers, the cat suffered a month-long sickness and passed away in August, as Hurriyet News revealed.
Even before the concept of creating a long-lasting memorial gained traction, posters with the words “You would remain in our memories, the mascot of our neighborhood” emerged across the neighborhood, lamenting his passing.
A petition with more than 17,000 signatures requested that the Kadköy Municipality formally recognize Tombili as a public figure and take action to keep his memory alive. A sculptor named Several thin consented to create a bronze statue portraying the cat’s well-known attitude.
On the 4th of October, which is World Animal Day, the sculpture was unveiled. Numerous visitors showed up to express their condolences and left bouquets, cat treats, and light candles.
During the event, Kadköy vice mayor Başar Necipolu expressed his gratitude to the community’s pet lovers for creating the monument.
Istanbul’s affinity for kitties is well known; this town is populated with many stray animals that are lovingly cared for by residents.
A famous Turkish adage reads, “If someone kills a kitten, that person should construct a mosque to get the Mercy of God.” People say that its roots are in folklore concerning the Prophet Mohammed’s preferred pet, a cat by the name of Muezza.
The story says that Mohammed cut off the sleeves of his prayer cloak with a pair of scissors so as not to bother his kittie, which was sound asleep.
In a different narrative telling, Muezza rescued the messenger from a poisonous snake. Cats gained their capability to never land upside down when he patted her back in appreciation.