Cats in Istanbul are kind of a big deal, but even among Istanbul’s famous cats, Tombili stood apart. An unusually portly cat, Tombili rose to social media fame after being caught on camera leaning a casual elbow against the step, contemplating the world.
Fenomen kedi 'Tombili' hayatını kaybetti https://t.co/iViYnPxMIlpic.twitter.com/pNELNuiT2C
— NTV Yaşam (@ntv_yasam) August 10, 2016
Tombili was known for being a chill cat, and this was a common pose for him. But this particular photo achieved a higher level of internet fame, putting Tombili in the pantheon of Beloved and Bememed Internet Cats.
In August, Tombili died, and since then friends and fans have been pushing for a permanent monument to his life. On October 4, World Animal Day, that desire was be officially fulfilled, when a commemorative sculpture by local artist Seval Şahin was unveiled.
RIP Tombili, may you chill forever.