Cats of İstanbul

Cats, the tiny creatures of Istanbul streets, have become an indispensable part of Istanbul culture with their free spirits and cuteness.

In every corner, you can see a cat sleeping on a car, sitting in front of a window, they are literally everywhere. The reason why there are so many cats in Istanbul is the love they receive from the residents. Turkish people love their furry little friends so much that they can make great sacrifices in order to make their lives better. It is possible to see the food and water containers, and shelters built by the residents in every corner.

Cats of Istanbul are really famous all around the world. They are on the news both locally and internationally, directors shoot movies about them, and even some of them are social media phenomenons. The symbol of Kadıköy, Tombili has become famous internationally. The pose that she made in a photo was what made her very famous. In the picture, she is sitting next to the sidewalk in a very laid-back manner, made her a perfect representation of the Turkish tradesman. And for this reason, she became a social media star immediately.

Unfortunately, Tombili died in the past years. But her fans, people who love her and her fellow townies didn’t want to let her go and wanted to make her memory live forever. And they started a campaign where almost 17,000 people joined and signed to erect Tombili’s statue. And Municipality of Kadıköy opened the statue of Tombili on Animal Protection Day.

Also, Tombili is not the only famous cat in the world. The cats (Aslan Parçası, Duman, Psikopat, Sarı, Bengü, Deniz, Gamsız) in the documentary of “Kedi” are also really famous. In the movie, directed and produced by Ceyda Torun, you can see Istanbul from the cats’ perspective and witness the love and bond between the residents and the cats.