Many cat owners would agree that ginger tabby cats are extremely remarkable and one-of-a-kind. Marmalade, for example, is one, and he’s really great, right?
Tombi, a ginger tabby cat from Turkey, took it upon himself to settle down wherever he felt he was needed. And it came as a pleasant surprise to a class of cheerful third graders. They had no idea that this adorable ball of ginger fur would turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
We know that there is obviously a difference between feral cats and stray cats, but even most strays are somewhat suspicious and can be jumpy around human strangers. But Tombi? He waltzed right in to a classroom at a public elementary school in Izmir, Turkey and declared it his new home.
This is a ginger tabby that had the ability to change the lives of many people in exchange for the loving furever home he deserved.
Zlem Pnar Ivaşcu, the classroom instructor, claimed that the pupils were instantly interested in him and pleasantly delighted when he entered the room: “The children loved him very much.”
And just as cats do, little curious Tombi took a liking to the students, and their classroom. Little by little, he transformed this once strange place into his happy home. And, of course, the students didn’t seem to mind one bit.
Tombi and his class of ecstatic small cat slaves were overjoyed to be in the same room. However, it appears that the cat’s presence did not sit well with the school administration. They said the cat posed a health danger and demanded that Tombi be transferred to a more suitable household.
“We got Tombi a place to stay, and he stayed there for three days, but he was unhappy. He stopped eating,” says Özlem. “So I took him home, but here too he was not happy. ”
Not only was Tombi unhappy, but his absence left the pupils devastated and lonely. Tombi, although his presence in the classroom, served to improve morale and was certainly not a distraction. Tombi’s calm presence among them put two pupils who had previously struggled to concentrate at ease. And the other pupils were as enthralled by his presence.
“I observed a shift in the children’s conduct when he initially arrived in our class. They were more careful and stopped running around in the classroom. They couldn’t wait to return to school the next morning (which is unusual for some 9-year-olds).”
Beut Özlem is a dedicated teacher with a big heart. So she took it upon herself to assure that Tombi was reunited with the kids who loved him and missed him dearly. Quickly, her story spread like wildfire on social media, and shortly after was picked up by a local news station.
After all the buzz and commotion, the school administration decided to back down and allow the ginger tabby to come back “home” to the school where he knew he belonged:
“The children were very happy to have Tombi back… And he is happy again to be with the kids.”
Did this tale make you laugh out loud? Share it with someone who enjoys cats as much as you do! More joyful tales are needed in the world, and this is one of them.
