A baby rabbit rescued from a cat by cafe worker Yakup Kuş in Elazığ has become the mascot of the workplace and was named “Tombiş.”
Kuş, who works as a staff supervisor at a municipality-run cafe located in the Şehit Fethi Sekin Recreation Area, said he witnessed a cat attempting to catch a baby rabbit in the area six months ago.
After saving the rabbit from the cat’s mouth, Kuş decided to take care of it and named it “Tombiş.” He has since been carefully raising the young rabbit, feeding it fruits and leafy greens.
Freely roaming between the tables at the cafe, “Tombiş” has also drawn strong interest from customers.
Kuş said he has been working at the cafe for five years and that “Tombiş,” who entered his life six months ago, has brought warmth and color to the workplace.
“Tombiş and my story began six months ago. He was newly born, a very small baby. I rescued him from a cat in the recreation area,” Kuş said.
He explained that after caring for the rabbit for several days at the cafe due to injuries caused by the cat, he later released it back to the area where its mother and other young rabbits were located. However, the rabbit returned to the cafe on its own.
Kuş said he then decided to adopt the rabbit, adding, “For six months, I have carefully looked after Tombiş and supported his growth and development. Over time, a strong bond formed between us. Tombiş also built a close connection with our customers."
"Everyone who sees him shows great affection, and he has become very accustomed to people. There are other rabbits in the recreation area, but Tombiş does not leave because he has formed an emotional bond with us here. He prefers to stay with people because he is not harmed by them. He feels loved. We should love all animals and protect them,” he added.
Kuş noted that Tombiş’s charming behavior quickly made him the cafe’s mascot, with many customers visiting specifically to see the rabbit.
“We feed Tombiş fruits such as oranges and pomegranates, along with leafy greens. He rarely leaves the customers’ laps,” he said.
Customer Sena Yıldırım also said that she now visits the cafe not only to socialize with friends but also to see Tombiş.
“Tombiş is very adorable. I’m glad Yakup rescued him,” she said, adding that the rabbit moves from table to table, winning everyone’s affection.
