'Celebrity cat' Gli living in Istanbul's Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque isolated after getting sick
Gli (R) pictured at the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, July 2, 2020. (Reuters Photo)


Gli, the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque's favorite feline resident, has been isolated and is receiving treatment after falling ill, a statement posted on the cat's Instagram account said Friday.

"Dear Friends, here I am after a long radar silence ..." an update on Gli’s official Instagram account @HagiaSophiaCat read.

The caption noted that Gli would stay in a private residence for a while, as her heart "could not handle the stress and the crowds anymore."

"Don’t forget, the best cure is love," the statement read.

Regarded as a celebrity cat, Gli has over 103,000 followers on Instagram and has been living in the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque for the past 16 years.

With her shining green eyes, Gli has been a favorite sight for many of the mosque's visitors, including former U.S. President Barack Obama, who was filmed stroking her during a trip in 2009.

After the reversion of the famous structure into a mosque this year, Turkish authorities assured the public that the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque would remain Gli’s home.