Grumpy Cat, the feline famous for her scowling mug and sourpuss persona, died Tuesday, May 14th at the young age of seven. An Instagram post announcing the sad news said that “Some days are grumpier than others”:
We are unimaginably heartbroken to announce the loss of our beloved Grumpy Cat.
Despite care from top professionals, as well as from her very loving family, Grumpy encountered complications from a recent urinary tract infection that unfortunately became too tough for her to overcome. She passed away peacefully on the morning of Tuesday, May 14, at home in the arms of her mommy, Tabatha.
Besides being our baby and a cherished member of the family, Grumpy Cat has helped millions of people smile all around the world — even when times were tough.
Her spirit will continue to live on through her fans everywhere.
Grumpy’s Family — Tabatha, Bryan, and Chyrstal
The loveably pessimistic pet grouched her way into the hearts of millions—the cat’s official Instagram page currently boasts over two million followers and the sad announcement of the animal’s demise has so far garnered over one million likes and 122K comments. More than 8 million people like the The Official Grumpy Cat page on Facebook.
The cat’s celebrity translated into commercial success. The shop section full of merchandise on grumpycats.com invites visitors to “Find Something Terrible To Buy.” Brands engaged the ever-negative cat in advertising, like this tweet that contains a video of the kitty riding around on a vacuum cleaner:
Recommended
Tired of boring contests without any good stuff?
— Grumpy Cat (@RealGrumpyCat) February 15, 2019
Enter #TheStufInside #Sweepstakes for your chance to win a one-of-a-kind @irobot Roomba with an @OREO Skinit! #sponsored Official rules: https://t.co/slbDfWaA3d pic.twitter.com/U92FIFV7Ab
Grumpy Cat even starred in the 2014 Lifetime movie “Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever.”
Adoring fans would come out to meet the animal known as “The World’s grumpiest cat.” At a Mall of America event in 2018, “The first 300 people in line got a wristband for a meet-and-greet with Grumpy Cat,” according to Kare 11. “Grumpy Cat was at the mall for the Minnesota Lottery’s Cat Scratch Party. The party was promoting new scratch tickets with Grumpy Cat’s face on them. Visitors of the mall were able to buy Grumpy’s new tickets and scratch them off in the Rotunda.”
Despite the famous glaring face and amusing public persona, Grumpy Cat was actually not a sullen grinch. Grumpycats.com states that: “She really isn't grumpy! She is a super cute and cuddly kitty and loves to be held and rubbed!”
The cat had feline dwarfism according to the website. While widely known as Grumpy Cat, the animal’s original pet name was Tardar Sauce. It exploded onto the public scene back in 2012:
“Grumpy Cat became an internet sensation after her photo was posted on Reddit on September 22, 2012. It was suggested that the original photo was photoshopped, so we posted a few videos on YouTube. The videos went viral and her popularity has continued to increase,” the website states.
Kare 11’s 2018 article reported that “Grumpy Cat’s owner, Tabatha Bundesen, or ‘Tabby,’ said she originally called her cat Tardar Sauce. Now, Bundesen said she only calls Grumpy Cat, who turned 6 this year, by her real name ‘when she’s in trouble.’ Bundesen said the only thing that makes Grumpy Cat really grumpy is public appearances.”
Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) tweeted his “favorite Grumpy Cat meme,” calling the meme “Simple, direct, and widely applicable.”
RIP Grumpy Cat. Sharing my favorite Grumpy Cat meme here. Simple, direct, and widely applicable.
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) May 18, 2019
#grumpycatRIP pic.twitter.com/R7HCmQKspw
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