Lil Bub, an iconic cat of the internet, has passed away. The feline first rose to fame in 2011 on Tumblr, and her popularity soon skyrocketed after being featured on Reddit, earning many admirers thanks to her distinct face and cute features. Lil Bub was eight years old.
The cat became an internet darling in large part due to her inspiring origin story. Lil Bub was the runt of her litter, and had several genetic mutations that resulted in facial deformities that made it difficult for her to be adopted. Owner Mike Bridavsky saw the beauty in Lil Bub and nursed the cute cat to health. The rest they say, is internet history.
News broke of Lil Bub’s death on her official Instagram this past Sunday, breaking the hearts of cat lovers everywhere. You can check out the emotional post in the space below:
Lil Bub’s rise to fame led to millions of devoted followers on all of her social media channels, a documentary that won the Tribeca Online Festival Best Feature Film, a book, merchandise and more. While it could’ve been easy to let the fame go to her adorably furry head, Lil Bub always strove to give back to charity. Thanks to Lil Bub, over $300,000 was raised for animals in need like she once was, and her story of going from runt to rescue hit home with animal lovers everywhere. Her owner described Lil Bub as the most amazing cat on the planet, and it’s clear that the kitty’s impact and death was felt worldwide.
Cats have a special place in pop culture, from Captain Marvel’s cat Goose to the unintentionally controversial upcoming film adaption of the musical Cats. Cat fans everywhere were also crushed when news of the death of Grumpy Cat, another iconic internet feline, hit broken hearts everywhere. Nothing rouses the world wide web more than a well timed cat meme or a cute cat video, and Lil Bub’s absence will be clearly felt. With the Internet being inundated with horrible and dark news constantly, cats of the world whether it be on the big movie theater screen or the dim glow of a laptop provide an oasis os positivity and cuteness that helps the world be a better place. Lil Bub was a furry angel that will live on forever in GIFs, memes and Google images. May her story inspire more rescue, adoptions, and love to animals in need that may not be the cutest or the healthiest, but have the biggest hearts and so much affection to give.
Rest in Peace Lil Bub: June 21, 2011 - December 1, 2019
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