“We are unimaginably heartbroken to announce the loss of our beloved Grumpy Cat,” said a statement by her owners on Twitter. “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."
They went to say that the cat who brought so much pleasure to millions despite her "grumpy" face, had died "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," they wrote. "Her spirit will continue to live on through her fans everywhere.”
Thousands of people have responded to her death on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, where Grumpy Cat was a daily fixture that offered a smile, and maybe even a laugh posing in her funky and extensive outfits of the day.
Even the stiff-upper-lipped "New Yorker" posted a cartoon tweet showing Grumpy Cat in an angel outfit. Others offering their condolences included "Time" magazine and "Good Morning America," and a host of others too long to list.
Grumpy Cat became an overnight sensation when her owner's brother, Bryan posted photos of her in September 2012 on Reddit. Since then, the grumpy girl, whose real name is Tardar Sauce, has racked millions of likes and views and, well, people who love her.
The little kitty was said to feline dwarfism, which her owners said probably attributed to her distinctive facial features and tiny size.
A spokescat for Friskies, Grumpy Cat is said to have 1.5 million followers on Twitter, 2.4 million on Instagram and 8.5 million on Facebook at the time of her death.
"Wired" magazine tweeted on Friday, that the death of Grumpy Cat was the end of an era of joy on the internet, instead of one of hate.
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