(WFLA) – Monday morning memes just won’t be the same. “Grumpy Cat”, the cat behind the world-famous memes died Tuesday morning in Arizona. She was only seven-years-old.
The mixed-breed, whose real name is Tardar Sauce “passed away peacefully at home in the arms of her mommy, Tabatha,” the famous feline’s owners said in a statement on Facebook and Twitter.
Grumpy Cat had “encountered complications from a recent urinary tract infection that unfortunately became too tough for her to overcome,” the statement read.
The infamous cat with the perpetual scowl was adored by millions, but most loved by her family. “We are unimaginably heartbroken to announce the loss of our beloved Grumpy Cat,” wrote Tabatha, Bryan and Chrystal Bundesen. “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,” the tribute reads.
Grumpy Cat rose to fame in 2012 when a photo of her permanent scowl went viral.
Since then, the cat made many media appearances, typically accompanied by her owner, Tabatha.
She quickly amassed a large following on social media and had 8.5 million Facebook fans, 2.4 million on Instagram, 1.5 million on Twitter and 264,000 YouTube subscribers before her death. “Her spirit will continue to live on through her fans everywhere.”