Grumpy Cat, pictured Oct. 15, 2013, survived an internet death hoax Monday, as the U.S. observed National Pet Day.
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
The internet went into an absolute tizzy Monday after rumors swirled around the purported death of Tardar Sauce, the cat best known as Grumpy Cat. The funny-faced kitty celeb is arguably the most famous feline in cyberspace, and she is no stranger to death hoaxes — just like human celebrities. The first time Grumpy Cat fell victim to the notorious internet death hoax was back on April Fools’ Day in 2013.
This time around, it apparently began with David Weiner, a Digg editor-at-large. “Is Grumpy Cat dead? I’m not happy I’m asking this question, but here I am, asking it,” he wrote on Monday. Weiner has almost 10,000 followers, so his query alarmed droves of people.
Those who were worried about the cat (aka Tardar Sauce) should be relieved to learn the death hoax was nothing more than pure speculation. Her manager, Ben Lashes, denied the phony claim in an email he sent to International Business Times Monday. “I’m happy to say these are just hoax rumors going around that I believe were started by Twitter pranksters,” he said. “Grumpy Cat is at home right now playing with her brother Pokey and trying to stay grumpy on #NationalPetDay.”
Grumpy Cat was quite active on social media Sunday for National Siblings Day but has not posted anything since the death hoax made such huge waves.
The famous feline just celebrated her 4th birthday April 4. Grumpy Cat won a Lifetime Achievement Award which was given by the Friskies Awards for best cat videos, before she was even 2 years old. “In her short year and a half, she’s accomplished so much,” Shawn Brain, then the brand manager handling Friskies cat food, stated the time. “So she seemed like the ideal candidate for the award.”
