The infamous Indiana kitty passed away suddenly in her sleep, the cat’s “dude” has said. Famed internet cat Lil Bub, whose birth defects once made her one of the world’s most famous and beloved online felines, died suddenly on Sunday, the furball’s “dude” has said.
She was 8 years old.
It’s me, Mike – BUB’s dude. BUB has departed, she’s on her way home. – https://t.co/8pGC6fVy4a pic.twitter.com/trkosFT2uR
— Lil BUB (@IAMLILBUB) December 2, 2019
“It’s me, Mike — BUB’s dude,” owner Mike Bridavsky tweeted on Monday. “BUB has departed, she’s on her way home.”
Bridavsky referred to his cat as “the purest, kindest and most magical living force on our planet.”
“BUB was cheerful and full of love laying in our bed with us Saturday night, but unexpectedly passed away peacefully in her sleep,” Bridavsky went on to say in a prepared statement.
“I have always been fully transparent about BUB’s health, and it was no secret that she was battling a persistent and aggressive bone infection. Even knowing this, we weren’t expecting her to pass so soon or so abruptly without warning. I truly believe that she willingly made the decision to leave her failing body so that our family would not have to make that difficult decision ourselves.”
The polydactyl cat was born with feline dwarfism and various other genetic mutations that kept her kitten-sized for her entire life, with huge eyes and a protruding tongue. She was an internet viral sensation who frequently traveled, bringing joy to her legion of fans. She had just about 828,000 followers on Twitter.
BUB helped raise awareness and funds for special needs animals.
“But most importantly, BUB has made a huge difference in the world of animal welfare, and in the lives of millions of people worldwide,” Bridavsky concluded.
