Grumpy Cat Gone But Not Forgotten

May 22, 2019

Grumpy Cat will always be remembered as the first petfluencer on the Internet. An immediate Instagram favourite with millions of followers, Grumpy Cat has become part of our mainstream culture and gives Lucky Cat a run for his money (particularly in the sock department!)

With her sad passing last week at the very young age of seven years old, Grumpy Cat was mourned by social networks, TV outlets, and Radio stations all across the globe. Famous for her expression of constant discontent, Grumpy Cat leaves behind a remarkable legacy. From books, films, advertising, and merchandising, Grumpy Cat is worth an estimated $100 million.

Is Grumpy Cat a Munchkin?

Born with feline dwarfism and the runt of a litter of four, Grumpy Cat was born on April 4, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona to the Bundesen family. She is not a Munchkin cat. Originally named Tardar Sauce, Grumpy Cat was the offspring of a healthy calico mama and a blue-and-white tabby tomcat. Her pronounced underbite responsible for her grouchy expression made Grumpy Cat famous. She was loved by more than 11 million fans, particularly in the UK, where her wax figure resides at Madame Tussauds.

What is feline dwarfism?

Feline dwarfism is a genetic mutation that affects bone and cartilage development. Unlike true runts of the litter who are born in proportion, cats with dwarfism will feature unusually short legs. This was true of Grumpy Cat too; however, it didn’t affect her mobility. 

A genetic mutation like feline dwarfism can make these cats susceptible to disease, so it is not recommended to breed them. Grumpy Cat and her brother Bob, who also has dwarfism, were not expected to be born with this genetic mutation. Their responsible owners knew that no matter how cute and lovable Tardar was, they could never breed her. 

So her memory will live on through the ages and the pages and pages of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. When kids born years from now study the history of the Internet, there she'll be in all her grumpy glory, a proud feline and the first petfluencer to ever grace the Web.

Grumpy Cat, gone but never forgotten.