By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-05 22:11:48 | Updated at 2024-12-25 02:27:34
2 weeks ago
An adorable cat who resembles the late internet sensation 'Grumpy Cat' was rescued by cops after weaving through traffic on a busy California road.
The California Highway Patrol in Hayward discovered a 'distressed feline' running past vehicles 'with no regard for the rules of the road' on Monday.
Authorities quickly reacted and managed to capture the cat while other officers directed traffic.
After taking the female feline back to the station, officers said they believe she has a home and urged the community to help them find her owner.
The department posted to Facebook and said: 'Now, we need YOUR help to reunite her with her family. Please share this post far and wide so we can get this furry friend back where she belongs! We’ll keep an eye on our DMs for any leads!
'Stay safe out there, and keep an eye out for unexpected paw-sengers!'
They shared a picture of the lost cat, revealing a face that is similar to Grumpy Cat - real name Tardar Sauce.
Grumpy Cat shot to fame in 2012 when an image of her sporting her iconic grimace went viral after being posted on Reddit by her owner's brother, Bryan Bundesen.
The California Highway Patrol in Hayward discovered a 'distressed feline' dodging cars on a busy California road on
'Grumpy Cat' - real name Tardar Sauce - shot to fame in 2012 after a picture of her with a permanent scowl on her face was posted to Reddit
The image soon started to circulate online, with many deciding to use it in internet memes.
In response to the interest in her unusual looking feline, owner Tabatha Bundesen of Morristown, Arizona, uploaded a video of Tardar Sauce to YouTube to prove her face hadn’t been Photoshopped.
Racking up more millions of views, the legend of Grumpy Cat was officially born.
Bundesen then quit her job as a waitress at Red Lobster to manage Grumpy's career and said the phone 'never stopped ringing' after that.
Grumpy’s first taste of super-stardom came during her participation at the 2013 South by Southwest Interactive festival in Austin, Texas.
Attendees stood in line for hours hoping to take a selfie with her, but even the fanfare wasn’t enough to turn Grumpy’s frown upside down.
Despite her dissatisfied appearance, Bundesen said Grumpy Cat was actually very happy, regularly playing with balls of string or cuddling up to family members on the couch.
Bundesen said that her beloved pet displayed that permanent scowl because she had a form of dwarfism and an underbite.
Her condition also brought with it a number of health complications, including infections, which experts said drastically reduced her lifespan.
The famed feline tragically passed away on May 14, 2019 at the age of seven after suffering complications from a urinary tract infection.
Her loving family took to Instagram to share the sad news, saying: 'Some days are grumpier than others.'
'We are unimaginably heartbroken to announce the loss of our beloved Grumpy Cat,' they continued.
‘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.
‘She passed away 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.
'Her spirit will continue to live on through her fans everywhere.’
The famed feline tragically passed away on May 14, 2019 at the age of seven after suffering complications from a urinary tract infection
Heartbroken fans rushed to pay tribute to the much-loved pet online, with one summing up the feelings of many by writing: 'We are all a bit of you.'
At the time of her death she had 2.4m followers on Instagram, 1.5m followers on Twitter and 8.5m likes on Facebook.
In the two years after her first photograph was posted to Reddit, it's believed Bundesen amassed in excess of $100,000,000 from Grumpy Cat's paid appearances, book deals and modelling shoots - more than Hollywood stars Nicole Kidman, Cameron Diaz and Matthew McConaughey.
