Pochi mesi dopo Grumpy Cat, anche Lil Bub è passata a miglior vita (la seconda delle sette) all’età di otto anni. Per chi non ne fosse a conoscenza, è stata una gatta capace di attrarre a sé milioni di follower su tutte le piattaforme social. A modo suo, un fenomeno della grande Rete, una influencer.

Addio a Lil Bub

A dare l’annuncio della scomparsa il padrone, colui in grado di trasformare (e monetizzare, seppur spesso a fin di bene) gli scatti e i video del felino in un successo virale. Di seguito il post con il quale di fatto Lil Bub si congeda dal suo pubblico. Nata il 21 giugno 2011, ha salutato tutti nella giornata dell’1 dicembre.

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This is my first photo with BUB next our last photo together. On the morning of Sunday, December 1st 2019 we lost 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.. 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. It is impossible to put into words the profound effect that BUB has had on my life, on the lives of thousands of homeless pets, and on the lives of those of you that have cared for her as if she were your own family. She taught me everything that I know about unconditional love, she brought my wife Stacy and I together, she’s the reason we have our beautiful children Rosco and Lula, and she has been a constant source of warmth and love in our lives for the past 8 years. To say that our family is devastated would be an understatement. But most importantly, BUB has made a huge difference in the world of animal welfare, and in the lives of millions of people worldwide. She has literally saved thousands of lives (both pets and humans), she started the first national fund for special needs pets, she was the subject of groundbreaking genetic and biological research, she’s helped raise over $700,000 for animals in need, and has spread a message of determination, positivity, and perseverance to people all over the world. And even though my heart is absolutely crushed by her graceful departure from planet Earth, I know that her sprit, magic, and overwhelming energy are still with us, reminding us every day to be better. Dearest BUB, I will never forget your generosity, your limitless supply of love, or your uncanny ability to bring so much magic and joy to the world. I am forever honored and humbled that you chose me as your caretaker. Please visit all of us in our dreams o

A post shared by Lil BUB (@iamlilbub) on Dec 2, 2019 at 9:25am PST

L’obiettivo di quest’ultimo saluto è anche quello di sottoporre all’attenzione dei seguaci il tema legato agli animali bisognosi di cure: la stessa gatta, affetta da mutazioni genetiche, è stata testimonial di una campagna lanciata da ASPCA in grado di raccogliere oltre 700.000 dollari.

Lil Bub, tra le altre cose al fianco di Snoop Dogg in un remix, deve in parte la propria celebrità al merchandise creato e commercializzato dal suo proprietario Mike Bridavsky: dalle t-shirt alle tazze, fino a libri e calendari.