ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Some days are grumpier than others. So read a tweet this morning announcing the passing of Grumpy Cat. The famous feline with a perma-frown underbite took the Internet by storm in 2012.
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
Actually named Tardar Sauce, the cat became a sensation after her scowling face was posted online.
SHAPIRO: Her grouchy look was perfect for a meme, and soon she was everywhere, with bold text framing her frown. For example, quote, "I purred once. It was awful."
CORNISH: A little bird told me it's your birthday. So I ate it.
SHAPIRO: And the classic - a simple, all caps, nope.
CORNISH: Within a year, Grumpy Cat was the spokes-cat for Friskies cat food, had a bestselling book and was named meme of the year at the Webby Awards.
(SOUNDBITE OF 2017 WEBBY AWARDS)
PATTON OSWALT: The winner, by a landslide, was - aw, Grumpy Cat. Grumpy Cat.
SHAPIRO: (Laughter) She went on to star in a Lifetime movie.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED NARRATOR: "Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever."
SHAPIRO: And President Obama even compared her to Republican lawmakers at the time.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
BARACK OBAMA: They're gloomy.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: They're like Grumpy Cat.
(LAUGHTER)
CORNISH: Grumpy Cat's family guessed her look was due to feline dwarfism and insisted she lived a normal, happy kitty life outside the spotlight.
SHAPIRO: She died from complications of a urinary tract infection. Grumpy Cat was 7. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.