How much willpower can a tiny soul carry? The internet’s little Tator Tot was a testament that life, even in the smallest form, is so precious, and the will to keep going is stronger than any force.
The short but inspirational journey of a rescue cat has engulfed the internet as the netizens unite to pay their respects to the kitten. Tator Tot was rescued by a volunteer of a nonprofit animal-rescue shelter called Kitty CrusAIDe in Utah. Their TikTok account @kittycrusaide started sharing updates on the one-day-old kitten suffering from various health issues.
The first major issue arose because of a cleft palate which made it difficult for the tiny body to eat and drink, and it had to be fed through a tube. Meanwhile, the kitten’s all four legs were malformed at birth.
Tator Tot was then fostered by Ash Houghton. She put a mismatched cast on the kitten’s paws, and the internet collectively lost its chill over how adorable Tator Tot is and must be protected at all costs.
Even after such health complications, the little kitten exuded sunshine of energy, making millions of us smile through our tough days.
Like a proud mom, Houghton explains why Tator Tot’s story has become so popular in an interview with Newsweek: “The world just loves an underdog, and this little guy has a lot of things working against him. A lot of people have said his fight and zest for life are really inspiring, and I know he has been a tiny inspiration for me.”
But the kitten has now succumbed to illnesses on August 2, confirmed to have died by his mom Ash Houghton.
Is the Tater Tot Cat Dead?
Ash Houghton posted the latest update on the kitten’s health, stating that poor Tator Tot has caught pneumonia, and they have started a protocol treatment for the same. She also mentioned that the kitten was too young, fragile, and low on energy to run any further tests.
She posted a heartwarming final message about her son on the Facebook group called “Tater Tot and His Spudbuds.”
“Today, our tiny spud passed away suddenly in my hands,”
“His energy had been slowly decreasing over the last week or so, and we were hoping it was an illness that antibiotics could treat. He also started showing signs of pneumonia a few days ago, and I had started pneumonia protocol with meds and a nebulizer.”
“One moment he was walking around and the next he was gone,” she wrote.
“This tiny little potato has had such a profound impact on my heart, and I am so unbelievably happy I got to share him with the entire world.”
She further expresses her surprise at how more than 44000 people follow this group to see her little Tot’s daily antics. Houghton thanks everyone who supported Tator Tot throughout its journey. She writes–
“We never anticipated we would build a whole community — but my goodness, I am glad we did.”
“I hope that his resilience during this short time here continues to inspire people.”
“What started as me sharing some photos of the goofy new foster I had turned into an entire community focused on kindness, humor, and compassion.”
Tator Tot, the cat, has unfortunately died after a series of complications.
The Internet Mourns The Death of Tator Tot
Netizens purred in ….err… poured in their deepest condolences and paid homages to the little ball of sunshine who passed away on August 2.
People are commenting on how the world lost a precious soul–
“Tater Tot the cat is the last straw I’m done with the internet forever. Rip tater tot.”
“Very upsetting that the tiny kitten named Tater Tot passed away but also very upsetting to me because my own cat is named Tater Tot, and this is making me very sad!”
“I literally loved this cat with all my heart, I hope Tater Tot is making biscuits in heaven with those green and pink paws.”
“Never thought I’d be crying my heart out over a cat named Tater Tot but here we fucking are!”
“I cried because of Tater Tot. As someone full of testosterone, I very rarely genuinely feel strong enough to cry (3 times per decade), but that little cat got me good, I wish I could feel emotions more like a normal person.”
What are your thoughts on the adorable kitten? Did the little cat inspire you to keep going when the going gets tough? Let us know in the comments section below.
