Tears as 'Tater Tot' the kitten born with malformed limbs dies suddenly (2024)

Tater Tot, the brave kitten who captured the hearts of animal lovers across the internet, has sadly died.

The adorable young cat came to the attention of feline fans after her foster carer, Ash Houghton, began sharing stories detailing his incredible recovery to social media.

Tater Tot was found by a volunteer from Kitty CrusAIDe, a small nonprofit animal-rescue organization in Utah, with a raft of health issues. A cleft palate made eating and drinking difficult, while all four of his legs were malformed.

The ASPCA estimates as many as 3.2 million cats enter animal shelters in the U.S. every year. But few, if any, were quite like Tater Tot and the internet knew it.

Houghton quickly found that Tater Tot's progress was being keenly followed through the pictures and updates she posted on her Instagram account, ourfosterbabes.

Pictures and videos of Tater Tot soon spread to other social media platforms, including Twitter, where he became something of a fixture in the pet loving community.

Asked to comment on the young kitten's popularity, Houghton told 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."

Houghton and the volunteers at Kitty CrusAIDe had been working with an orthopedic specialist to get Tater Tot's legs fixed. His two front legs were in splints, and the plan was to wait a few more months for the bones in his back legs to develop further before deciding on the next steps.

However, in a statement posted to her Instagram, Houghton announced that Tater Tot had died.

"Today, our tiny spud, passed away suddenly in my hands," she wrote. "His energy has been slowly decreasing over the last week or so, and with how sudden his passing was today, I truly think he had an enlarged heart and it couldn't keep up with him. One moment he was walking around and the next he was gone."

Houghton continued: "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. 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. I am astounded at the reach Tater Tot's story had, and I cannot express to you just how incredible it has been to see how he has impacted the world."

She said that she hoped Tater Tot's "resilience during his short time here continues to inspire people."

"He was dealt a really tough hand with multiple health concerns, but he didn't let that slow him down," she added. "He showed us that even if we have some struggles, there is always something to fight toward."

Houghton thanked Tater Tot's fans all around the world for their "beautiful" support. "My heart is shattered," she wrote. "This tiny tot was such a joy to care for, even on the days it was hard as hell. I definitely bonded with this guy in a way I've never bonded with a foster before. He has left his paw prints on my heart, and I hope he left some tiny ones on yours."

She finished by urging his fans to donate to their local shelter in the hopes of helping other cats and animals like Tater Tot.

Fans on Instagram were quick to praise the efforts of all those who helped the kitten during his brief life. "He only knew love and kindness in his short time here," one wrote. "Thank you for sharing him with us." A second concurred: "Thank you for giving him a safe place in the world, thank you for showing him what love is and thank you for sharing his journey with us."

On Twitter, the term "Tater Tot" began to trend with more than 70,000 tweets posted paying respects to the kitten. Fans shared their favorite videos and pictures of the tiny cat along with original artwork.

"Rest easy tater tot," one user tweeted ."He will be missed dearly and sending love to his mum who took care of him so lovingly." A second, meanwhile, commented: "Rest in peace Tater Tot. Your short little life brought so much joy to so many people with all the memes and the whimsical silliness."

Newsweek has contacted Houghton for comment.

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