Marty, the cat which inspired the 8-bit rainbow meme Nyan Cat, passed away Thursday, leaving many heavy hearts in the Internet world.

Nearly 3 years old, the cat was diagnosed with Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), a fatal, incurable disease. Marty's owner, and Nyan Cat creator, Chris Torres adopted Marty in 2010 — along with another cat, Buster, who died of FIP soon afterwards.

Torres tweeted that Marty began acting strange last week, so he immediately took him to the vet.

"Even with the medical treatment he received he still deteriorated quickly. I’ve been force feeding him and keeping him warm for three days," wrote Torres.

Marty heavily influenced a lot of my comics and the creation of Nyan Cat twitter.com/PRguitarman/st… — Chris Torres (@PRguitarman) November 2, 2012



I’m so sorry — Chris Torres (@PRguitarman) November 2, 2012



Nyan Cat celebrated its first birthday in April, and has outlasted the lifespan of most Internet memes. The 8-bit rainbow Pop Tart cat continues to entertain the masses with its adorably infectious song — and will no doubt continue to be played, in Marty's honor, for a long time to come.

Remembering Marty, the Nyan Cat Inspiration

Image used with permission by Chris Torres