CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Lil BUB, one of the most famous cats on the internet, has died.

Lil BUB’s owner Mike Bridavsky, a Lyndhurst native, made the announcement Monday to the feline’s 2.3 million followers on Instagram.

"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," he wrote.

"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."

Bridavsky said Lil Bub battled a "persistent and aggressive bone infection" in her final days.

The kitty first gained fame in 2011 as her unique physical appearance -- smushed face, permanent surprised look and forever youthfulness -- melted hearts on the internet. Her 2013 documentary “Lil BUB & Friends” won best online feature film at the Tribeca Film Festival. The Lil BUB fund, a partnership with the ASPCA which helps homeless pets with special needs, has raised over $700,000 to date.

In 2018, Lil BUB made an appearance in Rocky River, where she met with Paige Johnson, a Willoughby teen and cancer survivor, in a visit arranged by the Cleveland chapter of A Special Wish Foundation.

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