Lil Bub in 2012. Photo by Lynae Sowinski

Update: On March 15, Mike and Stacy Bridavsky, the family of Lil Bub, will host a memorial event in her honor at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. The event will be streamed live on Facebook and will serve as a fundraiser for Lil Bub’s Big Fund, along with other animal welfare organizations.

Lil Bub, Bloomington’s most famous feline, has died at age 8.

Her unexpected death on Sunday, December 1, was the result of a bone infection. According to her human, Mike Bridavsky, she passed peacefully in her sleep.

The news of Bub’s death came as a shock to the more than 1 million social media fans who have followed her journey since her rise to fame in 2011. The staff at Bloom Magazine is no exception.

Bub, who had feline dwarfism, was born with several abnormalities, including extra toes, unusually small limbs, and no teeth. While some would see these abnormalities as a hardship, Bub used her uniqueness to inspire, charm, and advocate.

In 2012, Bub visited the Bloom office to chat with us about her life in the spotlight.

Read our 2012 interview with Bub here.