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• A young kitten who went viral last month has sadly died, said the rescue center that had been rehabilitating him.
• In his short life, Tater Tot amassed a huge online fanbase that cheered him on and called him an inspiration.
• Fans have since shared heartfelt posts and videos to pay tribute. 

People across social media are mourning Tater Tot, an adorable tiny kitten whose story of battling numerous health issues became both online fascination and inspiration last month.

The cat's death was announced by the co-director of the rescue center Kitty CruisAIDe in the Facebook group for fans (called "Tater Tots and His Spudbuds") which grew to over 50,000 members.

@kittycrusaide Tater Tot's origin story -- featuring BeBe the Newfie #tatertot#tatertok#originstory#tatertotoriginstory#spudbud#bonkers#grompycat#TTbonkers#rescuekitten#specialneedskitten#specialneeds#specialneedscat#utahfosterpets#fosterpetsoftiktok#kittycrusaide#TT#KCtatertot#fyp#foryou#foryoupage#tatertotcat#kitten#catsoftiktok#kittensoftiktok#cat#cathair#orangetabby#longhairtabby#longhaircat#orangetabbykitten#cleftpalate#cleftpalatekitten#whydoestatertothavebonkers#twistykitten#newfoundlanddog#newfoundlanddogsoftiktok♬ Stories 2 - Danilo Stankovic

The rescue center, which is based in Salt Lake City, began documenting Tater Tot's life on Facebook and TikTok in early July. An origin story video said the kitten was found by a caretaker's dog, who asked the rescue center for help. Tater Tot was found with all four of his legs deformed and a cleft jaw, which meant he had trouble latching on to things and had to be tube-fed.

Despite his medical problems, the rescue center said it was committed to helping him recover so he could eventually be adopted into a forever home.

Millions of viewers watched in admiration as the rescue center equipped Tater Tot with teeny tiny splints to support his legs. On July 19, the center then filmed them being removed when they decided that the kitten was able to move more autonomously.

"Tater Tot is a symbol for courage and strength," one person wrote on that video. "We will go to war for Tater Tot."

@kittycrusaide Tater Tot breaks free from his bonkers! #tatertot#spudbud#bonkers#grompycat#TTbonkers#rescuekitten#specialneedskitten#specialneeds#specialneedscat#utahfosterpets#fosterpetsoftiktok#kittycrusaide#TT#KCtatertot#fyp#foryou#foryoupage#tatertotcat#kitten#catsoftiktok#kittensoftiktok#cat#breakfree#breakfreemoment#hair#cathair#orangetabby#longhairtabby#longhaircat#orangetabbykitten#tatertotshair#lookatmyhair♬ I Want To Break Free - Remastered 2011 - Queen

Sadly, Tater Tot's health worsened drastically over the last week and he began to show signs of pneumonia, the co-director Ash Houghton wrote in the Facebook post. He died on Wednesday.

"I brought up the possibility of a heart condition with our vet, but Tater Tot was too small to have any tests run on him yet," Houghton wrote. "With how sudden his passing was today, I truly think he had an enlarged heart and it just couldn't keep up with him. One moment he was walking around and the next he was gone."

Houghton wrote that they tube-fed Tater Tot for six and a half weeks, and said the bond they formed with the internet-famous kitten was like with no other foster animal before.

"Thank you for being a part of Tater Tot's journey, and for having such a profound impact on me and our rescue," Haughton wrote at the end of the letter. "We never anticipated we would build a whole community, but my goodness, I am glad we did."

In the aftermath of Tater Tot's death, fans have been quick to post heartfelt video tributes, fan art, and emotional messages calling him a personal inspiration in their lives.

@mistermotheroffical#tatertotcat#riptatortot♬ original sound - TimonMeerKat20

Multiple TikTok users have drawn hundreds of thousands of views from filming themselves reacting to the news in tears. One TikToker said she immediately "lost her mind" when she heard the news and was going to sit on the floor with her own cats for the next three hours to make herself feel better. 

On Twitter, users have been sharing adorable sketch renderings in his memory. 

Other users have made video montages featuring their favorite snapshots of Tater Tot looking cute (or scowling, which is the facial expression he was known for). The comments across social media posts about the beloved feline have been incredibly sorrowful and sweet. 

"WHY DID THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN HE WAS PUSHING THROUGH," one top commenter wrote in response to a Tater Tot photo collage.

"There is a tater tot shaped hole in my heart," another commenter wrote.

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