Lil Bub
A tiny cat with a permanent kitten face and a huge heart, she became an internet ambassador for special needs pets and raised over $700,000 for animal charities.
2011–2019 (age 8)·Internet celebrity cat·Birthday: June 21·Generation Z
Biography
Lil Bub was a genetic anomaly, a 'perma-kitten' born with several rare conditions including osteopetrosis, which gave her a unique appearance: an extra-toed tongue that always stuck out, dwarfism, and no teeth. Discovered in a tool shed in rural Indiana, she was adopted by Mike Bridavsky, who began sharing her photos online. Her otherworldly cuteness and apparent happiness, despite her challenges, sparked a global phenomenon. Bub transcended meme status, using her platform to champion animal welfare, funding veterinary care for other pets in need and supporting shelters. Her story was captured in a documentary that won a Tribeca Film Festival award, cementing her legacy as more than a viral sensation but as a force for good who changed perceptions about differently-abled animals.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Lil was born in 2011, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lil Was Born
The biggest hits of 2011
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Best Picture
The Artist
#1 TV Show
American Idol
Lil's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2011Born
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2016Started school
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Died at 8
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Starred in the documentary 'Lil Bub & Friendz,' which won the Tribeca Online Festival Best Feature Film in 2013.
- Raised over $700,000 for animal charities through merchandise, partnerships, and a dedicated fundraising site.
- Authored the New York Times best-selling book 'Lil Bub's Lil Book: The Extraordinary Life of the Most Amazing Cat on the Planet.'
- Had her own talk show, 'Lil Bub's Big Show,' which featured guests like Whoopi Goldberg and Steve Albini.
Did You Know?
She was the first cat to host a Reddit 'Ask Me Anything' session, which crashed the site due to traffic.
Astronaut Butch Wilmore took a plush toy of her on a mission to the International Space Station in 2014.
Her genome was fully sequenced by scientists seeking to understand her unique genetic conditions.
She was named the Official Spokescat for the ASPCA in 2014.
“I am not a cat. I am BUB.”
