The internet has lost another favorite pet.
Kabosu, the Shiba Inu pup whose picture inspired the Doge meme and eventually became the face of the Dogecoin cryptocurrency, passed away Friday at the age of 18, following a two-year battle with leukemia and liver disease. Kabosu’s owner broke the news in a blog post.
With the possible exception of Grumpy Cat (who passed away in May 2019), Kabosu was one of the most well-known animals of the online world. She made her debut in December 2013, and for more than a decade her picture has been a go-to meme for online posters.
“Outside the window, the birds were singing on a beautiful morning. As I stroked her, as if she were sleeping, she passed away quietly,” wrote Atsuko Sato, the daycare worker who parented Kabosu.
Kabosu made her way to Sato when a breeder went out of business. Kabosu, along with 19 other Shiba Inu dogs, was brought to an animal protection center. Many of those animals were euthanized, but a rescue group took Kabosu and put her up for adoption. Sato welcomed her into the family in November 2008.
She ate her normal dinner of rice and plenty of water last night, Sato wrote, then “fell into a deep sleep” Friday morning at 7:50 a.m. Local time.
Kabosu had a legion of online fans, perhaps none more famous than Elon Musk, whose posting of Doge-related memes sent Dogecoin on its 2021 rocket ride. It gained 570% in one week and nearly reached the $1 mark, before Musk squashed that enthusiasm by joking about it on Saturday Night Live.
Some fans paid their respect online.
Kabosu Mama, the shiba who launched a billion memes, is no more. RIP Doge. You were the greatest. Https://t.co/6RAZNVTwMb
— AR Hemant (@arhemant) May 24, 2024
Doge Forever 🖤 pic.twitter.com/8MKf7K23D3
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) May 24, 2024
Dogecoin was trading slightly higher on Friday, up 2% to just over 16 cents.