Meet BenBen, the “saddest cat on the internet!” His face may look naturally sad, and his life might have been rough before he was adopted, but now he’s as happy as can be and is even a cat celebrity.
BenBen the cat has been a social media celebrity since 2016. Ever since he was a kitten, he has been inspiring people with his cuteness and his miraculous story.
BenBen’s story
In 2016, when BenBen was only 6 months old, he was rescued from the streets and taken to an emergency animal hospital. He was in bad shape.
He had seriously infected wounds from being attacked by a bigger animal. His ear was deformed and crumpled from scratching at ear mites. He also had spinal injuries that made it so he couldn’t turn his head or walk normally.
He wasn’t eating or drinking, and the people at the animal hospital said it looked like he had given up. They also decided that he would probably never walk again. According to his current owners, he was “deemed ‘unadoptable’ and scheduled to be put down.”
Everything seemed hopeless for this poor young kitty, but then his humans rushed in and adopted him before he could be put down.
They were determined to care for BenBen, and they learned that he was also determined to get better. He started trying to walk early on, although at first he was very weak and could only shuffle around a little before needing to rest again.
But his owners could see that he was trying, and they were hopeful. They helped him get stronger, practicing day after day. Over time, BenBen got much better at walking, and he even started playing and exploring the house. Soon, he could walk for longer distances, jump, and even climb the stairs. He had proved the doctors wrong.
BenBen the celebrity cat
Years later, he’s a social media star. His fans love his enthusiasm for life, his cute sad-looking face, and his adorable personality. He is a chonky cat who loves food, especially cheese. When he was younger, he liked to stare at his reflection in the microwave for hours on end, but now he just likes watching TV.
He still has a crumpled ear and walks a little funny, but that is all just part of his charm and a reminder of how much of a fighter he is.
BenBen is such a big celebrity that he attended meowfest 2022 in August, a huge event held in Vancouver to celebrate cats. BenBen went as part of a panel of celebrity cats, along with other famous cats from social media. There, he could meet his fans in person, and they could express how much they loved him.
Although BenBen is the “saddest cat on the internet,” he is living as happily as can be. And although he had a rough start, and people doubted that he would make it, he proved everyone wrong and became the beloved cat celebrity that he is today.