Grumpy Cat 'Tardar Sauce' Makes Her Today Show Debut

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Tardar Sauce aka Grumpy Cat made her way from Arizona to 30 Rock this weekend, to appear on The Today Show. The 8-month-old cat, who became an internet celebrity after photos of her emerged on Reddit in September, was accompanied by her family, Bryan, Tabatha, and Krystal Bundesen.

Earlier this month, Bryan, who is the brother of Grumpy Cat's owner, Tabatha, gave an interview with The Marion Star where he talked about the unusual looking cat's sudden rise to fame, and addressed the origins of her controversial name (Tardar Sauce = Tard for short). He explained that Grumpy Cat had speckled fur as a kitten, and that Tabatha’s daughter thought the cat looked like tartar sauce (which she wrote down as “Tardar Sauce”), and it stuck.

The cause of Grumpy's unique looks are still unknown. A vet's visit in October revealed that her shape and size could be genetic or neurological, but the family has refrained from any further testing since she is currently in good health.



The Bundesen's have reportedly sold over 17,000 Grumpy Cat holiday cards this year through the Grumpy Cat online store, where they also offer mugs, t-shirts, and magnets, with part of the proceeds going to animal rescues such as Sun Cities 4 Paws in Arizona and Second Chance Animal in Washington. 

Grumpy has a popular Facebook page, Twitter account, and website (grumpycats.com), where she shares daily pictures and updates, that sometimes include her equally adorable brother, Pokey. She has the same manager as Keyboard Cat and Nyan Cat, and has also inspired a slew of fan artwork, and even a grumpy cattoo.


Grumpy and Pokey

"I posted the first picture and it went wild. People loved her," says Bryan says in The Today Show clip. "We think it's because she looks so grumpy that you can't help but be happy when you look at her. She is like a stress reliever for everybody. I have received so many messages from people saying she makes them feel so happy."

But, is the internet's most notorious sourpuss really as grumpy as she looks in real life? "Not at all," says her family, who insist that the tiny cat is "super happy, docile and loves to be held and petted."  

Via Today and The Marion Star

Grumpy Cat 'Tardar Sauce' Makes Her Today Show Debut