Ika Zaru (2000-2016), The Amazing Maine Coon Cat Who Was Laughing Squid’s Beloved Feline Mascot

It is with great sadness we share the heartbreaking news that Ika Zaru, the amazingly beautiful and wonderful Maine Coon cat who served as the loyal Laughing Squid feline mascot, passed away today due to complications from hypertension, high blood pressure and kidney failure. She was 16 years old.

Ika was born in San Francisco during the summer of 2000 to a feral mother who lived behind Laughing Squid headquarters in Glen Park. After an outdoor company party, the mother took off with all of her kittens, except for one. The one she left was the runt of the litter and was very, very ill. From Ika Zaru’s Catster profile:

We found this tiny little kitty and rushed her to the SPCA who informed us that she might be too sick to save and asked us if they shouldn’t just put her to sleep. We said no and asked them to give it a few more days. They agreed and slowly but surely the little kitten got better. She came very close to losing her right eye, but with diligent application of medication, her eye eventually healed….Despite everything working against this tiny thing, she survived and thrived. She went through an ugly period as a kitten, but now she is a gorgeous long haired Maine Coon/domestic long hair who has turned many a head.

Over the past 16 years, Ika has been featured on Laughing Squid to announce new iPhone features, interactive apps, Lolcat memes, demonstrate how to play an ineffectual game of hide and seek and to show just how beautiful she was, especially with her great big kitty belly.

Rest in peace baby girl. Our world is so much lonelier without you in it. You will always be truly loved and greatly missed.

photos by Scott Beale