Orange fat cat Norm Lopez, the ‘Mayor of Midtown,’ has reportedly died

Norm Lopez, the beloved chubby cat that roamed the streets of midtown Sacramento for the last decade, appears to have died.

In a Twitter thread Thursday, the person behind “the Mayor of Midtown’s” profile thanked everyone who had stopped to give the 26-pound Norm belly rubs around over the years and appeared to acknowledge that his time was coming to an end.

“As I shuffle off this mortal coil, I have a favor to ask. Please be as kind to each other as you have been to me ... to those you don’t know, to those you do. It’s worth it,” Norm wrote. “Okay! Leap feet first into this new decade as I boldly stride into the great beyond. Big love. Forever. Yr. Pal, Norm.”

Norm was known to and loved by his neighbors around 14th and Q streets in Sacramento, but became famous in 2013 when a good Samaritan rushed him to Front Street Animal Shelter, having mistaken his considerable girth for a belly full of kittens.

But Norm, a male cat, was not pregnant, just eating good. His legend spread across the U.S. and into Europe and South America through Internet blog stories; he was in wedding photos and on English indie rock band alt-J’s merchandise. His Facebook page swelled from roughly 500 “likes” to more than 7,200

Midtown resident Tyler Lopez adopted Norm in 2011 but was forced to give him up two years later upon moving to another state for work. Neighbor Nick Brunner then became responsible for the orange-and-white cat, plus his six-toed feral companion Six.

Sacramento’s other mayor, Darrell Steinberg, acknowledged Norm’s death on Twitter as well.

“Friends! At a time of political strife and division, Norm Lopez was a great unifier who brought joy to many in @TheCityofSac,” Steinberg wrote. “He was also #MayorOfMidtown long before me. Rest in peace, Norm. You will be missed.”

This story was originally published December 12, 2019 at 4:13 PM.