Take a Peek Into the World of Lil Bub, the Internet's Cutest Cat

Lil Bub is running behind. Her pops, Mike Bridavsky, texts me before my interview with the world-famous cat. "Might be a few minutes late Bub hasn't gone No. 2."

I thought to myself, "Well, this is going to be a interesting day in journalism." But of course I would gladly wait patiently for as long as Bub needed. I was eager to get to know more about the runt turned wonder kitten, who has harnessed technology to raise awareness and funds for special needs pets. Her fame reached a high point in August thanks to a cameo appearance in the movie Nine Lives with Kevin Spacey, which opened Aug. 5.

I didn't have to wait long to meet the cat with nearly 3 million Facebook fans, more than 1.3 million Instagram followers, and over 73,000 Twitter followers. In her adorable, mouth-breathing presence, I learned that her social media fandom only scratches the surface (pun intended). Bub has a whole world outside of it that anyone can enjoy. She has her own special on Animal Planet and starred in Vice's 2013 documentary Lil Bub & Friendz. Bub has appeared on TODAY and The View, at cat conventions, and more. The famous cat even has an app that lets you "Bubify" your photos and a video game called HELLO EARTH that takes you back to some seriously old-school gamer action, and she's currently working on a Bub series. And if you really love the cat, you can visit her store, called "Lil Bub's Lil Shop," in her hometown of Bloomington, IN. Oh, and she's a pretty powerful philanthropist, spreading a global message of triumph and acceptance. But we'll get to that.

With her protruding eyes and a tongue that's always sticking out, Bub kind of looks like an alien. She can't meow but she does make garbled noises (you can likely hear it in the podcast below). All of those precious quirks are the result of a number of different issues. Born in 2011, Bub was the runt in a feral litter, and has dealt some health challenges, including osteopetrosis, which is a rare condition that makes her bones actually grow more dense and which can make walking difficult (something she is currently being treated for). She also has a pretty extreme case of dwarfism, which explains her perpetual kitten-like cuteness. She has no teeth, which is why that tongue sticks out (her lower jaw is also short from the dwarfism). Oh, and she's a polydactyl, meaning she has extra toes (four extra, to be exact, for a total of 22). Recently, scientists have studied DNA to further research those conditions.

Those issues and her fame have helped make Bub the poster kitty for special needs pets and for people hungry for a message of positivity and acceptance. As I learned from meeting her, she doesn't let much slow her down! After successfully raising money to help with her own medical conditions, Bub teamed up with the American Society For the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to create her own fundraiser to raise money for other pets with special needs. Between that fundraiser and other charitable projects, this little cat has raised more than $500,000.

Bridavsky refers to her as a "one-in-a-billion creature" who came along at a time when a massive, cat-loving audience could embrace — and support — her "take-me-as-I-am" message through technology. "The internet served as a conduit for her message and for her magic," he said.

She's a fragile cat, but in good hands with Bridavsky, who was clearly her protector while we recorded a recent podcast. Just don't ask to hold her. According to Bridavsky, only Robert De Niro had that honor. Oh, and don't rush her schedule in the mornings. She's a lady, after all. Listen to my podcast to find out more about Lil Bub and her story.