This is such heartbreaking news. Bento, the Keyboard Cat has passed away 😿
His humans made this wonderful tribute to Bento and his legacy, including many classic clips; and a sweet story about how he was a source of inspiration for his human companion, Charlie Schmidt.
Bento was actually the second Keyboard Cat. The original, Fatso, also lived with Schmidt but passed away in 1987, long before the age of internet memes. You can read more about the story of Fatso, Bento, and Schmidt at the Keyboard Cat Wikipedia page. Like my cats, Bento was a shelter cat and became a public face for the Shelter Pet Project. We saw him featured in billboards and bus stops here in San Francisco.
Keyboard Cat has always been a favorite of mine – how could it not, given the combination of interests. We always had fun with the early “play him/her off” videos, and it became a frequent tag-line of mine to say “You have been played off by the Keyboard Cat”, especially when someone loses a political election. I wish we had been able to cross paths in person.
We at CatSynth extend our sympathies to Charlie Schmidt and the rest of Bento’s family. Rest in peace, Keyboard Cat, you have been played off. 💕
