No cat could ever truly replace Tard/Tardar Sauce, the original Grumpy Cat.

But when she passed away in 2019, the world was eager to find a cat even half as grumpy to amuse them. Enter Meow Meow, a cat originally from Taiwan.

It should be noted that neither Tartar Sauce nor Meow Meow have no real grumps about them – they bear the nickname simply because their facial features make it look like they’re always frowning or scowling.

While Tarder Sauce’s unique look was due to feline dwarfism and the misalignment her teeth, Meow Meow’s “scowl” is due to her Batman-style face “mask.”

Of course, Meow Meow has her grumpy moments – and while her owner calls her “graceful,” she is still a cat and therefore fairly judgemental of humans, especially veterinarians. It’s just that she expresses her disgust with great class.

She apparently prefers not to go by the nickname “Grumpy Cat,” which we can respect. Meow Meow also has quite a different story.

At 10 years old, Meow Meow was actually born before the original Grumpy Cat. A young woman named Clare found her abandoned in an old pet shop by her original owner when she was just 10 months old. It’s possible that they simply didn’t want to treat her hyperthyroidism.

In fact, her current owner had to mortgage her home to fly Meow Meow to America when she needed specialized radioactive iodine therapy!

She looks grateful:

When her original vet told Clare that the cat might live up to two years with medication, the loving cat mom looked into other options.

“I couldn’t accept that—we had lived together for very long and she was like my child. The doctor then explained to me the only way we could save her life was to go to America, but it would expensive,” she told Newsweek.

The treatment took place at the Oregon Veterinary Specialty Hospital.

“I took a mortgage loan on my house and quit my job,” Clare said. “I found a place to rent in Portland, Oregon, and took the bus every day to visit her in the hospital while she was in quarantine until she could come home to our place in Portland.”

And it turned out to be the right decision – Meow Meow is now healthy and no longer needs medication. The duo is still in Portland.

These days, she’s doing well and her Instagram account, which only started in January 2020, already has over 16,000 followers!

Meow Meow’s only real complaint is Mondays. Join the club, kitty cat!

While the feline might look even more fur-ious than Grumpy Cat, it’s really not a contest. There’s more than enough room for two icons in cat internet history – and in our hearts.

In fact, the elder grump even seems to be a fan of the late pop culture sensation. At least, we think. It’s hard to tell.

Aside from her facial markings and newfound celebrity, Meow Meow is just like any other cat – stabby and picky. Her owner told Bored Panda:

“She massages me using her paws to wake me up every single day.”

Cat owners know the feeling!

If Clare doesn’t get out of bed, the nibbling begins so Meow Meow can have her breakfast.

“After the meal, she washes herself and jumps onto one of her favorite places near the windows to watch the birds. Sometimes she even draws the curtains all by herself just to sit down and get a better look.”

As for food:

“She’s tried nearly everything but she only likes that one.”

Of course she does.

And Meow Meow realizes she’s royalty, as does nearly everyone around her.

“Even when I take a picture of her and she looks at me, I find her very gentle. I even dressed her like a princess once, but my friends saw her and told me she looked more like a queen,” Clare said.

Frankly, it doesn’t look like she likes to be dressed up as anything at all.

Be sure to follow the adventures of Meow Meow on her Instagram page by clicking here.

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Source: Bored Panda, Cat Reporter, Meow Meow via Instagram, Newsweek