RIP Bento, the Keyboard Cat

Bento — the second cat to take on the mantle of the Internet’s needed keyboard cat — has passed away at the age of 8.

The Internet’s changed so much since 2007, but some videos we can barely forget. Keyboard Cat is chief amongst them. Keyboard cat represented everything that made the Internet incredible and absurd in the aughts. Why was a cat who played a synth keyboard funny? Who can tell, but it absolutely was! And, when paired with someone failing, it made the work all the more glorious.

What many don’t know is this video was originally from a VHS from the 1980’s starring a cat named Fatso. Fatso passed on in 1989, but Fatso’s owner, Charlie Schmidt, uploaded the video to YouTube and saw the demand for more keyboard cat.

Schmidt went to an animal shelter and there he adopted Bento, the second keyboard cat, and spokesman for all keyboard cat related duties. This included media appearances, more videos, a pistachio commercial, and a successful ad campaign to inspire more people to adopt shelter pets (after all, Bento was adopted from a shelter).

Bento’s owner, Charlie Schmidt, created a very heartfelt tribute to his beloved cat. Watch it below.

What’s your favorite keyboard cat memory? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter at @WhatsTrending.