‘Folks on the Sidewalk Started Yelling’: Adored San Francisco Bodega Cat Killed By Waymo
“Kill a Waymo! Save a cat!”
Residents of San Francisco’s Mission district are blaming Waymo for the death of a local celebrity: KitKat, a 9-year-old bodega cat. The cherished feline “was found dying in the street” the night of Monday, Oct. 27.
San Francisco outlet Mission Local first reported the story. According to the Mission Local report, a driver named Jeff Klein told the outlet he was in his car just before midnight when the Waymo “swerved” in front of him. After the car went past, he says he noticed a commotion on the street and folks “grabbed the cat right out from under where the Waymo swerved from.” Klein said he took a photo of the Waymo before it drove away.
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Bartender Sheau-Wha Mau said she found KitKat outside after the accident. He was alive, but blood was coming out of his mouth and he had a broken leg. Mau secured a ride to take the cat to an always-open veterinary clinic, but doctors weren’t able to save him. Mike Zeidan, owner of Randa’s Market, KitKat’s stomping grounds, arrived five minutes after the animal’s passing and told Mission Local he was too hurt to discuss his pet’s accident.
The Mission Local report said a 311 call was made shortly after midnight that blamed the Waymo for hitting the local “liquor store’s cat that was sitting in the sidewalk next to the transit lane.”
KitKat’s Memorial
A bartender from Delirium, located in the Mission District, mourned the loss of KitKat, calling him “the sweetest boy.” Mission Local wrote that he was always a welcome presence for those “starting or ending their nights at the bars near 16th and Valencia streets.”
Frequent patrons of Randa’s Market offered condolences to Zeidan, and a small memorial was set up on the sidewalk. An altar of milk crates adorned with flowers, pictures of KitKat, and lit candles were placed in his honor, as were KitKat chocolate bars, small bottles of tequila, ceramic cat figurines, and other keepsakes.
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In a photo posted by Mission Local, a card is seen resting near a candle and can of cat food. It displays a bold statement: “Kill a Waymo! Save a cat!” Moreover, the outlet reported that a passerby could be heard saying near KitKat’s shrine: “Kitty cats, not killer cars!”
Waymo Confirms KitKat’s Death
Newsweek reached out to Waymo, which is owned by Google, regarding the incident. A rep from the company stated that they had reviewed what happened and their findings corroborated eyewitness testimony. “While our vehicle was stopped to pick up passengers, a nearby cat darted under our vehicle as it was pulling away.”
Waymo told Newsweek that “The trust and the safety of the communities we serve is our highest priority.”
Waymo sent condolences towards Zeidan in an email message shared by Newsweek: “We send our deepest sympathies to the cat’s owner and the community who knew and loved him, and we will be making a donation to a local animal rights organization in his honor.”
Other Incidents
This is not the first time a Waymo vehicle was reportedly responsible for an animal’s death in San Francisco. In June 2023, Jalopnik reported that a Jaguar I-Pace outfitted with Waymo's autonomous driving technology ran over a dog that had run into the street. Jalopnik wrote that the accident occurred despite a safety officer on board and Waymo's onboard system accurately assessing that there was a dog in the road.
TechCrunch published a statement from Waymo, which commented on the dog’s death. “Initial review confirmed that the system correctly identified the dog which ran out from behind a parked vehicle,” Waymo wrote. However, due to the sudden nature of the dog’s appearance on the road, the autonomous vehicle “was not able to avoid contact.”
Like KitKat, Waymo offered “condolences” to the dog’s owner and stressed that “trust and safety of the communities” were its top priority.
InsideEVs has reached out to Waymo via email and Randa’s Market via Instagram direct message for further comment.
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