Waymo killed KitKat. California neighborhood mourns corner-store cat
San Francisco is mourning the death of KitKat, a beloved convenience store cat who died after being hit by a Waymo robotaxi last week.
KitKat adorned the counters at Randa’s Market on 16th Street, near the historic Roxie Theater in the Mission District. KitKat was first introduced on the store’s Instagram page six years ago, quickly winning the hearts of customers. He wasn’t a snarling or suspicious cat – he could be seen playing with the drawstrings of someone’s hoodie; dozing in front of shelves filled with bottles of alcohol; inside a cardboard box marked with his name; greet the neighborhood dogs; even dressing up as Santa Claus.
He rose to fame during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only was it posted on the @bodegacatsofinstagram account (which now has over 500,000 followers), but it also got a mention in a story about the stores’ beloved cats. “The atmosphere in the store definitely changed after KitKat came,” Daniel Zeidan, the son of the store owner, told SFGate. Not only has he received treats from customers, but also “someone recently brought him a blanket to keep him warm in the winter.”
Most recently, he was caught sleeping on his own heating pad.
He even made appearances at the nearby bar, Dalva, where his arrival made him feel like “the president had arrived, making his rounds, shaking hands and charming everyone,” one grieving commenter said on Instagram.
But he was fatally injured around 11:40 p.m. on October 27, just outside the market, Mission Local reported. Two witnesses, speaking anonymously, told the outlet that they had just left Dalva and saw KitKat sitting in front of a stationary autonomous Waymo for about seven seconds. Then the cat went under the vehicle, heading toward the sidewalk, as the car drove away. The right rear tire rolled on KitKat, the website says.
“It was a horrible sight,” one of the witnesses told Mission Local.
Another person passing by saw the Waymo swerve and told Mission Local he thought the robotaxi was going faster than he would expect a human to drive on a busy street. “I killed the neighborhood baby,” said a comment on the city’s 311 website shortly after the collision.
A bartender from another nearby bar, Delirium, transported KitKat to a veterinary hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to Mission Local.
The cat was 9 years old, the San Francisco Standard reported.
“We are heartbroken,” Randa’s Market said on Instagram. “He brought warmth, smiles and comfort to everyone who came through our doors… The store wouldn’t be the same without his little paws. »
KitKat was a beloved presence along 16th Street in San Francisco.
(Randa Market)
One mourner, responding to the post, called KitKat “the best city bodega cat anyone could ask for. Her little pet requests meant a lot to some of us passing through, whether we missed our own pet or just wanted to share some love with a neighbor.”
In a statement, Waymo said: “We looked into this, and while our vehicle was stopped to pick up passengers, a nearby cat ran under our vehicle as it drove away.
“We send our deepest condolences to the cat’s owner and the community that knew and loved him, and we will make a donation to a local animal rights organization in his honor,” the statement said. “The trust and safety of the communities we serve are our top priority. »
A Waymo once had an altercation with a pet. In 2023, media reported that a Waymo struck and killed a small dog off-leash in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco; in this case, a test driver was in the vehicle, but the car was in autonomous driving mode.
In a close call, a Waymo narrowly avoided running over a runaway dog in Santa Monica in May. Trevor, an 8-year-old Labrador mix, escaped from his owner’s yard and ran into the street in front of a Waymo, which braked suddenly, KCAL-TV reported. The station broadcast video of the near-collision. The dog was not injured and its owner praised the speed of action of the car.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has received reports of 884 collisions involving autonomous vehicles dating back to 2014.
A Waymo robotaxi in downtown Los Angeles in September.
(Gary Coronado/For Time)
Waymo, owned by Google parent company Alphabet, has expanded its presence across California. The robo-taxis – electric Jaguar I-Paces – do not use a human driver and can be hailed on an app in San Francisco and part of northern San Mateo County, including Daly City, San Bruno and Burlingame. They are also available in parts of Silicon Valley and surrounding areas, including Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, and Menlo Park.
In Los Angeles County, Waymos can be hailed in part of Central Los Angeles, South Los Angeles and the Westside, including Downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Inglewood.
Self-driving cars are also available in Phoenix.
