{"id":27799,"date":"2025-10-29T00:37:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T00:37:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/27799\/"},"modified":"2025-10-29T00:37:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T00:37:11","slug":"waymo-robotaxi-kills-one-of-a-kind-bodega-cat-owner-claims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/27799\/","title":{"rendered":"Waymo robotaxi kills \u2018one-of-a-kind\u2019 bodega cat, owner claims"},"content":{"rendered":"

A cat known as the \u201cmayor of 16th Street\u201d was allegedly run over by a Waymo autonomous vehicle, according to the cat\u2019s owner, sparking grief around the Mission Dolores bodega where he roamed.<\/p>\n

KitKat, a feline fixture at Randa\u2019s Market, was struck by the robotaxi around 11:30 p.m. Monday, said the shop\u2019s owner, Mike Zeidan. The cat was last seen on the sidewalk next to a transit lane, according to an anonymous complaint filed with the city\u2019s 311 system.<\/p>\n

The complaint alleged that the driverless car had made a stop near the market. The free-range KitKat was found underneath the vehicle, according to Zeidan. The cat was pronounced dead after being taken to an animal hospital by a store employee.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, man, it\u2019s difficult. He was a one-of-a-kind cat. He brought joy to so many people,\u201d Zeidan said of the 9-year-old cat. \u201cPeople loved him.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 311 complaint filed early Tuesday claimed that the Waymo did not slow down, swerve, or attempt to avoid the cat. \u201cWaymo\u2019s [sic] should not be on the street if they can\u2019t spot small animals in the dark,\u201d the complaint stated.<\/p>\n

\"AKitKat, a beloved bodega cat who greeted visitors to Randa\u2019s Market on 16th Street and regularly visited neighboring businesses, died Tuesday. | Source: Courtesy Mike Zeidan<\/p>\n

The death of KitKat prompted an outpouring of grief on Instagram (opens in new tab)<\/a>, with dozens of customers and neighbors sharing memories of encountering him prowling the block. One commenter called him \u201cthe best pit stop on my walk to work every morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

KitKat arrived at the market six years ago as a solution to a persistent rodent problem, Zeidan said. The cat had been a stray until he was fed and cared for by a neighbor. KitKat came to reside in the store because the neighbor had a family member who was allergic to cats.<\/p>\n

What began as a practical arrangement quickly became something deeper. KitKat\u2019s image appeared prominently on the store\u2019s Yelp page and was featured regularly on its Instagram account.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was a special guest,\u201d Zeidan said. \u201cMade for a store like this. Friendly with everybody, and not afraid of dogs or anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AA September 2023 picture originally posted to Instagram captures KitKat outside Randa\u2019s Market on 16th Street. | Source: Courtesy Mike Zeidan<\/p>\n

By Tuesday afternoon, flowers and candles appeared outside Randa\u2019s Market as neighbors paid their respects to the cat they called the \u201cMayor of 16th Street.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the neighboring Roxie Theater, Rick Norris said staff members were grieving the loss.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly Mike at Randa\u2019s, the most righteous merchant on the 16th\/Valencia corridor, could have found and raised such an award-winning, neighborhood-loved critter as cool as our kitty, KitKat,\u201d Norris said Tuesday in an email offering condolences. \u201cThose two were perfectly paired, and we mourn his (our) loss of a creature that absolutely elevated the quality of life in our corner of the Mission.\u201d<\/p>\n

Margarita Lara, who lives nearby and works at the bar Delirium, pointed to a donation jar to cover costs for flowers. \u201cBy tomorrow, there\u2019ll be a full-on altar, and as Day of the Dead comes, it\u2019ll grow and grow,\u201d she said. \u201cSixteenth Street will not be the same. As I walked from near Mission Street to here with the candles and the flowers this morning, everyone knew who it was for. Everyone bowed their heads with KitKat.\u201d<\/p>\n