Grumpy Cat may not be scowling anymore! The internet sensation’s owner, Tabatha Bundesen, was awarded $710,000 in a copyright infringement lawsuit on Monday, January 22.
The BBC reports that an eight-member jury in California federal court voted in favor of Grumpy Cat Limited, which was suing Grenade Beverage for exceeding an agreement over the feline’s image.
In 2013, the beverage company received the rights to use Grumpy Cat and her famous scowl on the packaging for its “Grumppuccino” iced coffee. However, Grumpy Cat Limited sued Grenade in 2015 for breaching the contract after the latter used the cat’s image to sell other products, including roasted coffee and “Grumppuccino” T-shirts.
The owners of Grenade countersued, claiming Grumpy Cat failed to sufficiently mention its brand on social media and in a TV appearance. Grenade also alleged that it was falsely informed that Grumpy Cat (whose real name is Tardar Sauce) was set to star in a film alongside actors Will Ferrell and Jack Black.
According to Courthouse News, the viral star herself made a brief appearance in court in January, but was not present for Monday’s verdict.
Grumpy Cat rose to fame in late 2012 after a photo of her was shared on the website Reddit. She later became the subject of a meme, in addition to becoming an official spokescat for Friskies and starring in the 2014 Lifetime movie Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever.
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