Browser the library cat dies at 15, White Settlement says

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Browser the library cat | Credit: City of White Settlement

WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas - A beloved member of the White Settlement community has died, the city announced Wednesday. 

Browser, a resident of the White Settlement library for nearly his entire life, was one month shy of his 16th birthday. 

Browser the library cat dies

Browser died peacefully of natural causes, the City of White Settlement said in their Wednesday Facebook post. 

The cat was adopted in 2010 at the age of 1, when the library staff was inspired by Dewey Readmore Books, a famous Iowa library cat. Since then, Browser lived in the building, making him one of the longest-tenured employees, White Settlement says. 

Some of Browser's favorite activities included riding the book return cart, watching bird videos, and joining the craft club. According to the city, Browser sat in on so many GED classes, he was awarded with an honorary GED.

Community remembers Browser

What they're saying:

While Browser was well-known and loved at home, his fame as a library cat spread further than the bounds of North Texas. One commenter spoke on her discovery of the mascot.

"I live in Wisconsin, never been to the City of White Settlement, but I read the Dewey book, and soon after looked up saw some cute pics of Browser. He was adored not just by locals and people who knew him personally. His purrs and antics had a wide reach!" Caroline Barrow said. "The unconditional love provided by Browser was more valuable than every tear shed at his passing."

Others who met Browser at the library remember his impact on their day-to-day lives. 

"I remember sitting in the library doing school work and Browser came up to me just as I had a flare up of my disease," Tina Dawson said. "He sat with me allowing me to have him in my lap and purred calming me down and helping me get through the flare. It's like he knew I needed him at that moment. I will miss him, I haven't been able to come back to White Settlement since moving to the Hulen area. But I will always remember the library cat that sat with me when my world was spinning and I needed comfort. Thank you Browser, I'll miss you."

Browser memorial service

What's next:

The city says they intend to hold a memorial event in Browser's memory. The details of the event will be updated at the city's Facebook page. 

What you can do:

Friends of Browser can honor his memory by donating to Don't Forget to Feed Me, a non-profit partnered with the city that helps provide food to pet owners. 

You can drop food off at the White Settlement Public Library, or give directly to Don’t Forget To Feed Me at their website. 

You can also donate to the Friends of the White Settlement Public Library organization. This volunteer non-profit group is made up of library supporters who give assistance to the library.

Browser's brush with White Settlement City Council

Browser the library cat | Credit: City of White Settlement

Dig deeper:

Browser's history with FOX 4 goes back to 2016, when the library dweller was nearly ousted from the government building by a city council vote. 

The governing council of the Fort Worth suburb voted 2-1 to give the library 30 days to find a new home for Browser.

An online petition to allow Browser to stay at the library garnered more than 12,000 signatures soon after, and the council reversed their decision. 

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• North Texas city council votes to oust library cat
• White Settlement City Council votes to let Browser stay at library