Paddles has passed away

Publish date: Wednesday, 8 Nov 2017, 10:06AM

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford are encouraging the public to make a donation ot the SPCA in memory of their car Paddles, killed by a vehicle yesterday.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said: "Yes, sadly Paddles has died after being run over by a car near the Point Chevalier home of the PM yesterday evening."

Paddles, a ginger SPCA cat, had become a celebrity in its own right, and a Twitter account had been established in its name.

The creator of Padddles' Twitter account said Gayford asked that people make a donation to the SPCA if they wished to remember the feline.

Just spoke w Paddles’ Dad, @NZClarke. If you would like to remember Paddles you are most welcome and encouraged to donate to the NZ SPCA. 😽
— Paddles (@FirstCatofNZ) November 7, 2017

Ardern had joked that Paddles was a "polydactyl", with extra claws that look like opposable thumbs, and ran the account itself.

You asked fur it. pic.twitter.com/JQuCpqiLej
— Paddles (@FirstCatofNZ) November 2, 2017

The account tweeted this morning: "V sad PR Guy here. Tysm for loving Paddles, the whole world will mourn her. Not bad for a lil SPCA puss."

Ardern's partner Clarke Gayford said Paddles had nearly derailed her call with US President Donald Trump by running into the room and miaowing loudly.

"As the call was transferred our cat (yes that bloody cat) came flying through the cat-flap. She leaped up onto the chair next to Jacinda and began announcing her very squawky arrival. There was a flurry of action as I tried to hustle it into the next room while quite literally the leader of the free world was connected through to our little home in Pt Chev."

Gayford had expressed surprise at Paddles' rise to stardom, noting that a friend had sent him an article about his cat in a Danish newspaper.

Even the Huffington Post described Paddles as "the most powerful cat In New Zealand".