For Pokimane, September 28 began like any other day online — a livestream, a game, and thousands of viewers watching.
Then, suddenly, everything stopped.
During her Valorant stream, Pokimane — whose real name is Imane Anys — learned that her beloved eight-year-old cat, Mimi, had been taken to an emergency room after an accident at home. She abruptly ended the broadcast and rushed to find out what had happened.
The answer would turn an ordinary day into one of the most painful moments of her life.
Pokimane later returned to Twitch, visibly struggling to speak as she explained that Mimi had gone onto the balcony after cleaners opened it while they were at her home. According to Pokimane, Mimi jumped from the balcony and was taken to an emergency room.
A doctor later told her that Mimi had died.
The streamer could barely hold back her emotions as she remembered the cat who had shared eight years of her life.
“I can’t believe my baby is gone,” she said, later adding, “It was my baby.”
For someone accustomed to sharing enormous parts of her life with an online audience, the moment was strikingly intimate. There was no polished announcement, no carefully prepared statement — just a grieving pet owner trying to process devastating news.
Pokimane later explained the situation on X, apologising for suddenly disappearing from her livestream and telling followers that she had been informed Mimi was in the emergency room.
Her final words were simple: “I love you forever mimi.”
The post quickly drew messages of sympathy from fellow creators and fans. Streamer Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter responded with condolences, writing, “Noooo I’m so sorry Imane.. rest in peace Mimi.”
But amid the grief, Pokimane made one thing clear: she did not want anyone blamed for what happened.
“As heartbroken as I am, I dont want to blame anyone,” she said, describing Mimi’s death as a “heartbreaking freak accident.”
Sometimes, the hardest losses arrive without warning.
One moment, Mimi was simply part of Pokimane’s everyday world. The next, an emergency call had transformed an ordinary livestream into an abrupt goodbye.
For eight years, Mimi had been more than a pet. In Pokimane’s own words, she was her baby.
And now, the internet is witnessing the painful aftermath of a loss that happened in a matter of moments — a reminder that behind the livestreams, followers and millions of views are people whose lives can be changed by a single, heartbreaking phone call.
