Update!

Kim Kardashian's Pet Kitten, Mercy, Dies

Adorable white teacup Persian was a gift from boyfriend Kanye West

By Natalie Finn, Ken Baker Dec 08, 2012 1:34 AMTags
Kim Kardashian, Mercy, Twit Picinstagr.am

We're feeling very bad for Kim Kardashian right now.

The E! star's teacup Persian kitten, Mercy, has died, sources confirmed Friday. The cause was a cancer-like virus often associated with breeding.

Boyfriend Kanye West gave Kim the adorable little white ball of fur as a gift and she quickly became one of Kim's favorite photo buddies.

"It is with deep sadness that I have to tell you all that my kitten, Mercy, has passed away," Kim wrote on her blog this evening. "My heart is completely broken."

Kim revealed shortly after getting Mercy in September that she had always wanted a white Persian cat, and that she almost went with Pearl as a name before being inspired by the title of one of her man's songs.

E! News learned, however, that Kim found out she was allergic to her new pet shortly after getting her from the breeder. She then decided to give Mercy to Khloé Kardashian Odom's assistant, Sydney Hitchcock, who had recently lost her cat after 12 years, "to make the best of a difficult situation," an insider tells us.

Kim had an assistant fly with Mercy from Miami to L.A. and Sydney received the cat on Oct. 16. She took her to the vet for routine tests, though the kitten was still too small for shots, and "Mercy was acting playful" and seemed "totally fine," a source says. 

Similarly, a vet said Mercy was in great shape following another exam in early November.

Then, on Nov. 26, we're told that Sydney got a call from her boyfriend to say Mercy was limp and not moving, after which they rushed her to an animal hospital and vets made the sad diagnosis—a fatal virus, which acts like a cancer, had attacked Mercy's stomach.

After learning that even aggressive treatment wouldn't help Mercy, they had the kitten euthanized.

"It broke not only my heart that little Mercy died at only four months old, but Sydney's too," Kim wrote. "Mercy was a gentle and loving kitten and we are all going to miss her so much. Thanks to Sydney for making Mercy's short life one filled with love."

Well, we are very sorry and our hearts go out to everyone who's missing Mercy now.

(Originally published Dec. 7, 2012, at 4:42 p.m. PT)