| Snowball
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| Animal Information
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Snowball I is a white female cat who died and only briefly appeared in a flashback in the series, but has been mentioned numerous times. She was the Simpsons' first cat. Her death was never seen , since it occurred "before" the show began.
First Mention
She was first mentioned in the series premiere in a Christmas letter Marge was writing where she explains that Snowball I had died that year..
Life After Death
Although the Sunday school teacher, Mrs. Albright, tells Lisa that Snowball cannot go to Heaven, this proves to be wrong as Snowball has been seen in heaven by characters who have undergone near-death experiences, including Bart, and sometimes in flashback sequences. She was listed as voting for Sideshow Bob in mayoral elections.
Trivia
Name
Snowball was so-named due to her white-colored fur, though in a few occasions in the series, Snowball I is pictured similar to Snowball II. Snowball II's name is an obvious use of irony.
Dedications
In real life, many Simpsons books are jokingly dedicated to her. For example, in The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (in which she is mistakenly colored black), the dedication reads, "We hope that they change your catbox in kitty heaven more often than we did down here." In The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror: Fun-Filled Frightfest, published by HarperCollins in 2003, the more morbid dedication reads "We're sorry you're gone. You would have made a tasty Hors d’œuvre." Also, The Simpsons Holiday Humdinger, published by the same company in 2004, says, "As this snow sculpture thaws on the first warm day, so will our hearts melt whenever we think of you." A passage in Cartooning With the Simpsons, published by Scholastic, reads, "Dedicated to the memory of Snowball I: You may be gone, but we still remember how to draw you." Many other Simpsons books are dedicated to her, but the dedications ceased in 2005.
Appearances
