According to a 311 complaint filed the next day, the cat had been sitting on the sidewalk near a transit lane when the Waymo pulled to the curb. — AFP
A Waymo robotaxi killed a beloved SF cat. Now a city supervisor wants driverless car reform.
Nearly a week after a self-driving Waymo taxi struck and killed a beloved neighbourhood cat in San Francisco's Mission District, the community is still grieving.
KitKat, a 9-year-old tabby affectionately known as the "Mayor of 16th Street," was run over late on Monday, Oct 27, outside Randa's Market – the convenience store next to the Roxie Theater, where he lived and greeted customers for years.
Since the accident, neighbours have transformed the sidewalk into a memorial: a makeshift altar overflowing with candles, flowers, photos and Kit Kat candy bars. It continues to grow by the day.
To many residents, KitKat was more than a shop cat – he was part of the Mission's character: social, fearless and unbothered by the chaos of 16th Street.
"We're heartbroken to share that our beloved store cat, KitKat, has passed away," owner Mike Zeidan wrote on the store's Instagram page. "He brought warmth, smiles, and comfort to everyone who walked through our doors. Thank you to all who loved him as much as we did. The store won't be the same without his little paws padding around."
The cat's death has struck an emotional nerve in a neighbourhood already wary of driverless cars weaving through its crowded streets. Outside the market, mourners have left handwritten notes – "Rest in power" and "We love KitKat" – taped to cardboard and tucked between bouquets.
One TikTok post capturing the memorial has drawn more than 3.5 million views.
"If you're not a 16th Street regular this can seem silly," user @frijolefiddler wrote in the caption. "But this cat meant so much to this community. If you knew KitKat, you'd understand."
Witnesses said the crash occurred around 11.30pm. A Waymo vehicle had stopped to pick up passengers when, as the company later stated, "a nearby cat darted under our vehicle as it was pulling away."
Zeidan and his wife rushed KitKat to an animal hospital, but he died later that night.
According to a 311 complaint filed the next day, the cat had been sitting on the sidewalk near a transit lane when the Waymo pulled to the curb. "Waymo did not even try to stop and hit the cat at a fast speed," the complaint read.
Waymo – a subsidiary of Google's parent company, Alphabet – confirmed the collision three days later.
"The trust and the safety of the communities we serve is our highest priority," the company said in an Oct 30 statement. "We send our deepest sympathies to the cat's owner and the community who knew and loved him, and we will be making a donation to a local animal rights organisation in his honor."
The company did not disclose the donation amount or name the recipient organisation.
The collision has reignited scrutiny of autonomous vehicles in San Francisco, where Waymo operates a growing fleet. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has reported close to 900 self-driving car collisions to date – several involving animals.
The incident also sparked debate online.
After a tech-focused account, Whole Mars Catalog, noted on X that "5.4 million cats are hit by cars every year in the US, and 97 percent of those cats die from their injuries," Tesla CEO Elon Musk replied, "True, many pets will be saved by autonomy."
In theory, self-driving cars should be able to detect animals and stop or slow down before impact – a promise of the technology that, for many San Franciscans, feels painfully distant. – San Francisco Chronicle/Tribune News Service
