RIP 'Tuxedo Stan': Famed Halifax cat and former mayoral candidate dies of cancer

Tuxedo Stan sits in his front yard in Hubley, N.S., in this undated handout photo. (Hugh Chisholm / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

A Halifax cat that shot to fame following a highly-publicized run for mayor has died of kidney cancer.

The three-year-old celebrity cat named ‘Tuxedo Stan’ died Sunday, according to his owners.

Best known as a mayoral candidate in the 2012 Halifax municipal elections, the black-and-white cat managed to secure endorsements from high-profile U.S. talk show hosts Ellen Degeneres and Anderson Cooper.

Stan’s owner, retired veterinarian Hugh Chisholm, said he launched the light-hearted campaign to draw attention to the plight of stray cats in the city.

Stan ran as the leader of the ‘Tuxedo Party’ --  a political movement aimed at improving the welfare of felines in Halifax and around the world. The party’s slogan is: “Because neglect isn’t working.”

According to the Tuxedo Stan blog, Stan’s brother ‘Earl Grey’ has declared himself a candidate in the upcoming Nova Scotia election.

An official Tuxedo Party recruitment rally to launch Earl Grey’s campaign is scheduled for Sept. 16.