Snowball I

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 in the actual series, since it occurred "before" the show's continuity 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.

Color
In "Treehouse of Horror III", a picture of Snowball I (as a black cat) is shown with the words "1988-90" underneath and Lisa says "she died four years ago tonight" (although that particular episode aired in 1992): because that episode is a Halloween episode, it is possible she died on Halloween of 1990. Snowball I has been shown both as a black cat (in a picture in "Treehouse of Horror III") and a white cat (the above screenshot).

Death
Snowball was, according to Lisa in a poem, run over by a Chrysler. At a later point it emerged that Snowball was run over by Clovis Quimby, drunkard brother of Mayor Quimby (in a parody of what could be any of the Kennedy brothers, Roger Clinton, Jr., or even Billy Carter). Snowball is buried on the Pet Cemetery, which is next to the Springfield Cemetery.

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.

Life in Heaven
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.

Other Mentions
Due to election forgery, Snowball was listed as posthumously voting for Sideshow Bob. There is evidence that the family owned a similar white cat before Snowball I: In a flashback to "five years ago" in Lisa's Sax, a much whiter cat is seen and in the episode "And Maggie Makes Three", a young Bart is seen riding a white cat in a photograph, which is presumed to be Snowball I.

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

 * Bart Gets Hit by a Car
 * Treehouse of Horror III
 * Sideshow Bob Roberts
 * And Maggie Makes Three