Mammoth frontman Wolfgang Van Halen, son of late Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen, shared an emotional tribute to his family cat Henry, who passed away after 13 years, according to Instagram.
The post reflects on Henry’s life as a beloved member of the Van Halen household and the impact his loss has had on the family.
“Henry 2013-2026. He’s my mom’s cat, my cat, my wife’s cat. Our cat,” Wolfgang Van Halen said. “He passed away today, and it’s gonna take some time to figure out how to deal with not having him around.”
He went on to recall specific memories of Henry’s personality and habits.
“His goofy little meows, yelling at us to go outside, him digging his claws in my arm cause he was so happy when I finally did bring him out,” he continued. “Rolling around in empty bathtubs like a goober. Playing with his favorite toy (balled up paper towels).”
Wolfgang also described Henry’s temperament and his close bond with Andraia Van Halen.
“He was not only the chillest, most relaxed and zen cat I’ve ever known, but he was also the softest. Just the floofiest little cloud of a dude,” he said. “And holy crap did he love Andraia Van Halen. She was his favorite. If I didn’t know any better, I would think he was trying to steal our relationship all away for himself.”
He closed the tribute with a message of gratitude despite his grief.
“It hurts now, and will for a very very long time, but also I’m so happy and lucky this perfect example of a cat was in my life for 13 years,” he said. “Here’s 20 moments of Henry I could cobble together through tears that show what an awesome little dude he was. Be well, Henry, and thank you for everything. I love you, and I’m gonna miss the fuck out of you.”
Wolfgang’s tribute comes as the loss of Henry has rippled through the wider Van Halen family. His mother also stepped forward to share her own grief over the same beloved pet.
Actress Valerie Bertinelli, Wolfgang’s mother, announced Henry’s death on her own social media, referring to him as “Sir Henry 2013-2026.” She shared a photo of him gazing out a window alongside the message, “Rest in peace, my sweet, gentle, perfect boy.”
Henry had been Bertinelli’s cat originally. He became a fixture across multiple generations of the family before Wolfgang and his wife took him in as their own. That shared history explains why the cat’s passing has drawn public tributes from both mother and son within days of each other.
Wolfgang responded directly under his mother’s post, adding to the outpouring of grief surrounding Henry’s death. “I can’t even begin to explain how special of a cat Henry was,” he wrote.
Wolfgang Van Halen, who lost his father Eddie Van Halen in 2020, shared the post to honor Henry’s memory and celebrate the years the cat spent as part of the family. The family is now mourning together once again.
