Martha Stewart is mourning the loss of her beloved Princess Peony after the cat was killed by her four dogs over the weekend. The cookbook author took to Instagram on Sunday to share a photo of three men digging a small grave in a yard for the feline. Describing the situation, the 80-year-old wrote in the caption:

“burying the beautiful and unusual Princess Peony. the four dogs mistook her for an interloper and killed her defenseless little self. i will miss her very badly . RIP beauty”

How tragic!

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Little else is known about why the dogs would have attacked the creature. According to the TV personality’s website, she has French Bulldogs Creme Brulee and Bete Noire and two Chow Chows named Emperor Han and Empress Qin. Princess Peony was born on May 11, 2009, and welcomed into Stewart’s home at 4-months-old alongside her sister Empress Tang. In her IG Story, the businesswoman also uploaded a photo of her deceased pet, reflecting:

“RIP beauty cat Princess Peony”

Take a look at her tributes (below):

So, so sad. Many celebrities sent well wishes and condolences in the comment section, including Kris Jenner who posted a few crying emojis. Ellen Pompeo shared:

“So sorry “

Meanwhile, fans are more divided on the situation. Lots have sent their love Martha’s way, but others have taken the opportunity to point out how “disturbing” and “horrific” this situation is for all involved. We can’t blame them for being upset — this is certainly shocking and alarming news to read, especially when you get a look at the furballs who mistakenly killed Princess Peony. Take a look:

Who knew they could be so ferocious…

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The Martha Bakes star opened up about the ups and downs of being an animal caretaker in a 2020 article on her website titled Martha’s Ark: A Look Back At The Animals She’s Raised, saying:

“At least 20 cats, 25 dogs, 10 chinchillas, and scores of canaries and parakeets have lived happily in my homes. And two ponies, three donkeys, 10 horses, many sheep and goats, and hundreds of chickens, geese, turkeys, guinea fowl, quail, peacocks, and homing pigeons have populated my sheds, barns, and stables.”

Just because she has an “amazing group” of animals, she also recognized how much work it takes to manage all of them, adding:

“Raising animals is serious business, and I try very hard to be a good owner to each and every one. Some respond in friendly ways, some are more aloof, and others don’t make a show of knowing me at all. But I think they all understand that I care about their needs and recognize their problems.”

You can tell how passionate she is about her pets, surely making this loss all the more devastating. Despite all the time and attention her many animals require, she insisted:

“Each of my pets takes a great deal of attention, and some require more training than others. But the rewards far outweigh the effort.”

We cannot imagine how difficult this turn of events must be for Martha. We hope the dogs never attack another animal again! R.I.P. Princess Peony!

[Image via Martha Stewart/Instagram]