Why Call Me Kat Was Canceled After Three Seasons

The cat café is officially closed. On May 4, 2023, after a three-season run, "Call Me Kat" aired its final episode, "Call Me a Donut Wall," on Fox. Since 2021, audiences have followed the journey of Kat (Mayim Bialik), a single woman who goes against the wishes of her mother, Sheila (Swoosie Kurtz), to open a kitty and coffee haven. However, her entrepreneurial efforts — and bumpy relationship with Max (Cheyenne Jackson) — came to an abrupt halt when "Call Me Kat" wasn't renewed for a fourth season.

According to Fox, a decline in ratings was the main reason for the cancellation of "Call Me Kat." From the 2021-22 season, the third season saw the average of 2.23 million viewers drop by 24 percent. Despite seeing a 28 percent increase in viewership following the tragic death of star Leslie Jordan in October 2022, this was only temporary.

Fox said in a statement, "We are very proud of 'Call Me Kat.' But, unfortunately, the audience response to it was not as strong as we had hoped. We are thankful for our partnership with Warner Bros. Television, That's Wonderful Productions, Sad Clown Productions, BBC Studios, Mayim Bialik, Jim Parsons and the entire cast and crew for their work and dedication to 'Call Me Kat.'"

For Mayim Bialik, it's a tough blow to say "goodbye" to "Call Me Kat" for several reasons. It was her first major TV role since the end of "The Big Bang Theory," and she once again got to work with Jim Parsons, an executive producer of the show. Plus, Bialik had the chance to portray a character who's not much different than herself: Kat is quirky and socially anxious, embraces her gray hairs, and doesn't own any Spanx.

Despite the sadness felt at not being able to continue Kat's story, Bialik took to Twitter to share how she thinks Season 4 would have unfolded. She said, "Decide the ending you want, but for me, here's where I think we all end up: Kat and Max (Cheyenne Jackson) live happily ever after, Randi (Kyla Pratt) and Carter (Julian Gant) get married and do the same, and Sheila (Swoosie Kurtz) is forever in everyone's life bringing joy and wisdom. And Phil (Leslie Jordan) lives on forever."

Many expressed sadness over the show's cancellation, but thanked Bialik for bringing some humor and happiness to people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, others urged Bialik to try and get "Call Me Kat" continued on a streaming platform.