Jocelyn Wildenstein, socialite dubbed 'Catwoman', dies in Paris on ...

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"Cat lady" Jocelyn Wildenstein is dead

Jocelyn Wildenstein, the Swiss woman known as the "cat lady", has died. She had become famous for her passion for plastic surgery.

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Jocelyn Wildenstein, the Swiss socialite dubbed "Catwoman," died on New Year's Eve in Europe, according to reports.

Wildenstein, known for her extensive cosmetic surgery that gave her a cat-like appearance, died in Paris, her partner Lloyd Klein, 57, confirmed to AFP and People.

She was 84.

"We had a nice happy hour the same night and we were getting ready for the new year, and we took a little nap just to look good before getting dressed," Klein, a fashion designer, told People. "It's extremely sad to lay down with your other half that I know for 21 years and waiting to celebrate New Year's Eve and to find her cold."

USA TODAY has reached out to Klein.

Once married to the late Alec Wildenstein, an art dealer, in their divorce, Jocelyn Wildenstein was awarded $2.5 billion and an annual $100 million for 13 years, according to Reuters.

The late Wildenstein, a self-described art dealer, became well-known for her notable cosmetic surgeries through the years.

At the time of her death, she had more than 1.1 million followers on Instagram.

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How did Jocelyn Wildenstein die?

Wildenstein's cause of death was not immediately known.

But Klein told the outlets his late partner had phlebitis, a condition the Mayo Clinic describes as a blood clot to form and block one or more veins, often in the legs.

"Because of her phlebitis, the legs were very, very swollen, and the blood was blocked, and there was no oxygen in the brain," he told the outlet. "And we were having a nap and when I wake up, I said, 'Jocelyn, we have to wake up, we have to get dressed,' and she was cold and she was dead."

Klein said his late partner's death was unexpected as her health had been "perfect" in the days leading up to her death.

"We were at the Ritz two days ago," Klein told the outlet. "Before that, we had come for Fashion Week at Chanel. Everything was good."

The couple, he said, had been spending time in Paris, and Wildenstein was "very happy and at the top of her game." 

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.