Grumpy Cat snatches lump of cash in court

A California jury has given internet star Grumpy Cat more than $US700,000 ($A980,000) in a federal lawsuit over the use of her identity.

A Californian jury has awarded the owner of Grumpy Cat $US700,000 for the misuse of her identity. (AAP)

It still won't make her smile, but Grumpy Cat has won some scratch.

A California jury gave the furry frown queen more than $US700,000 ($A980,000) this week in a federal lawsuit over the use of her identity.

According to documents obtained by The Washington Post, owner Tabatha Bundesen of Morristown, Arizona, won the lawsuit first filed three years ago against the Grenade beverage company.

She signed on for the cat to endorse a "Grumpy Cat Grumpuccino," but the company subsequently used the cat's image to help sell other products, which an eight-person jury on Monday found was unauthorised.

Grumpy Cat, whose dwarfism gives her the permanent frown she's famous for, became an online phenomenon-turned-merchandising-machine after Bundesen first posted pictures of her in 2012.