The label of “meme cat” is something else. It’s a benchmark for meme creators and cat owners around the world. Not many cats have earned the label, but those became household names overnight. Pick a funny cat meme — chances are you will recognize the creature in the picture.
Cats seem to be the most legendary creatures on the internet, grander than dogs. However, it’s not luck that determines their position on the internet. Every cute cat meme raises their overall image. Every meme cat is involved in is funnier than the last one. It’s an unbreakable circle, which will continue as long as the cat owner shares a picture of their pet.
Some cat memes rose out of the pile of mediocracy and joined the ranks of legendary. Today, most cat memes dot Instagram boards, Reddit forums, and Twitter (now X). However, Facebook still is the place of “meme cat” worthy posts. One group rose to worldwide prominence — “Cats on Catnip.”
What is “Cats on Catnip”?
Since 2014, “Cats on Catnip” has grown to become the center of one funny cat meme after another. Throughout the decade, cat owners and fans joined to post high-quality content related to these feline creatures. Content that stole the hearts and eyes of many internet users (figuratively, not literally).
Today, the page has around 2.5 million followers, and tens to hundreds of people post on it daily. So, if you have a silly cat meme, post it on the group. Chances are that you will get showered with an unprecedented amount of attention from owners and fans of cats.
So, why is the internet so excited for cats? It’s thanks to the memes surrounding the behaviors of cats. As long as these feline beauties exist — they will do something “meme cat” worthy. So, along with explaining the memes themselves, we also decided to look at the feline behavior. Why cats act as they do and how we can help them in the long run. After all, they are our pets.
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I really need to find that mthfckr who started this rumor! We'll just talk, I promise!
Where Did the Cat Memes Come From?
Cats have been memes since ancient Egyptian times. As times changed (mainly the internet becoming a thing), cats stayed as a center point of attention. However, it was only recently that a screaming cat meme and other feline-related jokes started to dominate our views.
The fault of this? Social media sites. Reddit and Facebook are the main culprits. There, people started to post their cats for the world to see. Some decided to open up Photoshop and changed it into a funnier side. Result? A massive number of cat-related memes.
Why Are Cat Memes So Popular?
Trev Lewis, a comedian and content creator, gave Bored Panda more information about “viral” topics. “The two most common types of content that go viral are animals and food. This is what the data shows. No matter how many times algorithms get tweaked, or which platform we’re discussing, people remain fixated on nourishment and other creatures.”
However, it is humor that truly fuels the popularity of content. “Relatability is a more crucial component because this is the factor that often inspires people to share the content with others. Sharing is the highest form of engagement and the one true path to viral content. All the other forms of engagement will follow it,” the social media expert told us.
Relatable and funny content will have a higher chance of conquering the internet feed. For this reason, the cat, the funniest animal in the world, skyrocketed in popularity. All thanks to the humor found in the number of memes related to them.
Eating is a moment for cats where they expose themselves and cannot really check what's behind them. So they often feel more comfortable when they have a person (or another cat) they trust in the same room watching their back. My cat actually returns the favor...we have different dinner times, so when I eat she sits upright next to me and observes the environment for me. It's really cute
I have a big fluffy MC that is like this too. He needs me to stand guard while he eats and he does the same for me. If he wants a drink he will meow until I accompany him to which ever water dish/fountain he'd like (I have 3 throughout the house.) When he was a kitten he'd do the same thing whenever he needed to use the litter box but has thankfully grown out of that.
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I have three cats, I have to separate them. The middle child, I have to feed her far away from the other two and sit with her.
Mine has had the same bowl in the same place for 16 years. When he wants to eat he yowls at me until I show him where it's at. Thankfully I am allowed to leave after showing him.
I've heard, from a vet, that some cats are "social" eaters and want company while they dine.
Oh yeah, my cat would eat when I stand there with him and when I'm eating he'd sit on the table. He wouldn't even try to get anything of the plate, he'd just sit there or lie there for a bit.
1st: Sebastian is awesome. 2nd: One of my cats doesn't exactly do that, but she LOVES to be petted while she eats. She will wait for me to come into the room, then charge at the food bowl with the expectation (knowledge, really) that I will come pet her while she scarfs.
He was reincarnated, a previous human brought up very well to observe values, such as respect fir others especially your elders.
My bud Felson used to do this too and he would wait for me to press the coffee before he began to cry. Now, it's any time of the night or day, so I guess he knows I've got his back.
He's a Social Eater. He likes to have company around before he really feels hungry; the food just tastes better!
I had a female kitty that used to visit each person sitting at the table. She would rub her head against your leg meow and we'd pet her then she'd go on to the next human. She also liked liked turkey and cheese so when I was making myself a sandwich she'd come over to the chair and give me that look like I want some of that 🐱
Yes!! Our super senior cat eats on the bed with us on the weekends , weekends we order in bc the teeners are out about doing their own thing.. So when dinner isn't at the table and she's eating with us there she eats with us where ever we are.. She is only one left out of 3 cats.. She also uses her litter box when i use the restroom we go together us girls lol they do that too bc they trust us to watch their backs and they watch our backs for us in return .. So sweet!!
Smart cat ... he waits to see if anyone drops dead first before taking a bite ... .it happened to a friend of a friend of a friend ... so Sabastian is not taking any chances.
Mine will walk me to his food dish and wants to be petted while eating.
My calico is like thanksgiving but it’s because one of her “brothers” loved to harass her. I admit, he was a major jerk. He died in February. I miss him terribly. She does not.
My cat trained me to rub his back while he starts to eat, and then when he wants me to stop, he'll sit down and keep eating.
My friend Frank had a dog named Duke. They absolutely adored each other. Frank would feed Duke, then Duke would wait until Frank finished his meal before touching his food. It seemed like Duke wanted to be sure Frank had enough to eat.
My dogs will actually do the same thing. They will leave their full bowls and follow me if I leave the room. I have to sit in the room with them for them to eat. I didn't train them this way.
“You can tell when cats are having fun, their faces light up and their eyes go wide and bright as they become excited and alert; their senses heighten and their pupils can widen. Their whole body language becomes animated and light,” Vet Nurse Nina said.
The PDSA told us that one way to recognize that you’re a great owner is when your cats feel confident enough have a “mad half-hour” where they "suddenly become full of fun and excitement, running around, chasing imaginary mice, sometimes whizzing up curtains and being so full of fun that they can’t contain themselves.” That means they trust you.
“If your cat is happy and confident enough to display this kind of behavior, you can congratulate yourself on being a great cat owner as your cat feels very comfortable in your company,” the expert told Bored Panda.
Yep, I had a so-called stray that did the rounds of the neighbourhood, I even paid for vet bills!
Reminds me of the poor nest of squirrel babies that get tied up with their tails.
What Are the Cat Memes About?
Every meme is about something. In the situation with cats — it’s about their behavior. When looking at cats, derpiness and seriousness are the sides of the same coin. These sides get captured in a number of cute cat memes all around the internet. These feline creatures are so derpy that there even is a cat bread meme. So, as long as cats do something “strange,” memes will capture those feelings.
Why Are Cats So Silly?
Cats are very much solitary and watchful creatures. That’s what Vet Nurse Nina Downing, from the PDSA, the UK’s leading vet charity, told Bored Panda about feline behavior during an interview.
“They love to watch the world go by from high places, and they also sleep a lot and do not appreciate being disturbed! While many do love to play, it needs to be on their terms and only when they’re in the right mood!” she told us.
The animal health expert told us that cats enjoy playing in such a way that mimics their natural hunting behaviors. For instance, they’re huge fans of chasing, pouncing, stalking, diving, hiding, and throwing. We tend to write off these actions as silly — but it’s only natural to them.
How Do I Tell if My Cat is Happy?
“You can tell when cats are having fun, their faces light up and their eyes go wide and bright as they become excited and alert; their senses heighten and their pupils can widen. Their whole body language becomes animated and light,” Vet Nurse Nina said.
The PDSA told us that one way to recognize that you’re a great owner is when your cats feel confident enough to have a “mad half-hour” where they “suddenly become full of fun and excitement, running around, chasing imaginary mice, sometimes whizzing up curtains and being so full of fun that they can’t contain themselves.” That means they trust you.
“If your cat is happy and confident enough to display this kind of behavior, you can congratulate yourself on being a great cat owner as your cat feels very comfortable in your company,” the expert told Bored Panda.
Why Do People Love Fat Cats?
However, the fat cats seem to steal most of the attention. Why? Because they usually are some of the laziest pets you can have. All they will do, all day, is provide one meme after another. It is one of the most common meme cat appears in. However, that fun has to stop at some point.
As much as we might enjoy looking at pictures of chonky felines and giant floofs, being that big is really hard on their health. Owners need to regulate what their cats eat and how much they eat to help them stay lean, fit, and content.
During a previous interview, Dr. Ernie Ward, the founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, explained to Bored Panda how 90% of a cat’s weight loss journey depends on its diet. The rest is related to physical activity. It’s essential that you don’t overfeed your cat.
in this meme, all is accurate, even the time and the struggle not to be able even ask correctly what do I want to know
How Do You Feed an Overweight Cat?
“That’s why it’s so important cat owners precisely feed the correct number of calories each day. I recommend having your veterinarian assess your cat’s current Body Condition Score (BCS), setting target an ideal weight, and calculating the number of calories you should feed each meal,” Dr. Ernie Ward advised.
“I strongly encourage cat owners to weigh the food using a kitchen scale. We’ve done experiments with cat owners and veterinary professionals and have consistently observed that using a measuring cup isn't as accurate as needed to achieve weight loss in many cases,” he said.
“Even feeding as few as ten extra kibbles each day can add up to a pound of weight gain in a year for a cat. Once you get the hang of it, weighing the food takes no more time than using a measuring cup. Finally, work with your vet to adjust the diet or calories every three months if your cat isn't losing weight.”
The expert said: “I’ve seen too many cats who were being fed the same food for months without losing weight. When I ask them why, the pet parent shrugs, ‘I’m feeding the special food my vet prescribed.’ Weight loss is a journey with many unexpected turns and hills; you must stay alert and be willing to take a different path if you’re not reaching your objective.”
See how close the cat is, actually touching and even rubbing up against the man's leg ? That's the emotional reaction.
How Can I Help My Cat Lose Belly Fat?
Since cats don’t need much additional exercise, it can be as simple as using a feather duster, laser pointer, or a new cardboard box to play with them daily. Three play sessions, each five minutes long, are enough to help them reach their fitness goals.
“I also like using ‘hunter feeders’ and food puzzles to engage a cat’s ‘inner predator.’ Use vertical surfaces, climbing towers, and other perches to allow your cat to climb and ‘stalk’ as much as possible. Environmental enrichment and exercise are essential for emotional and behavioral health as well as maintaining a lean body mass,” Dr. Ward said, adding that cats can safely lose from 1% to 3% of their body mass each month… so long as they’re using a vet-supervised program.
🎵 Morning's here! THE morning's here! Sunshine is- MMMMRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOWWWW!!! HHHIIIIISSSSSSSS!!!!
Unless they call or text first and I know they are coming, even without the cats, I am not getting up. I will peacefully await their departure.
Note: this post originally had 91 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
My daughter loves cats and I am allergic, every birthday she makes a wish for me to not be allergic to them anymore.
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My wife was told as a child she was allergic to cats. It was a lie, her mom just didn't want any. Now we have three.
No photo, just a story. Years ago I went to see Round Midnight at a cinema in Dalston, London. Within minutes the cinema cat chose my lap to curl up on for most of the film, getting down just before it ended. Best cinema experience ever.
This is a regular conversation in our house. (Cat at back door, looks like she wants to come in. Open door, she walks away.) Me: Did you just get the big F-U! Him: Yeah, for the second time in a row!
My daughter loves cats and I am allergic, every birthday she makes a wish for me to not be allergic to them anymore.
Load More Replies... My wife was told as a child she was allergic to cats. It was a lie, her mom just didn't want any. Now we have three.
No photo, just a story. Years ago I went to see Round Midnight at a cinema in Dalston, London. Within minutes the cinema cat chose my lap to curl up on for most of the film, getting down just before it ended. Best cinema experience ever.
This is a regular conversation in our house. (Cat at back door, looks like she wants to come in. Open door, she walks away.) Me: Did you just get the big F-U! Him: Yeah, for the second time in a row!
