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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 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 feline memes dot Instagram boardsReddit 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” Facebook 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 cat meme, post it on the “Cats on Catnip” 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 worthy to become one of the funny cat memes. 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.

#5

Cats On Catnip

Cats on Catnip Report

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troufaki13
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really need to find that mthfckr who started this rumor! We'll just talk, I promise!

Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My black cat, Jack, is the kind of black cat in the lower right corner. The blep cat. Sweet as pie, a little doofy, incredibly cuddly, extremely laid back, totally devoid of issues, BUT very food driven. Jack will always keep you on schedule with mealtimes and treat times. He will also always remind you when the dry food or water bowl needs to be topped up. Even though he started out as the tiny runt of his litter, Jack has grown into a big 15 lb boy. When he wants to remind you of something, you will not be able to avoid him. A cat putting all 15 lbs of pressure on one paw that’s resting on your chest, stomach, back, or wherever is the most uncomfortable for you will definitely be noticed (believe me, it hurts).

Rosemary Booth
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The one in the lower left reminds me of my all-black cat named "Blackjack." I lost him to kidney disease a few years ago, but he was my soul cat. <3 He too was a little on the chonky side which is why one of his nicknames was "Blacksnacks."

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Edda Kamphues
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love my black Indie (his name)! He's just really hard to see on my black floorboards. Especially at night.

Channon Doughty
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's hard not to step on cats, who love to "follow you 1/2 step ahead, but esp when they match your floors! Ours is a reddish brown, like our wood floors. That's why her name is Maple.

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Susan Bosse
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We've had several. The only thing about them that are any different to other cats is that my dad always kept them locked in the house around Halloween to be safe.

Whitefox
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

During the Medieval Period (500 AD to 1500 AD) negative superstitions took hold with black cats becoming associated with the devil in significant parts of Europe. It is thought that the Norman and Germanic people originated the idea of a black cat crossing your path brought bad luck and believed that a sighting of a black cat was a sign that a death would soon occur. Then there was a mass culling that led to the overpopulation of rats that carried the bubonic plague fleas. Payback?!! https://www.awlnsw.com.au/halloween-is-almost-here/

Tiffi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Black cats are my favorite cats. I have a black cat. Love her to pieces.

Colleen Glim
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The only time a black cat is bad luck is at 3am on a dark staircase

Devon Archer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

in my experience white cats have been much more difficult than black. black kitties are Just the sweetest cats ever!

Mel G
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Black cats are the best at playing hide and seek at 3 AM to scare the bejeezus out of you

Jennings Rozzell
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pope Clement VI. Who, in his condemnation of cats led to the nearly wiping out Europe from the Black Plague.

Liz Olson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have been blessed with two gorgeous black cats who were wonderful!

Liz-ard
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, the history says that people like that caused plague by taking stupid beliefs like that into action. So don’t be stupid and continue spreading stupid claims.

VioletWolf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've owned a total of 3 black cats. Only bad luck with them is that 1 is bipolar and likes to attack people. He's sweet most of the time though. just need to give him lots of love, only pick him up if he wants to be picked up, and make sure that he's not looking at your feet because that means he's about to attack. Other than that, they've been helping with my mental health!!! Black cats are great emotional support/therapy animals!!!

Riley Johnson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a black cat named Lilly, and she’s the sweetest thing ever.

Missmonkey88
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

*fetches her battle gear to fight every black cat hater in the world, meanwhile her black beauty Lucy clings to her leg* "Nuu, mummy, you stay and snuggle with me! Plus, I got no cash in my cats pajamas for bail money!"

Phoebe Stein
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes black cats are angels and ngl most white ones I've met are either skittish or mean.

Billie Jo Stokes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How could anyone think these sweet little soot-monsters are bad luck?! They're so precious!

Epiphonia
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

1st one: murder mittens, 2nd one: teef, 3rd one: abyss, 4th one: blep

Dingus Mcbingus
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just prove Witchcraft aint Real The world will think they are good then

Dolores Vallejos
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have had all colors of cats and what I realized is that black cats are very playful and just as lovable. They are NOT mean unless you teach them to be. And that goes for any cat.

Cat Mom times 10
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a black bobtail kitty named Harpurr, she's a little sweetheart.

robin aldrich
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Doesn't that superstition date back to those darn Puritans??? maybe even further???

K. Anderson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love cats & if I know someone who has a black cats it’s not a problem but if I am walking or driving & one runs in-front of me I will turn a go a different way

Tigara Akimoto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok, black cats are good luck, cuz they're more often the witch's victims than familiars. It's the solid white cats that are bad luck. But either way, the bad luck is negated if you own one, and multiplied by 3x3x3 (or 27 times) if you harm one.

Stan Brooks
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love black cats. I once decided to only adopt black cats, then a friend in need had to find a home for their beautiful brown tabby, but I still adore black kitties.

Celena Camps
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love black cats.. have had only black cats for the last 25 years

Laura Endy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No they are NOT bad luck! They are very lucky and wonderful pets!🐾

Paweł Duda
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Black cat are the best, and at the same time you can worship satan, and scare old ladies.

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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, especially groups like “Cats on Catnip” 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 funny cat memes.

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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.”

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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 funny cat memes related to them.

#12

Cats On Catnip

kyliesynagogue Report

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Chocolate llama
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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

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“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.

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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.

#14

Cats On Catnip

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Michelle Muirhead
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep, I had a so-called stray that did the rounds of the neighbourhood, I even paid for vet bills!

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#15

Cats On Catnip

Cats on Catnip Report

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 memes all around the internet. These feline creatures are so derpy that there even is a cat bread meme. So, as long as felines do something “strange,” funny cat memes will capture those feelings, and the “Cats on Catnip” Facebook group will share it.

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#16

Cats On Catnip

archer_rs Report

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.

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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 and worthy to be turned into cat memes — but it’s only natural to them.

How Do I Tell if My Cat is Happy?

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“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.

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Why Do People Love Fat Cats?

However, the fat cats seem to steal most of the attention. Why? Because they are usually some of the laziest pets you can have. All they will do, all day, is provide one funny cat meme after another. It is one of the most common meme cats appear 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.

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#35

Cats On Catnip

Cats on Catnip Report

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Palo Sulek
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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

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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.

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“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.”

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#39

Cats On Catnip

Cats on Catnip Report

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François Carré
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

See how close the cat is, actually touching and even rubbing up against the man's leg ? That's the emotional reaction.

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How Can I Help My Cat Lose Belly Fat?

Since cats don’t need much additional exercise (after all, they’re perfect as they are, and these cat memes prove it!), 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.

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#42

Cats On Catnip

Cats on Catnip Report

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Matt Ronald Slater
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

🎵 Morning's here! THE morning's here! Sunshine is- MMMMRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOWWWW!!! HHHIIIIISSSSSSSS!!!!

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#43

Cats On Catnip

Cats on Catnip Report

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E Menendez
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

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#47

Cats On Catnip

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Vic
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be honest the one on the right is more realistic and lovely..

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#50

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Cats on Catnip Report

Note: this post originally had 91 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.