According to Sington, an entertainment, pop culture, and lifestyle expert based in Los Angeles, there are a lot of different reasons why the world loves cat memes so much. For one, they offer an overload of cuteness.

"Cats are undeniably adorable, with their big eyes, playful antics, and fluffy fur," he told Bored Panda that this triggers positive emotions and awe in us when we look at photos and videos of felines. On top of that, these animals are masters of clumsy antics and unexpected behavior, and cat-themed content can quickly go viral.

"Their independent personalities often lead to unintentionally funny situations that we can't help but chuckle at." Human beings tend to find cats very relatable, too. "They can be grumpy, sassy, and independent, or cuddly and affectionate. We see ourselves or our moods reflected in these furry internet stars," Sington said.

There's another practical benefit to consuming animal content, too. The pop culture expert noted that some studies have shown that looking at cat content can lower blood pressure and reduce stress hormones. "In a fast-paced world, a quick cat meme break can be a great way to boost our mood and improve our mental well-being."

Bored Panda asked Sington whether there will ever come a time when the internet might 'grow out' of cat memes. He's optimistic. In his opinion, the internet's love affair with cat memes seems to be a lasting one.

In his view, cats are inherently meme-able. "Their goofy antics and cuteness provide endless source material," Sington said, adding that cats tap into universal emotions.

"The format is endlessly adaptable. Cat memes can be funny, heartwarming, relatable, or even savage."

Furthermore, he stressed the fact that cat memes are already a cherished part of internet history. "They’re a reminder of the simple pleasures of online humor and the enduring fascination with our feline companions."

Cats are incredibly loved by people all over planet Earth. It’s estimated that there are around 1 billion of these feline creatures living around the globe.

According to the World Population Review, that number includes 350 million indoor pet cats. There are also around 480 million stray cats, as well as approximately 100 million wild cats, from lions and tigers to cougars.

In the United States alone, there are around 74 million cats, though this number is a mix of pets, stray felines, and feral animals. China is also a country of cat lovers: over 53 million of these animals live there.

Germany is home to roughly 15.2 million cats, France has nearly 15 million of them, and the United Kingdom is home to 12 million of these animals.

To compare, there are between 700 million and 1 billion dogs around the world, according to the World Population Reviews data in 2024. Roughly 90 million doggos live in the US alone.

In second place is Brazil with 55 million canines, followed by China with 54.3 million, and Japan with 20 million dogs. Around 12 million dogs live in the UK (the same number as cats!), while Germany is home to 10.3 million dogs.

Founded back in July 2022, the ‘Cats that are literally me’ social media project has continued to grow from strength to strength.

Over the past three years, the X account has amassed a jaw-dropping 455.7k followers from all corners of the world. It just goes to show that cats and memes are a fabulous combination. And people sincerely love it!

According to the founder of ‘Cats that are literally me,’ the entire point of the account is to be relatable and to find some sort of connection with the online audience.

The cat memes and pictures of cats (some of which may or may not be ironic) are meant to relate to people on an emotional level. The goal is for someone to look at the image and say, ‘That is literally me.’

People can love cats for different reasons, though very often, it’s a combination of factors that leads to feline obsession. For one, cats are cute, adorable, playful, and silly.

At the same time, they can also be very regal, cool, grumpy, and detached, as well as downright mischievous. They are also very expressive, and we, as human beings, can empathize with them. We can easily put ourselves in their shoes (or, well, paws).

From our perspective, it’s exactly this wide range of emotions and behaviors that makes cat photos such great templates for memes. Memes are defined by their virality and popularity. And you can’t have either of those if there’s nothing for your audience to relate to.

But if your audience can relate to the cats’ expressions, then you’ve got them hooked!

Aside from finding photos of relatable animal expressions, content creators should also strive to maintain a high level of polish. Quality photos. Easily readable fonts. Headings that capture the essence of the meme.

That’s what helps you stand out from the crowd. And if you’ve browsed social media feeds for even a day, you’ll know that there’s a ton of competition out there when it comes to cat, animal, and humor-related content.

We can’t wait to hear what you think, dear Pandas! Which of these cat memes did you relate to the most? Which ones actually got you to say, ‘That is literally me’? Do you personally think the internet will ever move on from cat memes, or do you think they’re here to stay, always?

Scroll down to the comments to share your thoughts… and we’d love to hear all about your pets, too!