If your camera roll is 90% cat photos and your group chats are “just one more” funny cat meme away from muting you, you are exactly the kind of person this guide is for. Funny cat memes are more than random internet noise: they’re a global language of chaos, cuteness, and relatable mood swings — and they’ve quietly become one of the most recognizable forms of digital culture.
In this guide, we’ll look at why funny cat memes dominate the internet, what research says about how they affect our mood, how to create memes people actually share, and how to turn your best cat moments into physical keepsakes you can hang on your wall or wear on a hoodie — with real-world examples from PetDecorArt.
1. What Exactly Is a Funny Cat Meme?
A funny cat meme is usually a photo or short video of a cat paired with text that captures a relatable feeling, joke, or situation. Technically, a “meme” is any idea that spreads person to person, but online we usually mean an image or clip with recurring formats, captions, and remix rules.
Common traits of funny cat memes include:
- Exaggerated facial expressions (judging, offended, deeply betrayed).
- Unexpected behavior (zoomies at 3 a.m., attacking invisible ghosts).
- Human-like “attitudes” (chaotic neutral, petty, dramatic).
- Captions written as if the cat is texting you or narrating its inner monologue.
2. Cat Memes by the Numbers
Cat content isn’t just “popular” — it’s one of the most dominant genres on the entire internet. Different reports and studies highlight how massive cat memes and videos really are.
| Metric | Approximate Figure | What It Means | Source (Link) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated cat pictures online (2010) | ~1.3 billion images | Even before TikTok and Reels, cat photos were already flooding the web. | Cat content data overview |
| Estimated cat pictures online (recent estimate) | 6.5+ billion images | Cat photos may represent one of the largest “genres” of images on the internet. | Funny cat memes feature & stats |
| Cat videos on YouTube (2014) | 2+ million videos, ~26 billion views | Cat videos had more views per video than any other category at the time. | Indiana University cat video study |
| Share of web traffic once linked to cats | Rough estimates around 15% of web traffic | Some reporting suggests a substantial share of traffic at one point involved cat-related content. | Cat pictures & traffic estimates |
| Positive mood effects | Thousands of survey responses | Viewers report more energy, more positive emotions, and less anxiety after watching cat videos. | Cat videos & mood research |
These numbers don’t all refer only to memes (many are general cat photos/videos), but they show how deeply cat content — and funny cat memes in particular — are baked into online culture.
3. A Short History of Funny Cat Memes
Humans have been pointing cameras at cats for over a century, but online cat memes took off in the 2000s. Sites like I Can Has Cheezburger? helped popularize LOLcats, and later, “celebrity cats” like Grumpy Cat and Lil Bub made meme stardom feel almost normal.
| Era | Example | Platform / Format | What Made It Iconic | Further Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Late 1990s–early 2000s | ASCII art cats, early image boards | Forums, email forwards | Basic text-based cats and low-res photos started circulating as in-jokes. | Cats and the Internet overview |
| Mid-2000s | LOLcats, “I Can Has Cheezburger?” | Image macros with top-and-bottom text | Broken-English captions and bold white Impact font created a reusable meme language. | Meme history section |
| Late 2000s–2010s | Keyboard Cat, Nyan Cat, Grumpy Cat, Lil Bub | Viral YouTube videos and image macros | Individual cats became celebrities, with merch, conventions, and even museum exhibits. | Viral cat round-up |
| 2015–2020 | Reaction cats & “relatable” memes | Instagram, Reddit, Tumblr | Cats became stand-ins for human emotions: anxiety, introvert vibes, “I can’t even.” | Curated cat meme collections |
| 2020s | TikTok cat trends, “banana cat,” POV memes | Short-form vertical video | Audio-based memes, filters, and POV-style storytelling make each cat feel like its own sitcom character. | #catsoftiktok tag |
4. Why We Love Funny Cat Memes (Psychology)
It’s easy to say “because cats are cute,” but researchers have actually studied why cat videos and memes feel so satisfying. One large study from Indiana University found that watching cat videos boosted positive emotions, reduced negative ones like anxiety and sadness, and even left people feeling more energized afterward. The research also suggested the feel-good payoff outweighed guilt about procrastinating.
| Effect | What Viewers Report | How Memes Contribute | Data / Discussion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improved mood | Feel more positive and less anxious after watching cat content. | Short, low-stakes humor can act like a mini “reset” during stressful days. | Indiana University mood study |
| Energy boost | Report more energy after a quick cat video break. | Laughing and “awww” moments give a small shot of emotional caffeine. | Survey of ~7,000 viewers |
| Sense of community | Shared memes create inside jokes across strangers. | Reusing classic formats (like reaction cats) makes everyone feel “in on it.” | Cats & online culture overview |
| Relatable chaos | We project our own moods onto cats’ expressions. | Cats are grumpy, clingy, dramatic, and weird in all the ways humans feel but can’t always show. | Commentary in: curated cat meme stories |
5. Where Funny Cat Memes Live Now (Platforms & Formats)
While classic JPEG memes still thrive on Reddit and Instagram, short vertical video has become the new home base for funny cat content. Different platforms reward slightly different styles:
| Platform | Best Format | What Works Well | Typical Audience Behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square or vertical image memes, Reels | Clean text overlays, carousel of multiple memes, aesthetic meets chaos. | People save memes to reference later, share via DM and Stories. | |
| TikTok | Vertical video, audio-based trends | POV memes, voiceovers, trending sounds synced to cat chaos. | Fast scrolling; the hook in the first 1–2 seconds is critical. |
| Reddit (e.g., r/catmemes) | Static images, short clips, GIFs | Caption-heavy memes, niche humor, layered in-jokes. | Upvotes reward originality and high “relatability per pixel.” |
| X (Twitter) | Single images, short threads | Reaction cats tied to trending topics, quote-tweeted with commentary. | Memes travel fast but vanish quickly; timing matters. |
| Compilation videos, shareable images | Multi-photo albums and video compilations for family/friend groups. | Great for “send to mom” tier memes and cross-generational sharing. |
6. How to Make Your Own Funny Cat Meme
You don’t need pro editing skills to create a meme people will actually share. You need the right moment, a clear idea, and a caption that feels like it was pulled directly from someone’s brain at 2 a.m.
Step-by-step: from cat chaos to meme
- Capture a clear, expressive photo or video. Focus on the eyes and body language. Blur is fine if it adds drama.
- Identify the “feeling.” Is your cat offended? Overwhelmed? Secretly plotting? Name the emotion first.
- Pick a meme format. Reaction image, top-and-bottom text, POV video, fake text conversation, fake tweet, etc.
- Write a caption that exaggerates the truth. Take a real situation (e.g., “I opened the treat drawer once”) and dramatize the cat’s side of it.
- Keep it readable. Use big, high-contrast text with minimal words on mobile layouts.
- Test on a tiny audience. Drop it in a friend group chat or a cat-loving Discord before posting widely.
- Post where your people are. If you’re a TikTok person, lean into short clips. If your friends live on Instagram, focus on Reels and carousels.
| Format | Caption Pattern | Example with Cat | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relatable chaos | “Me, … / Also me, …” | “Me: I’m finally going to bed early. / Also me at 3 a.m.:” (cat sprinting down hallway). | Zoomies, late-night snack attacks, weird cat rituals. |
| Inner monologue | “I fear no man, but that thing …” | Cat glaring at vacuum: “I fear no man, but that screaming floor demon terrifies me.” | Cats vs. household objects (cucumbers, hairdryer, printer). |
| POV meme | “POV: …” | POV: you said “no more snacks” and now you’re being judged by a cat on the counter. | First-person storytelling from the cat’s viewpoint. |
| Fake text / DM | Short back-and-forth messages | Human: “Why is there fur on my coffee?” / Cat: “Why is there coffee on my fur?” | Memes that feel like screenshots of your cat’s group chat. |
| Work-from-home struggle | “My coworker …” | Photo of cat on laptop: “My coworker has once again sat directly on the quarterly report.” | Office humor, shared among remote workers and cat parents. |
7. Meme Prompt Ideas for Your Cat
Stuck staring at your cat and thinking, “You’re hilarious but I don’t know how to meme you”? Use these prompts next time you’re filming or snapping photos.
- “Before and after” energy: Before treats vs. after treats; before 5 minutes alone vs. after.
- “You vs. the guy she told you not to worry about”: Your cat vs. a hyper-graceful Instagram cat.
- “Corporate needs you to find the differences”: Two slightly different cat poses labeled with very different captions.
- “Out of office reply”: Cat loafed on suitcase just as you try to pack.
- “Therapist: that thing isn’t real”: Cat staring in fear at an empty corner of the room.
- “High stakes drama, low stakes situation”: Cat yowling at a closed door or empty bowl.
- Zoom call co-worker: Screenshot of cat walking across keyboard mid-meeting.
8. From Meme to Wall Art: Turning Cat Memes into Keepsakes
Digital memes are fun, but some cat moments deserve to live beyond the feed. Maybe it’s the picture you always use when your group chat needs a reaction cat, or the clip that perfectly captures your cat’s goblin mode. Those are the moments that make amazing gifts and keepsakes.
That’s where custom pet art comes in. Brands like PetDecorArt specialize in transforming your pet photos into tangible art pieces — including handmade 3D stuffed animal clones, framed oil paintings, and hand-embroidered apparel featuring your cat’s face, created from your photos.
| Option | Picture | What It Is | Best For | Example Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIY print & frame | / | Print your meme image with caption and put it in a simple frame. | Quick gifts, home office décor, low-budget projects. | Any local print shop or online photo service. |
| 3D stuffed animal clone |  |
A lifelike wool-felt sculpture based on your cat photo, sometimes in a frame. | Ultra-special gifts, memorials, or your “main meme cat” brought to 3D life. | PetDecorArt 3D stuffed animal with frame |
| Hand-painted portrait |  |
Traditional-style pet portrait using your favorite meme photo as reference. | Living room walls, gallery walls, long-term display. | PetDecorArt framed oil painting |
| Embroidered apparel |  |
Your cat’s face stitched onto hoodies, T-shirts, caps, or beanies. | Everyday wear, subtle flex that your cat is a meme star. | PetDecorArt embroidered pet portrait clothing |
| Mini keychain or bag charm |  |
Small felted version of your cat as a portable charm. | Car keys, backpack charm, little reminder of your meme goblin on the go. | PetDecorArt mini stuffed pet keychain |
For details on exact styles and current options, check the PetDecorArt pet portraits from photos collection , which explains how their artists work from your images to create keepsakes.
9. FAQ: Using and Sharing Funny Cat Memes
Can I turn any cat photo from the internet into a meme?
Technically you can, but you should be careful with photos you don’t own. Reposting well-known memes is normal, but grabbing random people’s cat photos and putting your own watermark or brand on them can cross into copyright and etiquette issues. When in doubt, create memes from your own cat photos or from images where you clearly have permission.
Do funny cat memes really help with stress?
They’re not a cure for serious anxiety, but research has found that people feel more energetic and more positive, and less anxious or sad, after watching cat videos. For many people, a quick scroll through cat memes works like a mini mental break, especially during work or study sessions.
How do I make my cat “go viral”?
There’s no guaranteed formula, but your odds go up if you post consistently, use recognizable meme formats, hook people quickly in short videos, and stay focused on your cat’s unique “character.” Cats that become favorites online often have a strong personality angle: dramatic screamer, judgmental roommate, chaos goblin, clingy baby, etc.
Can I use my existing memes as references for a PetDecorArt portrait?
If the meme is based on your own cat photo or video, yes — that’s actually a great way to choose a reference. PetDecorArt works from your images to create custom art pieces, whether that’s a 3D stuffed animal clone, a framed oil painting, or hand-embroidered apparel. Just use the clearest, highest-resolution version of the meme photo you have and follow the photo guidelines on the product page.
Is it weird to have “serious” art of a silly meme cat?
Not at all. The best pet portraits capture personality, and if your cat’s most iconic look is a deeply offended side-eye or mid-scream meow, that’s exactly what makes the piece feel real. Many PetDecorArt customers commission portraits for funny, joyful, or chaotic memories, not just formal posed shots.
Continue Reading:
- Staring Dog Meme: Why These Judgy Pups Rule the Internet (and How to Turn Yours into Art)
- Crying Cat Meme: Why the Internet Loves Sad, Teary-Eyed Cats
- Side Eye Cat Image Guide: Why We Love That Judgy Feline Look
- Dog Side Eye Meme: Why Your Pup’s Judgy Look Took Over the Internet
