A CatChannel editor explores the fascinating mix of cats and Internet culture.
By Robin Rockey, CatChannel.com assistant editor
When YouTube released its list of the 10 most memorable videos of 2007, it was no surprise that
Nora, the piano-playing cat, made the cut.
Nora’s online success highlights an ongoing trend: Cats are Internet superstars.
In fact, a simple search for “cat” on Google Video returns more than 900,000 videos. Here on CatChannel, more than 12,000 people have created online profiles and blogs for their feline friends.
Cat enthusiasts even have created a special cat language called “Lolcat,” popularized by cat-humor websites and are using it to translate the Bible into “kitty pidgin.”
Why are cats so popular online? Two straightforward facts illustrate why this phenomenon is a no-brainer:
1. Humans are fascinated by the Internet.
2. Humans are fascinated by cats.
Eventually, these interests were bound to collide. When they did, cats and Internet culture became inextricably mixed.
Cats have always intrigued humans. In fact, Leonardo da Vinci said, “The smallest feline is a masterpiece.” Today, cats continue to tickle our hearts and our funny bones, especially while we’re surfing the web.
Former President Bill Clinton hinted at the online cat obsession when describing the prolific spread of the Internet in 1997. “Only astrophysicists knew about the Internet 20 years ago,” he said. “Today my cat has a website.”
Today, thousands of cats have websites. And, as the web becomes more accessible to people all over the world, our delightful propensity for online cat content can only grow.
Back to Pop Cats by Robin Rockey homepage.