If you’re a cat owner, you know all too well how hilarious your kitty’s behavior can be. Cats can be graceful acrobats one moment and clumsy sleepyheads the next. They can be adorable cuddle bugs during the night and dangerous predators while watching birds through the window. And although they’ll never know about the group, the Memes I Wish I Could Tag My Cat In community is all about celebrating these special little creatures.
This Facebook group, which has amassed an impressive 1.5 million members, has a simple mission: “Post memes you wish you could tag your cat in.” And clearly, there are plenty of funny pics out there that people want to share with their furry friends, as there have been 238 new posts in the group today! We’re also big fans of this community here at Bored Panda, so it isn’t the first time we’ve featured a selection of their best memes. So whether you’re a cat parent or not, we hope you get a kick out of these adorable photos!
To learn more about what makes cats so special, we reached out to Daniel Warren-Cummings, Central Behavior Officer at Cats Protection.
"Cats are special because they’re a conundrum," he shared. "They’re independent but affectionate; they’re perceived as easier pets but still require work; they spend so much time sleeping but then burst into frenetic activity; they like to be fussed but not too much sometimes."
"Overall, what makes cats so special is that they are experts at being cats," Daniel continued. "For thousands of years, they’ve evolved alongside humans and yet have retained most of their innate behavior. What I love most about them is how every cat has a different personality. I also love that they like the simple things in life. Nothing makes my cat happier than rubbing her cheeks on a TV remote or book and having a fuss."
Next we asked Daniel about some of the funniest behavior he's ever observed in cats.
"Cats are endlessly peculiar, and their odd behavior can keep owners entertained for hours. From surprise acrobatics to always knowing when someone has opened a laptop, there’s never a dull moment with cats, and you will often find yourself bursting out laughing," the expert says.
"Some cat owners will have seen their cat chirping when they see birds or rodents - which can look like the cat is trying to talk to them. We don’t know for certain why they do it, but one theory is that chattering could be a display of excitement - a surge of adrenaline caused by seeing prey they want to catch but can’t get to," he continued.
"My cat has ‘hunted’ branches from a bush - who’s to say whether she knocked them off or they were already on the ground? She came running into the house with the small branch in her mouth like she had caught something exciting," Daniel shared. "Needless to say, she was immediately bored of it as soon as it was dropped in the house."
As far as whether or not cats have senses of humor and would enjoy internet memes, Daniel says, "It's very unlikely, as a lot of memes and a lot of cat content on social media is actually not that kind to cats."
"Often it can show them in states of fear or discomfort at worst, or heavily humanize them and show them as evil and conniving," he explained. "If cats could understand memes and social media culture, they may well be sad or hurt at how they are portrayed a lot of the time. On a more practical note, not having opposable thumbs would make scrolling on a phone really difficult, so I don’t think they’d be into it even if they could understand it."
We also asked Daniel if he could share some advice for anyone looking to welcome a new feline into their family. "Taking care of any pet is a big responsibility," he noted. "It's important to think carefully about whether a cat will fit in with your lifestyle before you get one."
"Here are some things to consider: They will need time to settle in. It will be a big and stressful change for them, and every cat will adjust at their own pace," the expert says. "For confident cats, it could be a few hours, but for more nervous cats, it could take weeks. It’s normal for cats to hide away a lot when they first come home, so don’t expect them to be playful or cuddly right away. Leave them alone until they are ready to approach you in their own time, and make sure you give them somewhere to hide and get up high."
Daniel also says it's important to keep a new cat inside for a few weeks, even if they seem ready to explore their new territory right away. "This will give them time to feel safe and become familiar with their new home. They will also make it smell like them by rubbing their pheromones around and will be more likely to return once they do go outside," he noted.
And be sure to have a scratching post for your kitties. "Scratching is a natural behavior for cats, so they’ll need something to get their claws into. Cats who go outdoors may find trees and fence posts to scratch but, if you want to protect your sofas, table legs, carpets and wallpaper, it’s a good idea to provide them with a scratching post indoors too," Daniel added.
