These 50 Hilarious Cat Memes Will Change the Way You See Internet Humor Forever

Ever wonder why we’ve been obsessed with cats online longer than some of your favorite memes? It’s not just because they look adorable with those big eyes or the way they knock stuff off your desk with a smug little smirk. Nope, it all started back in the dark, wild days of the internet—forums and imageboards where people first slapped ridiculously funny captions on cat photos, deliberately mangling English into what’s now a legendary lingo called “LOLspeak.” Remember “I Can Has Cheezburger?” Yeah, that viral jackpot from 2007 that basically set the internet on fire by mixing cute cats with hilariously bad grammar. From there, the floodgates blew wide open. Suddenly, iconic felines like Grumpy Cat, whose eternal scowl made her an instant superstar, and Lil Bub with her quirky tongue-out charm, weren’t just internet oddities—they became bona fide brands, complete with merch and media gigs. Cat memes morphed from simple chuckles into cultural milestones—each whiskered face capturing a vibe, an attitude, a whole dang worldview. So why do we keep coming back to these furry little mood-makers? Maybe it’s because in the chaos of the digital age, a cat meme feels like a tiny slice of sanity—and, let’s be honest, pure joy. LEARN MORE

But the modern cat meme has its roots in the ancient days of internet culture, when forums and imageboards started spreading funny cat pictures with intentionally absurd captions. One of the earliest and most famous is “I Can Has Cheezburger?” that launched in 2007. It featured images of cats with grammatically incorrect English captions, so-called “LOLspeak.” The absurdity of the grammar paired with the cuteness of the cats made it immediately viral, setting the stage for the internet’s long-standing obsession.

Then the floodgates opened. Cats like Grumpy Cat, with her perpetually annoyed expression, and Lil Bub, with her trademark tongue-out look, became full-fledged celebrities. These weren’t just photos anymore, they were brands, with books, merch, and media appearances to prove it. Cat memes had moved from random funny pictures to cultural touchstones, each representing a specific mood, reaction, or worldview.