Why Cats Are So Popular and Why We Love Them So Much, by Selvin Alfonso

Growing up in an adopted family is fascinating, in the sense that I never had the ability to choose our family pet. I moved to Florida at the age of 5, but my oldest brother already chose the pet we would love eternally: Emily, our dog. She passed away a year ago at 13 years old. The love I had for her was and still is endless, but as time passed, the more I appreciated cats for their diversity towards different humans and their adaptable lifestyle. I wasn’t a “cat lover” by nature — they truly scared me. But, as time progressed, my love and appreciation for cats expanded as I began to realize how popular they had become in media as well! This article dives into the growing popularity for cats and why we love them so much!

From friends and owners of cats, they’ve mentioned that cats are not hard to take care of, since they basically take care of themselves. Unlike dogs, they wash themselves, tend to eat whenever, play on their own, and can explore by themselves. Additionally, cats adapt towards their surroundings fairly quickly, and are apt in any environmental area, from rural to urban communities.

On the internet, cat memes, TikToks, and Instagram Reels have caught the eyes of older and newer generations alike. Grumpy Cat, Keyboard Cat, and Nyan Cat can be seen as the most iconic and popular cat memes of the 2007-2013 years, but still are well known in today’s society. From Nyan Cat’s Pop-Tart body and rainbow fart trail, to Grumpy Cat's undeniably adorable attitude, to Keyboard Cat’s viral YouTube video of her playing the keyboard for 54 seconds. These memes paved the way for today’s silly cat TikToks and Instagram Reels. (Though today AI tends to be used for them… that’s an argument for another day.)

Cat videos were always around, even when Vine came out on January 24th, 2013. Vine and Musical.ly were filled with cat videos and memes that first sparked the popularity of cats. TikTok, and Instagram Reels continue to fill people’s algorithms with memes of cats dancing, cats meowing with different sound effects, or AI cats fighting with ninja-like skills while dancing to funky music. These memes have helped branch out the popularity and love for the species!

I believe that friends, family, relatives, and people have also helped bolster the popularity of our feline friends — whether by adopting cats, talking about them, or being chosen by the cat distribution system. It’s important to note that in recent years, there has been more awareness towards the importance of animal shelters and giving animals a second chance. Through giving an animal a second chance of life, I find my life paralleling this aspect.

The cat distribution system is a second contender of popularity. It states that cats appear in people’s lives when they need them the most. Though this is not an actual institution, many individuals find themselves loving this concept of a random system that chooses them. Many of my own personal friends have been chosen by this system, and found themselves being eternally grateful for the cat they received. Through the cat distribution system, which I hope chooses me one day, adoption parallels the ways in which a chosen family changes one’s life, even if a small change happens towards the person or any animal!

The popularity of cats can also be talked about historically, dating back to Egyptian times and their symbolic resonance as deities. Or towards Salem, Massachusetts and being seen as a negative connotation; which now has declined overtime as cats have become a symbolic representation for the spookiest night of the year!

Pictured: Lando

What makes cats so loveable though? Some articles I read state that cats allow us to be grounded within our emotions. Author John Amodeo of “What Cats Can Teach Us About Love” states that cats don’t hold grudges or linger on small mistakes we make, unlike we humans do. Cats allow us to accept, think, adjust to, and move on from certain situations. Many of us need to learn this trick to living, as grudges and hate linger within us, even if we say it doesn’t. The author also dives into aspects of feeling wanted. We humans tend to not always feel like we make an impact in everyday society, or towards a relationship. Cats, on the other hand, allow us to see how wanted and appreciated we are. Amodeo says that as we pet and play with our cat, they can bring us presents, snuggle with us, and become very territorial about us. These aspects of cats show how appreciated and loved we are by them, and I find that very warming to think about.

Although, cats can be sneaky and scary when it comes to showing you their love. Author Mark All My Words in his blog, “Six Ways Cats Bring You Closer to Nature,” states that cats know how to seize the moment when humans tend not to. If a

cat is sneak attacking on passing feet, as my friend’s cat Lando does, they have a goal and plan that they want to seize. We can learn a thing or two from cats, and the ways in which we may fall towards society’s standards or job complacencies. Cats teach us that our true nature and goals are worth showing off.

One final key lesson cats teach us is how to connect to nature via using your hands. Obviously it doesn’t take a genius to know that cats don’t have hands, but, as Mark points out, they do have, "appendages, the generic term for hands and feet.’’ They learn to be athletic, quick, and build up strength over time. Cats use them to be creative, either through killing a bat (which, yes, Lando did do), tearing up furniture, climbing trees, or playing with someone's hair.

Cats are loving, mysterious, and adorable little critters that have overtaken many hearts worldwide, and will forever be the most caring and loving companion in anyone's life.