Grumpy Cat, a pet made famous through an image macro, on stage at VidCon 2014
Images and videos of domestic cats make up some of the most viewed content on the web, particularly image macros in the form of lolcats. ThoughtCatalog has described cats as the "unofficial mascot of the Internet". Cats as human companions "are now sharing not only people's real life but also their virtual world" as a scientific study points out.
The subject has attracted the attention of various scholars and critics, who have analysed why this form of low art has reached iconic status. Though it may be considered frivolous, cat-related internet content contributes to how people interact with media and culture. Some argue that there is a depth and complexity to this seemingly simple content, with a suggestion that the positive psychological effects that pet animals have on their owners also holds true for cat images viewed online.
Some individual cats, such as Grumpy Cat and Lil Bub, have achieved popularity online because of their unusual appearances.
