0
Two pet memes in the following collection, featuring Grumpy Cat and Smudge.

The Real Pets Behind 10 Of The Most Iconic Memes

There's no denying that pets are popular online, and these ten in particular have gone viral and created a legacy that's impacted us online for decades. Some of them are still around, and some exist now only in our memory, but all of them were beloved by the online community and worshipped as gods of sorts. Memes about them got elaborate, out-of-hand and seriously overused, but the true legacy of each of these dogs and cats will never be disrespected or forgotten by anyone involved in the meme community.

The one thing that the online community can agree on is that animals are great, and you’ll probably agree that these are the best of them all. We may not be their real owners, but we’ve gotten to know these pets as if they’re our own over the years, seeing them everywhere without really knowing anything about them. A lot of our bad references and truly distasteful jokes would have gotten nowhere without these odd faces that became public figures, so here's a look back on some of the biggest meme pets out there and their true identities, which deserve some recognition as the inspirations behind our bad senses of humor.

Big Floppa/Polite Cat

MEME FACTS Big Floppa is a unique type of cat known as a caracal SASTA This type of cat is obviously not common in the pet trade, which has led to his popularity due to jokes about his massive size beside other cats despite him just looking like a genuinely cool and laid-back guy. Big Floppa's real name is Gregory, and he's owned by an Instagram user named @prozhony. Know Your Meme C

Longcat

MEME FACTS Longcat's real name is Shiroi, which means "white" in Japanese TM ITC'S ALL-TIME TOP TEAM Longcat was one of the classic cat memes of the early 2000s, and due to her popularity growing before 2010, she was one of the first major memes out there. She lived to the ripe old age of 18 and died a legend, years after her meme took over old cat memes everywhere. Know Your Meme バシュロミニ

Phteven

MEME FACTS Phteven's unique appearance is the result of a jaw dysfunction PHTEVEN Phteven is the nickname given to Tuna, a dog with a big overbite and a lot of character. His owner Courtney Dasher runs an Instagram page for him and posts lots of awkward and funny photos about him, which is where the common meme photos began to first appear. Know Your Meme

Nelson the Bull Terrier

MEME FACTS Nelson's meme image originated on his own Twitter account G Nelson the bull terrier, also known as Walter, became a social media star after a picture of him staring blankly at the camera without his ears visible went viral. His owner appears to run a Twitter page for him, known by the handle @PupperNelson, which was where the image first appeared. Know Your Meme

Cheems

MEME FACTS Cheems recently had a health scare that concerned fans everywhere Cheems is a member of the Doge family known for his awkward posing and expression. He's really a dog named Balltze, who has very recently been trending due to his diagnosis of pancreatitis as of May 19th. Luckily, Balltze is doing much better already, and his owner says his test results are looking more normal again. Know Your Meme FERD

Gabe the Dog

MEME FACTS A YouTuber named deathtrips made his dog Gabe into a meme Gabe was the fluffy white senior dog known for his "bork" remixes. Sadly, he died in 2017, but his owner assured it was a peaceful passing with "a smile on his face," which is the best we could have hoped for Gabe. His bork videos aren't as appreciated now as they were years ago, but he's still very recognizable and viewed as a hero of sorts after his death. Know Your Meme

Keyboard Cat

MEME FACTS There are two separate keyboard cats making up the same meme The original Keyboard Cat was filmed in the 80s and is unfortunately no longer around, having passed away in 1987. His name was "Fatso," and his owner Charlie Schmidt adopted another cat named Bento who has assumed the moniker since, in a generational Avatar sort of thing. Know Your Meme C

Grumpy Cat

MEME FACTS Grumpy Cat's annoyed look is caused by an underbite The real Grumpy Cat is a female named Tartar Sauce. She tragically died at the age of 7 due to a bad UTI. But even though Tartar Sauce is gone, Grumpy Cat lives on, even in a Hallmark movie called "Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever," which was obviously panned by critics. Know Your Meme 3

Smudge the Cat (Woman Yelling at Cat)

MEME FACTS Smudge is an Instagram celebrity with over 1.6 million followers Smudge is the name of the cat in the second panel of the woman yelling at cat meme. This meme has been gaining a lot of popularity since 2019, and Smudge's confused yet oblivious expression is what's earned it such notoriety. Smudge has been basking in his glory as the notorious meme on Instagram, where he's known by the handle @smudge_lord. Know Your Meme C

Doge

MEME FACTS The real Shiba Inu behind Doge is named Kabosu and lives in Japan Doge has become one of the most famous memes of all time, especially now that it's spiraled into Dogecoin and a level of irony none could have predicted ten years ago. The real dog behind the Doge meme is a Japanese Shiba Inu named Kabosu. Kabosu is a rescue, and she also seems to be fond of sitting in strange positions on her owner's couch. Know Your Meme 3

Related Memes 13 total

Big Floppa

Big Floppa

Cheems meme image depicting the shiba inu balltze.

Cheems

Smudge the Cat

Smudge the Cat

Woman Yelling At Cat - Taylor Armstrong left and Smudge The Cat at a dinner table on the right.

Woman Yelling at a Cat

Nelson the Bull Terrier / Walter

Nelson the Bull Terrier / Walter

Gabe the Dog / Bork Remixes

Gabe the Dog / Bork Remixes

funny looking chihuahua dog with an overbite wearing a bow tie

Phteven / Tuna the Dog

Shiba inu dog staring at the viewer / doge meme.

Doge

Grumpy Cat

Grumpy Cat

Dogs | Cute golden retriever panting lovingly with headphone on.

Dogs

green eyed cat

Cats

Keyboard Cat

Keyboard Cat


View All Related Memes




Comments (0)

Display Comments

Additional comments have been disabled.


Hello! You must login or signup first!