Spread the love

Cats rule the internet—and who doesn’t love that? They’re one of the most beloved animals on Earth. But they’re not just graceful creatures. Their innate refined derpiness also makes them perfect subjects for memes.

The ‘Cats Without Context’ (@nocontextcats) Instagram page does exactly what it says on the tin and shares silly and funny photos of our fave felines doing weird things. We’ve collected some of the finest memes to show you, dear Pandas. So scroll down, upvote your faves, and be sure to share these pics with your pets, as well as your friends.

#1

Image credits: nocontextcats

#2

Image credits: nocontextcats

#3

Image credits: nocontextcats

The ‘Cats Without Context’ account was first started more than 4 years ago, in January 2020. In the years since, the curator of the account managed to attract a very sizable following. 137k humor and cat-loving people follow the page at the time of writing.

The main appeal of this social media project is how lighthearted it is. After all, who doesn’t like fun photos of cats in various situations?

#4

Image credits: nocontextcats

#5

Image credits: nocontextcats

#6

Image credits: nocontextcats

Cat memes are a huge part of internet and meme culture because of how versatile, appealing, and relatable they are. On the surface level, you have an animal that showcases a very wide range of expressions.

Cattos seem to act silly, derpy, elegant, cute, refined, grumpy, sad, happy, and everything and anything in between. So, there’s a lot of range for content creators to work with. Meanwhile, the audience enjoys looking at funny and cute content.

#7

Image credits: nocontextcats

#8

Image credits: nocontextcats

#9

Image credits: nocontextcats

Another draw of cat memes is that we, the audience, project our thoughts and feelings onto those animal images. Feline body language is different from that of our own. However, we can’t help but resonate with their extremely memeable expressions, whether life gets us down, we have something to celebrate, or we feel sleepy all the time. In short, they’re memeable because they’re relatable.

In short, they’re memeable because they’re relatable.

#10

Image credits: nocontextcats

#11

Image credits: nocontextcats

#12

Image credits: nocontextcats

Relatability is a core part of any meme’s success. But we don’t just resonate with the emotions and expressions of the cats. Many of us are also pet owners, so when we see cats doing funny and bizarre things on the internet, we instantly connect with those moments.

They’re something that we’ve seen before with our own eyes. Knowing that someone else has witnessed the same things instantly connects us with them, even though they might otherwise be complete strangers on the other side of the world.

#13

Image credits: nocontextcats

#14

Image credits: nocontextcats

#15

Image credits: nocontextcats

Usually, cat and other animal memes are very short and punchy. They immediately get to the point. What you get is an immediate comedic effect. That really works to any meme’s advantage because the audience instantly gets what’s going on. And in an era of shortening attention spans, that’s how you get more laughs, clicks, views, and reshares.

However, you have to ensure that the image is clear and that the text portion is easily readable.

#16

Image credits: nocontextcats

#17

Image credits: nocontextcats

#18

Image credits: nocontextcats

It’s not just conjecture that our attention spans are getting shorter. They really are! We’re all far more distracted than we were in the past. Attention researcher Gloria Mark, from the University of California, Irvine, has studied this for the past two decades. She and her colleagues noted that back in 2003, people’s attention spans averaged two and a half minutes.

Recently, however, people can only focus on a screen for 47 seconds before shifting their attention.

#19

Image credits: nocontextcats

#20

Image credits: nocontextcats

#21

Image credits: nocontextcats

According to Mark, there are a few main downsides to this shorter attention span. First of all, when people’s attention keeps jumping here and there, they make more mistakes. Secondly, everything takes a lot longer to do because everyone constantly has to reorient themselves to a new task. Lastly, all of this multitasking and inability to focus increases stress.

#22

Image credits: nocontextcats

#23

Image credits: nocontextcats

#24

Image credits: nocontextcats

A lot of the problems related to our shortening attention spans come down to the type of content that we’re consuming. If we’re only ever looking at short clips, memes, and videos at double speed, it’s only natural that our brains adapt to this new form of living and shift how they operate.

It doesn’t help that there are so many messages, emails, newsletters, and notifications to deal with that we’re constantly distracted by.

#25

Image credits: nocontextcats

#26

Image credits: nocontextcats

#27

Image credits: nocontextcats

Adam Brown, the co-director of the Center for Attention, Learning, and Memory at St. Bonaventure University in New York, told Time that it’s possible to reverse the epidemic of inattention. For one, during those times when you need to focus, you should remove the device that keeps distracting you. Keep your phone out of sight so you can do what you need to do.

That way, you can reach your goals and won’t feel guilty about enjoying all the wonderful cat and other memes the internet has to offer from time to time. That being said, if you think your friends could do with a break, why not cheekily send them these memes to give them a good laugh?

#28

Image credits: nocontextcats

#29

Image credits: nocontextcats

#30

Image credits: nocontextcats

Which of the memes in this list did you like the most and why, dear Pandas? Which ones were so memeable that you couldn’t help but show them to your friends? What did your pets think of these pics? We’re always happy to hear from you, so if you have a spare moment, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Oh, and tell your cats we said ‘hi!’