Senior government and politics major
If you ever find yourself feeling blue or looking for an excuse to procrastinate, you should immediately consult Internet cats. Why? Because cats are naturally mysterious, adorable and likely to brighten your day. Couple that with witty captions and goofy scenarios and you have yourself a ticking time bomb of laughter and smiles. And while just about any cat would make me feel warm and fuzzy, I have compiled a ranking of my top three Internet felines:
1. Lil Bub — This endearing kitty was discovered in a toolshed in rural Indiana and would soon be destined for fame. She is a “perma-kitten,” meaning she will stay quite small and maintain youthful features throughout her entire life. She is actually quite healthy despite a severe case of dwarfism, oddly formed jaw and lack of teeth. She even has extra toes. But all of these unusual features make her special and all too adorable to look at. According to her website, Lil Bub and her owner have raised more than $60,000 for various charities through her travel and merchandise. If you haven’t seen Lil Bub yet, be prepared to melt at the sight of her big green eyes and perpetually stuck out tongue.
2. Grumpy Cat — While Tardar Sauce the Grumpy Cat is best known for her consistently grumpy facial expressions and the ensuing Internet memes, she recently won the Lifetime Achievement Award at “The Friskies” cat video awards show for “doing the most to help cats take over the Internet.” After a video of Tardar’s grumpy ways went viral on the Internet and appeared on MSNBC, her popularity exploded. She now boasts a coffee line, a movie deal and a New York Times best-seller — Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book. If you’re looking for some entrepreneurial inspiration from a furry feline, Grumpy Cat is the Internet cat for you. To top it off, she also has a very grumpy brother named Pokey who frequently appears in her videos. Double the grump, double the trouble, double the procrastination.
3. Henri, le Chat Noir — Perhaps the world’s leading feline existentialist, Henri the philosophical cat combines his elegant tuxedo appearance with dazzling wit to produce surprisingly thought-provoking short films. These are exclusively produced in black and white, and often include captions. As with many other Internet cat sensations, Henri also has a book: Henri, le Chat Noir — The Existential Musings of an Angst-Filled Cat. As with other Henri merchandise, a portion of the book’s profits are donated to animal welfare organizations. So next time you are looking for inspiration for a philosophy paper, or just contemplating the meaning of life, check out the woeful musings of handsome Henri.
Inevitably, there will be those of you who are simply not “cat people.” You will recall childhood memories of your aunt’s evil cat that always scratched when you bothered it. Perhaps you are allergic to cats and just seeing one makes your eyes start to itch. However, Internet cat sensations allow even you to enjoy the majestic and often silly aspects of cats from a comfortable distance behind the computer screen. Hopefully, you will find Lil Bub, Tardar Sauce the Grumpy Cat and Henri, le Chat Noir so endearing that you just might grow fond of felines in general. And if you’re not a cat-hater, embrace your inner crazy cat lady, start browsing online and enjoy the show.
Tiffany Burba is a senior government and politics major. She can be reached at tburbadbk@gmail.com.
