Cat Coughing Meme EXPLAINED: Meaning, Origin and Everything about This Wheezy Kitty

The cat coughing meme combines a bit of both absurdity and relatability. The actual meme is a clip of a cat who appears to be coughing, coughing a lot mind you, and it simply looks like a human reaction to surprise, or frustration. The strange, relatable and unexpected nature of the cat coughing meme has catapulted it into the viral stratosphere, and people seem to find joy in the idea of an animal experiencing a human moment – and let’s face it, the hilarity of the incredibly oddness of a cat having a human response always works.

Here at Grumpysharks, we enjoy how memes like these invite you to share an experience unlike any other. It is that blend of relatability and humor that keeps us coming back for more. We thought we would take a moment and explore what makes this meme unique and why it has gained so much traction with the internet community.

#1 What Is the Cat Coughing Meme?

The cat coughing meme shows a cat mid-cough or wheeze, usually with some exaggerated, awkward expression, and captures the image or video just as the cat is starting to wheeze so badly it looks like it might not figure out how to breathe; it’s body is usually arranged in some awkward way. It may use a phrase like “when you are trying not to laugh, but…” to highlight the situation by using a lot of ridiculous captions and phrases that portray awkwardness.

The appeal of the meme is efficacy in capturing relatable feelings of surprise, whether you’re trying not to laugh in a uncomfortable moment, or just general awkwardness. A wheezy cat typically shows a lot of the same expressions we show when we feel these things, which create a humorous immediate connection between the cat and the viewer themselves. The ability for humor to mix with relatable imagery is why the meme is so spot-on perfect for expressing those normal day moments when life seems a little too much. Overall, we appreciate how this meme connects on undeniably good, universal, vacuous level!

#2 What Is The Origin of the Cat Coughing Meme?

The Cat Coughing meme began from a photoshopped cat image that became popular in late 2018 after someone compared it to the face little kids make when they cough. The original image is from the Instagram account @idascreatures known for posting edited animal pictures.

On December 3rd, 2018 Twitter user @aliahgeyes posted the image with the caption, “This is how lil kids cough,” which drew some significant engagement. It didn’t take long for the meme to be used as an exploitable image macro and reaction image across the internet.

#3 How Did the Coughing Cat Meme Become a Viral Sensation?

The Cat Coughing meme sky-rocketed into popularity after it was originally viral at the end of 2018. December 3rd, 2018, Twitter user @aliahgeyes tweeted the now-famous image with the caption, “This is how lil kids cough,” and it amassed over 200,000 retweets and 630,000 likes.

The popularity of the meme was further fuelled through user generated-content. For example, @julissapizzaaaa was inspired to post a video of her little brother coughing like the cat, which got over 750 retweets and 6,400 likes. Users like @blackbile and @ericisgrody also contributed by posting images of children coughing and a side-by-side comparison using the cat image.
The static image later grew to include animated forms such as GIFs and videos, often with hilarious sound overlays, to engage different audiences and adapt to different formats of communication. Like TikTok, where the meme has hundreds of millions of views, influencers and meme pages incorporated the meme by merging it with trending challenges and reaction videos.

Overall, the ability for the meme to adapt form, the high engagement it received, and the extensive sharing of it, highlights the ability of internet culture to morph a single image into a worldwide phenomenon.

#4 FAQs about the Cat Coughing Meme

1. Is the cat really sick in the original video?

No, the cat isn’t sick. The image shows a cat with a comical expression, likely from sneezing or an exaggerated facial reaction, which was turned into a meme for humor. Source: Know Your Meme

2. Who owns the original clip?

The original Coughing Cat image was created by @idascreatures on Instagram, who photoshopped the cat’s face to look like it was coughing. Source: Know Your Meme

3. Can I use this meme for personal or commercial use?

You can use the meme for personal use, but for commercial use, you may need to seek permission from the original creator as it is copyrighted

#5 Conclusion

The Cat Coughing meme showcases just how easily an unexpected moment or gesture can become a symbol of internet meme culture. What started as a bizarre image of a cat accompanied by a ridiculously exaggerated cough has turned into yet another meme that resonates with a large audience. What makes animals how benchmarks for meme culture is how they can articulate such relatable emotions, be it confusion, surprise, or sheer frustration. This meme perfectly shows how humor transcends, and even a wheezing cat can become an icon of internet humor. Even as geek culture thrives, it is evident that animal memes will always remain an important element of internet culture’s ongoing maturation.