Why the White Cat Meme Went Viral: The Story Behind Smudge and the Screaming Woman Format
The White Cat Meme, also known as Cat at Dinner Table or Smudge the Cat, consisting of a screeching woman and a confused white cat at a table, erupted onto the internet. Dubbed the “woman yelling at a cat” meme, this viral image combination quickly became one of the most widely recognized meme formats in recent history. But how did two entirely different images, one from reality television and the other from a Tumblr post, spawn one of the internet’s most iconic moments? Let’s dive in to find out the origins and context of the meme’s rise to fame.
#1 Who Is Smudge the Cat?
The white cat in the meme, Smudge, became an instant internet sensation. Smudge came to fame through a Tumblr post, taken at a dinner table, where the cat was baffled by a plate of vegetables. The post gained traction online, but gave the image new life when it was shared on Instagram, at the account: @smudge_lord.
When Smudge came onto the internet scene, his expression – wide-eyed and unbothered – offered the perfect contrast to the yelling lady which resonated with people seemingly validating all the chaos around us with the split second of a perfect “recorded” expression that the world was at that moment experiencing, or similar to it.
#2 Where Did the Screaming Woman Come From?
The screaming woman that appears in the meme pictured above, comes from a cast member of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Taylor Armstrong. The original photo was a screen shot taken during an emotional scene on this reality show in 2011 where apparently she was yelling at some of her co-stars. This moment struck a chord and was circulated as a meme template on the internet because of how viscerally she expressed anger and frustration.
If you put the original image of the apparent ‘screaming woman’ next to Smudge’s responding uninterested facial expression, it provides you with the perfect contrast of an emotional outburst from a woman next to a cool (unmoved) cat. Visual contrasts like this, when used together, provoke laughter because of the intensity of the screaming woman and the indifferent, unimpressed cat.
#3 What is The Meme’s True Origins and Rise?
The popular “woman yelling at a cat” meme is actually a combination of two different memes together. The image of the confused, white cat – now known as “Smudge” – was first published by a Tumblr user deadbefordeath on June 19, 2018 with the caption “he no like vegetals.” The yelling person came from a 2011 episode of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills featuring Taylor Armstrong crying.
The meme format we all know, using Armstrong’s yelling and Smudge’s confused look, really began to thrive in May of 2019 when a Reddit user combined them into one. The contrast of human emotion and a cat looking confused made it accessible, and endlessly creative, the key components to its viral appearance across social media.
#4 Why Did the Meme Go Viral?
The White Cat Meme’s virality can be attributed to a combination of relatable humor and visual contrast. The meme invokes an all-too-familiar interaction: the conflicting feelings of being overwhelmed or frustrated (the woman) contrasted immediately with calmness or indifference (Smudge). This allows for the contrasting feelings to work in unison together and offers a range of interpretations. This allow it to stay current and easily show all sorts of personal frustrations, conflicting feelings and biases, or just being downright confused in an humorous and digestible way.
Since it was universal, the format of the meme allowed for movement from topics of awkwardness to current events and celebrities making it the ideal format for anyone creating a meme. The White Cat Meme also displays how comedy is able to serve two functions in digital culture, both the shortened emotional connection and form of cultural comment, allowing memes and memes to allow people to laugh at life’s little frustrations.
#5 FAQs About the Smudge Meme
1. Is Smudge still alive and active online?
Yes! Smudge is very much alive and continues to be an active presence on Instagram (@smudge_lord), where he engages with his loyal fanbase.
2. Who created the original meme?
The original meme was created by a Reddit user who combined the image of Smudge the cat and Taylor Armstrong’s screaming face in May 2019.
3. What makes a meme format stick?
A meme format sticks because it is relatable, flexible, and easy to adapt. The contrast between two different images or ideas, like Smudge and the screaming woman, creates a universal appeal that allows people to apply the format to various situations.
#6 Conclusion
The White Cat Meme and its legendary duo—Smudge the cat and the screaming woman—are unique beyond being another viral image. They are an example of the weird magic of internet humor: two unrelated images coming together to create something unanticipatedly iconic. Likewise, through contrast and relatability, it is apparent that the White Cat Meme represents the idea that Internet humor can close emotional spaces and create common connections to shared experiences.
Smudge and the screaming woman have grown beyond being faces—they are representatives of modern communication (both human and cat), and growing digital culture.
