Social Media Digest

Feline frenzy

Cat memes have been popular worldwide for decades, but recently, cat meme videos have taken Chinese social media platforms by storm. These short clips often weave engaging narratives using adorable cat memes, sometimes blending in well-known dog or human memes.

On Feb 29, a single mother from Japan, who had been living in China for years, uploaded a lighthearted cat meme video about her evolving perspectives of the country.

Her account quickly gained traction as her followers grew from zero to 356,000 on Chinese video platform Bilibili. Since then, a growing number of people, many with little to no video editing experience, have started creating similar content.

On Douyin, the Chinese version of Tik-Tok, the cat meme hashtag has received over 70 million views. People make these videos to share both joyful moments as well as painful memories, which usually prompt other internet users to leave comments of encouragement while also sharing similar experiences.

The "cat meme narrative", with its distinct and captivating nature, caters to people's desire for a quick emotional resonance.

"We can find solace and bits of laughter in these videos, both through the stories themselves and the inclusion of those adorable furry cats," wrote a young Chinese netizen.