Why cats are considered the “kings of the Internet”

Maybe the cats Don’t be man’s best friend. But it seems that, on the internet, no one collects so many pleases they like it: “cats” is one of the most searched terms and videos featuring felines add up thousands of millions of reproductionsmaking them the most popular category on social media.

Cat videos circulating on the web go viral in a few hours. The offer is very wide and millions of people consume them daily.

But it’s not just about content in audiovisual format: many people state – knowingly – that by uploading a photo of their cat they get many more interactions than with any other type of content.

A study conducted by Jessica Gall Myrick, professor at The Media School of Indiana University (USA), focuses on the responses of 7,000 people who surfs the internet to see this type of content.

Participants were asked whether these types of publications affected theirs Humor and how often they logged on to see these little animals.

The results were surprisingly positive. Respondents said they felt more energy and greater optimism after seeing one of the many videos of cute felines on social networks.

36% said they “unconditionally love” cats. Almost the 90% has ever had one as a pet and, on average, one in two feline owners has 2 of these pets in their home.

They reported decreased anxiety, irritation, and sadness after visiting their favorite Internet cats. They took it as a kind of daily therapywith several visits daily.

In her study, the professor examined the largest video network in the world, YouTube. More than 2 millions of cat videos are uploaded to that platform every year. With a total of 26 million visits they receive exclusively, above average.

Internet: cats vs. dogs

What isn’t explained is why the Internet is full of cats. Perhaps one of the reasons for this obsession is that, even today, cats are still mysterious and wild creatures.

I don’t like the dogsthat are domesticated and bred to meet the needs of protection or companionship, cats have domesticated themselves.

However, on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, dogs are posted and tagged just as frequently as cats. In fact, YouTube receives more searches for dogs than cats.

The most curious thing is that those who claim to consume this type of videothey don’t voluntarily go and look for it on the Internetbut they find it by accident, but they can’t stop clicking on the content.

However, Myrick goes further, believing that his studies are the beginning of an interesting field for the evaluation of these pets, as a therapy for panic disorder, depression and anxiety.

After living with humans for more than 9,000 years, scientists conclude that cats are only “semi-domesticated.” And they are much less studied than dogs, which is saying a lot his behavior remains a mystery.