CAROLINE DAVIS
WRITER, ARTIST, COMEDIAN
An Online Community Of Cat Lovers
By Caroline Davis
Ever since the advent of the internet, there’s been one consistent bright spot: cat pictures. What once started as a popular meme format has blossomed into a supportive community on X (formerly Twitter), affectionately known as Cat Twitter. (It is important to note that Cat Twitter participants have intentionally refrained from renaming themselves to fit the platform’s updated name, X.)
Cat Twitter is an ecosystem of its own, with inside jokes, weekly trends, and even its own dialect known as "Catspeak.” There’s no real organization to Cat Twitter, but many members join the community the same way: it starts with following one cat, and then another, and then another… and then all of a sudden, you are fully immersed. Many people find their way to Cat Twitter courtesy of one popular internet cat known as Monkey. In fact, that's how I found my way there in 2025 when I first made an account for my cat Marble, and I'm far from the only one with that story.
Meet the Cats
Cat Twitter is a sprawling community with too many cats to list - but it's time to meet the cats featured in this article. Click each photo to learn more and to find a link to their X account!
“I saw Monkey, she was the first cat I saw, and I was like, ‘Hell yeah. Awesome Cat.’ And I thought that was so fun,” said Bella, one of Divine’s moms. “I was taking five million photos of Divine every day, and I was like, ‘Well, these have to go somewhere.’ So, you know… what better place would there be?”
Once you start following cat accounts, X’s algorithm will suggest more and more, making it easy to find your spot in the community. In the blink of an eye, your entire timeline can turn into cat photos.
On the surface, it is a fun little corner of the internet where you can spend hours scrolling through adorable cat photos. But Cat Twitter goes beyond that; the humans behind these accounts have formed a strong community. Sure, a lot of the communication is done through the point of view of a cat, but Cat Twitter has evolved into a tangible support network and a legitimate centerpoint for friendships.
A Digital Safehaven
In a time when the internet is overrun with so much toxicity, it can be easy to write off social media and overlook the positive aspects that can come from online communities. From a psychological perspective, being part of an online community can provide emotional support and connection that someone might not be receiving in other areas of their life. It's less intimidating and oftentimes more accessible to make friends online.
“Online, I find that communities are a lot easier to find and engage with,” said Winnie, who runs Pearl Grey's account.
One of the greatest things about the internet is the ability to connect people and provide them with a network of support. Cat Twitter is a beautiful example of that.
“Just showing that there are other ways to care about each other is so important in non-physical communities,” said Jay, the human behind Vinny's account. “Thinking of ways that we can support each other is just so much more creative and collaborative.”
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This doesn’t mean there isn’t still an overwhelming amount of negativity online. But Cat Twitter participant BrainyViolinist sees the community as an escape from the vitriol. “It’s just like these little bursts of niceness and hope,” she said, reflecting on how comforting it can be to see photos of cute creatures in a place that might not always be so happy.
X itself is known as a platform ripe with hatred. Following Elon Musk’s purchase of the platform in 2022, there was a substantial spike in hate speech found on X, which was still named Twitter at the time of this study. There was also a significant increase in the amount of likes received by posts with hate speech, which indicates that more users were being exposed to this rhetoric. On a site so saturated with negativity, it can be difficult to find bright spots.
“Cat Twitter is one of the only spaces left on Twitter that doesn’t really get racist or political or there’s not a lot of hate going around,” said Kimi, the human behind Gasket’s account. “It feels like a safe space and a safe community.”
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Regardless of what is happening in the world, it’s very clear that Cat Twitter provides a place that feels comforting and validating. “It makes you feel like you’re less alone in loving these creatures that live in our homes,” said Dijah, Kobert’s human.
“Not only can you see the immense power in that community, but it’s also like, this is actually real, this is a real connection,” said Magdalena, whose cat passed away in 2020 (which is referred to as “going over the rainbow” on Cat Twitter). After her cat Nessie went over the rainbow, Magdalena stuck around on Cat Twitter because of the community. “It is something that truly brings meaning to your life.”
Intentional Inclusivity
Cat Twitter is a lovely place where all are welcome. It’s not a requirement that you have a pet to participate, and it’s not even a requirement that your pet is a cat. Anyone who loves cats is welcomed with open arms. But there is one place where a line is drawn: there is no space for bigots on Cat Twitter.
These rules are unofficial and self-enforced, but fortunately, those with offensive viewpoints are quickly shunned from Cat Twitter.
“Pretty much everyone is in agreement that you’re actually not welcome if you are spewing things towards certain accounts,” said Magdalena. These unofficial-but-official rules help with keeping the community safe for marginalized groups to participate in openly.
The community provides an accepting environment where you can be yourself without fear of rejection from other cat accounts. One common response to being followed by an account that supports hateful ideologies is to make a post declaring the account's views, similar to what Gasket has done. This helps keep the community inclusive and welcoming, because those with opposing views often see themselves out.
“Divine has two lesbian moms, and I have that in her bio, and I’m like, you know, you get a little nervous anytime you mention being gay at all anywhere,” said Bella. “And it’s never been an issue ever. And so that’s super great to see.”
Even with the fear of receiving hateful messages, Cat Twitter proves itself to be a safe and reliable place for queer participants, as there is a genuine feeling of love and acceptance for everyone.
Validity Through Visibility
Because Cat Twitter is focused on the cats and not the humans behind the accounts, it is not a necessity to divulge any personal information. Despite that, many accounts feel they can share pieces of themselves through their accounts due to the safety net the community provides. “Until the account owner shares parts of themselves, their identities, we don’t see that side unless they want to share it,” BrainyViolinist said. “So I feel like there can also be this level of security, safety.”
Cat Twitter provides its participants with the opportunity to be themselves unapologetically, and because of this, members are able to find comfort and validation through seeing other people like them. “You know, it’s just good to see people living like you, and you know, gay people out in the world with their cats and it’s just kind of like a really nice sense of community,” said Bella, one of Divine’s moms.
“I do think that it is a safe space to be who you truly are and know that you are accepted,” said Magdalena. “And I think that’s really important, just for your own identity and your expression and your well-being.”
There is a remarkable amount of diversity across the accounts on Cat Twitter, as the community spans the entire globe.
“I see people from all races, religions, um I see trans people, cis people, hetero people, gay people,” Kimi, Gasket's parent, said. “I see all of them, and everybody feels the same love because it’s not about any of that. It’s about your pets and how cute they are.”
Welcoming But Not Immune
While many accounts feel they are safe to share their opinions, it does not come without the risk of backlash from hateful accounts on X.
“I get a lot of, like, ‘You’re transing your cat.’ My real life cousin doesn’t talk to me because I transed my cat,” said Vinny's dad Jay, referring to the trans pride bowtie that Vinny wears.
“People get very mad that there’s a cat in support of trans rights that visibly wears a trans flag bowtie, and he’s gotten so much hate. It’s very funny,” Jay continued. “It’s funny because he’s sitting on a banana bed. He doesn’t give a shit.”
This is perhaps the best way to combat any hatred received – simply laughing it off. Because at the end of the day, the idea of sending hate to a cat account is kind of silly.
But even so, being a part of Cat Twitter gives you a strong support network for when hate is received. “If someone starts trash talking someone, you have 50 cats in that thread. You have a gang behind you, truly sticking up for you,” said Magdalena. “They are going to war with you and for you, and you’re doing it back.”
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It's this sense of solidarity that really makes the community feel tangible.
Fortunately, Cat Twitter seems able to exist largely in its own bubble. “It's pretty well insulated,” said Claude, who runs Norberg and Pigeon's account. “There’s a lot of people in it, but also, mostly people feel pretty normal and well behaved.”
However, all of the normal dangers of an online community can be found within Cat Twitter as well. “It’s such a close community, but it’s such an online and addictive community,” Jay said. “It’s so alluring and so addicting almost that people forget that you have to be human. The humanity of daily life often gets lost.”
No online community is going to be completely invulnerable to the darker sides of the internet. Fortunately, this is not something everyone has experienced. The community as a whole is overwhelmingly positive, providing an escape for participants and outside viewers alike.
“I feel like the community seems to be more empathetic and supportive than most that I’ve seen,” Claude said.
Another drawback of being on X is the blue check system. Following Musk’s purchase of the platform in 2022, he swiftly introduced a new feature in which users could buy premium subscriptions, thus granting them a blue check and allowing them to monetize their posts.
Because of this, so-called blue check accounts will steal popular photos and posts from cat accounts and repost them word for word in an attempt to get a payout from someone else’s cute cat photo.
This takes away from the authenticity of Cat Twitter, which is a place where people can share photos of their cat for no monetary gain. Turning it into a profit-inducing system threatens the wholesome nature of the community. Fortunately, the vast majority of Cat Twitter accounts continue to post for the love of the game rather than for the profit.
“It’s more of an internet issue than a Cat Twitter issue”
Despite all of its pros, Cat Twitter is not immune to the harmful symptoms of being online, and not all of the hate comes from outside sources.
“I think what I feel the most is when it’s our own community,” said Magdalena. “That’s actually harder than just the fringe.”
“You have a cat and an owner, you’ve been in a community for 3 years, and then they start doing really bigoted things, and you’re like, ‘Wow, I really didn’t expect that,’” Magdalena added.
There are certainly situations where it is revealed that someone might not be quite as accepting as previously thought. But when that happens, everyone is pretty clear on where they stand.
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“When an account owner does decide to divulge parts of their identity or causes that they stand for, it’s like, ‘You originally follow because you like my cat, but if you want to continue following me, then you also have to stand for what I stand for,’” Cat Twitter participant BrainyViolinist said. “It’s normally been a very respectable, welcoming, open space.”
The problems that pop up on Cat Twitter are not unique to this community; oftentimes, these obstacles are symptoms of being online.
“It’s more of an internet issue than a Cat Twitter issue, but I think that allowing for nuance of identity and allowing people to grow is needed,” said Jay.
“What does it mean to be part of a community that is built off of such innate care? That when harm is introduced to the community, you still have to move forward,” Jay said. “And you want to minimize the harm to every party, including the person that’s seen as the perpetrator.”
A Wholesome Cat-mmunity
The people on Cat Twitter are what make it into such a safe place to exist. It brings together humans across the globe, allowing them to bond over a shared love of pets. It's a joyful way to find some escape from everyday life, and even sometimes a way to find an escape from the negative content on X.
“I’m kind of scared of the internet a little bit, but Cat Twitter was very welcoming,” said Claude, the human behind Norberg and Pigeon. “It just means so much to me, just as a beautiful, supportive place.”