National Internet Cat Day
June 18
About National Internet Cat Day
National Internet Cat Day is celebrated on 18 June each year, honouring the cats who have captured hearts, sparked laughter, and built entire online communities across the internet. Established in memory of a beloved feline called President Bill Clinton the Cat, the day is a celebration of the unique relationship between cats and the internet — one of the most enduring and joyful phenomena of the digital age.
How to Celebrate National Internet Cat Day
There is no shortage of ways to mark 18 June in style. Here are some of the best:
- Share your favourite cat meme – Dig out your all-time favourite cat meme and post it on social media with #NationalInternetCatDay. Whether it’s Grumpy Cat, Nyan Cat, or a Keyboard Cat classic, there’s no wrong answer when it comes to cat content.
- Post a photo of your own cat – No cat is too ordinary for the internet. Cats in boxes, cats judging you from shelves, cats sitting on keyboards mid-meeting — every pose is valid. Post yours and join the global gallery of internet cat fame.
- Create a cat video – You don’t need sophisticated equipment. A short video of a cat playing, napping, or reacting to unusual sounds is all it takes. Upload it and see what happens. Every great internet cat started with a single upload.
- Watch cat content from the archives – Revisit the classics: the original Keyboard Cat video from 2007, Nyan Cat’s triumphant 2011 debut, or the thousands of videos that followed. YouTube’s cat content library is enormous and endlessly entertaining.
- Donate to a cat rescue organisation – The internet’s love of cats has raised significant funds for animal welfare. Use 18 June as an opportunity to donate to a local cat rescue, shelter, or TNR (trap-neuter-return) programme in the spirit of real-world impact behind the online fun.
- Attend or watch CatCon Worldwide – CatCon, an annual convention dedicated to cat culture, grew directly from the internet cat phenomenon. Check whether events are scheduled around National Internet Cat Day and join the community in person or online.
- Learn about a famous internet cat – Grumpy Cat, Lil Bub, Colonel Meow, Keyboard Cat, Nyan Cat: each has a fascinating story behind the viral fame. Spend 18 June getting to know one of them properly, beyond the meme.
- Tag a friend who needs cheering up – The research backs this up: viewing cat content online has measurable mood-boosting effects. Tag someone who could use a smile and send them a cat video. It counts as a public service.
What is National Internet Cat Day?
National Internet Cat Day is an annual observance held on 18 June, dedicated to the cats who have become global celebrities through the internet: the memes, the videos, the GIFs, and the social media accounts that have made felines the unofficial mascots of online culture. The day was founded by Kelly Wofford of LBK Wink in memory of her own internet cat, President Bill Clinton the Cat, who passed away on 18 June 2018. That date became the annual celebration in his honour. The day connects two genuine passions: the love of cats, and the internet’s extraordinary ability to turn that love into shared cultural moments on a global scale. For a broader look at feline appreciation online, you can also explore National Garfield the Cat Day on 19 June, which celebrates one of the most iconic fictional cats of all time.
When is National Internet Cat Day?
National Internet Cat Day falls on Thursday, 18 June 2026. The date is fixed to 18 June every year, chosen to honour the memory of President Bill Clinton the Cat, who died on that date in 2018.
The History of National Internet Cat Day
The story of internet cats begins well before the formal establishment of any awareness day. The relationship between cats and the internet is almost as old as the internet itself. By the mid-1990s, as email became mainstream, cat photos were already circulating among office workers looking for light relief. The arrival of broadband internet and YouTube in the mid-2000s transformed this quiet enthusiasm into something much larger.
The first cat video on YouTube is widely cited as “Pajamas and Nick Drake,” uploaded on 22 May 2005 by YouTube co-founder Steve Chen, featuring his cat Pajamas. By 2007, Keyboard Cat had arrived — originally filmed in 1984, the video of Fatso the cat appearing to play keyboard was uploaded to YouTube in June 2007 and became a defining early internet meme. In April 2011, Nyan Cat launched: an animated cat with a Pop-Tart body flying through space to a looping Japanese pop song, which went on to win a Webby Award for “Meme of the Year” in 2012. Grumpy Cat, born as Tardar Sauce, appeared on Reddit in 2012 and became a global phenomenon, spawning merchandise, a television film, and millions of memes.
By 2011, surveys suggested that cat content made up roughly 50 percent of all internet memes. The cultural weight of this was substantial enough to spawn CatCon Worldwide, a convention dedicated to cat culture, and Cats 24/7, a dedicated television channel. Various estimates put cat-related content among the most-watched video categories on YouTube, with billions of combined views across famous accounts and compilations.
National Internet Cat Day was established by Kelly Wofford, founder of LBK Wink, in memory of President Bill Clinton the Cat — her own beloved feline and, in her words, “the original Cyber-Feline.” When her cat died on 18 June 2018, she chose that date to mark the day annually, turning personal grief into a collective celebration of all the cats who bring joy through their online presence. The day pays tribute not just to famous meme cats, but to every owner who lovingly crafts content and shares their feline companion with the world.
Fun Facts About National Internet Cat Day
- The first cat video on YouTube, uploaded in May 2005 by YouTube co-founder Steve Chen, featured his own cat, Pajamas.
- Keyboard Cat is based on footage filmed in 1984 of a cat named Fatso, uploaded to YouTube in 2007 — making it one of the oldest memes with a pre-internet origin.
- Nyan Cat won a Webby Award for “Meme of the Year” in 2012, just one year after its April 2011 debut.
- Grumpy Cat’s iconic expression is due to feline dwarfism and an underbite — she became a global sensation after a Reddit post in 2012.
- A 2011 survey found that cat content accounted for approximately 50 percent of all internet memes — giving cats the unofficial title of “mascot of the internet.”
- Research published by Indiana University found that viewing cat content online measurably improved viewers’ moods and increased feelings of energy and positive emotions.
Why National Internet Cat Day Matters
National Internet Cat Day is, on one level, a joyful excuse to celebrate something that already brings millions of people daily pleasure. But it also points to something more substantial: the way cats have become a genuine shared language of the internet, crossing cultural and linguistic barriers to deliver moments of unexpected connection. For many people, internet cats have been a source of comfort during difficult periods. The day also serves as a reminder of the real cats behind the content, encouraging support for animal welfare alongside the online fun. Whether you celebrate with a meme or a donation to a cat rescue, 18 June is a day worth marking. Much like Cat World Domination Day on 24 June — another feline-themed celebration close in the calendar — it’s a moment to acknowledge that cats, on the internet at least, have already won.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is National Internet Cat Day?
National Internet Cat Day is an annual observance on 18 June celebrating the cats who have become famous through internet memes, videos, and social media. Founded by Kelly Wofford in memory of her cat President Bill Clinton the Cat, who died on 18 June 2018, the day honours the unique role of cats in shaping online culture.
When is National Internet Cat Day in 2026?
National Internet Cat Day falls on Thursday, 18 June 2026. The date is fixed to 18 June every year.
Who founded National Internet Cat Day?
National Internet Cat Day was founded by Kelly Wofford of LBK Wink, in memory of her cat President Bill Clinton the Cat, who passed away on 18 June 2018. The day was created to honour her own internet cat and all the felines who have brought joy to people through their online presence.
Spread the Word
Join the celebration on 18 June and share your best cat content using #NationalInternetCatDay and #NationalInternetCatDay2026. Tag your friends, challenge them to post their own internet cat moments, and help spread the joy that cats have brought to the web since its very early days. The internet will always be better with cats in it.
Related Awareness Days
- National Garfield the Cat Day – Observed on 19 June, just the day after National Internet Cat Day, this day celebrates the comic strip tabby who has been making people laugh since 1978.
- Cat World Domination Day – Celebrated on 24 June, this tongue-in-cheek observance leans fully into the idea that cats have already conquered the internet and are eyeing the rest of the world.
- International Box Day – Observed on 19 June, celebrating the timeless and inexplicable fact that cats will always choose to sit in boxes regardless of size, shape, or convenience.
Links
- Visit the official National Internet Cat Day page (LBK Wink)
- Explore more awareness days at AwarenessDays.com
Featured image: Photo by Lloyd Henneman on Unsplash.
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