How dogs usurping cats signals a worrying professionalisation of the internet

Why has the internet suddenly switched its allegiance from cats to dogs and what does this tell us about the changing nature of the internet?

Source: The New York Times

I am a friend to all internet animals. The excitable turtle who head-butts the aquarium glass. The horny sloth who embarks on a slow aquatic journey in search of a mate. The elusive Utah “goat-man” who dresses as a goat and lives among a wild herd. All are welcome on my feeds.

It used to be that the house cat was the unqualified mascot of being online. But lately, dogs are taking over. In viral memes and YouTube videos, cats are slinking into the background. In their place, very good boys abound. It all amounts to an adorable existential crisis for internet culture. Watch the video above to see what I mean.

In their platonic online forms, cats are individualistic, aloof, extremely spooky. Dogs are loyal, happy-go-lucky, not very spooky at all. Keen observers of the critternet have been charting the rise of dogs and the downfall of cats for months, each proffering their own theories about the power struggle. The Outline’s Owen Phillips has called it “a byproduct of the shifting demographics of the internet” from nerdy cat people to mainstream dog types. The BBC’s Dave Lee posited that dogs supply “a much-needed diversion from the humourless drudgery that makes up much of the modern social web.” And Salon’s Keith Spencer places the blame squarely on President Trump, “the big orange tabby — er, politician — in the room.” Me-ow.

For those just in it for the fur, here’s a guide to internet stalking the pets featured in this episode: The Instagram pages of Maru the dog and Maruthe cat; the Facebook presence of Lil Bub; the Instagram account Rosie the “adventure cat” shares with her constant companion Lilo the Husky (a borderline crime against nature); Twitter’s WeRateDogs and Black Metal Cats; the Instagram pages of Marnie the Dog, Menswear Dog, and Doug the Pug; and the cat massage lady video. Now, steal away with me to this Japanese island ruled by cats.

MEET AUSTRALIA'S MASTER GROOMERS Master groomer Australia