This year, we’ve really seen it all. From the US Embassy’s accidental ‘cat in pyjamas’ email going viral, to Snapchat releasing it’s very fur-real kitty filters. We have to say, that even as cat lovers ourselves, we are slightly perplexed as to how these four-legged furries have made such an impact on 2018. Nevertheless, here are our top social media cat trends and viral stories of the year.

That ‘accidental’ Email

It was only a couple of weeks ago, that the US Embassy in Australia made a vital error when sending out an important meeting request. The email featured a very happy-looking cat dressed up in Cookie Monster pyjamas, and was captioned ‘Cat Pajama-Jam’.

The email and its contents soon went viral across a variety of news platforms and social media platforms, though we can’t help thinking that there may be something fishy going on here. Especially as the picture itself, belongs to and was taken by a well-known Australian Instagrammer, Jennifer Stewart, who manages @my_furry_babies . Though her response during the following days expressed extreme sadness that the Pajama-Jam would no longer be taking place. What do you think; simple mistake or clever PR stunt?

Snap ‘cat’ Filters

Known for their vast array of filters, Snapchat has ventured into the world of cats. They announced the launch of this new set of filters meaning that you can now dress your cat up (virtually, of course) in everything from Unicorn Horns to pieces of bread. The trend of cat filters has since gone viral on social media, with 42,000 people already using the hashtag #catfilter on Instagram.

It may seem like a random move for Snapchat, however, their recent fall in followers, (over 3 million in 3 months) shows that something radical needed to be done to help them get back onto their feet. What do you think of the new cat filters, and do you think it will help Snapchat in the long run?

Cat Social Media Accounts

According to recent research, around 1 in 10 people in the UK have created social media accounts specifically for their pets. Additionally, a company in Russia are setting up a platform that will specifically allow pets and their owners to update the world on their day-to-day activities.

There are now thousands of cat accounts across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, Some of who will definitely have more followers than you. Take Winston Smushface, for example, a very fluffy ginger and ever so slightly miserable-looking cat who resides in Australia. He has 44,500 followers (approximately 148 times more than me, a human).

So what’s going on? Why are we being bombarded with #everythingcat? There are a couple of theories surrounding this, but the most obvious is that in a modern world, we turn away from reality and towards cute cats, essentially using social media as an escape.

They help us to beat the blues by simply being themselves. Additionally, cats are a very expressive animal, as compared to other pets, such as dogs and therefore more amusing to watch. So we recommend you go ahead and accept your crazy cat obsession, just as 2018 has.