Sad Cat Meme Explained: Why Everyone Relates to This Crying Kitty

The sad cat meme shows a crying kitty with teary eyes and a gloomy face. It’s funny, emotional, and somehow very real. People use this meme when they feel overwhelmed, sarcastically sad, or quietly disappointed.

This meme has become one of the most relatable and reused reaction images on the internet—especially on TikTok, Reddit, and Twitter.

sad-kitten-with-teary-eyes-looking-up Sad Cat Meme Explained: Why Everyone Relates to This Crying Kitty
The sad cat meme drew its inspiration from the serious cat meme. Image credit: knowyourmeme.com

What Is the Sad Cat Meme?

The sad cat meme is an edited image of a cat with visible tears and a frowning face. It looks like the cat is about to cry. The emotion it shows is often used to exaggerate human sadness or disappointment.

It belongs to a meme category called “reaction images,” used to answer messages or posts in a dramatic or funny way.

Where Did the Sad Cat Meme Come From?

In 2014, a user from Meme Generator created the first sad cat meme. They added tears to the original “serious cat” meme using Photoshop. This simple edit gave the cat a deeply emotional look.

Soon, the internet ran with it. Users edited dozens of cat images with the same sad expression. Reddit threads, meme blogs, and Twitter timelines started featuring these crying cats.

TikTok Made It Even Bigger

In 2023, a TikTok user named @birdbirdcat posted a video of a real sad-looking cat meowing. The clip went viral fast, and people started using the cat’s dramatic cry in short videos to show emotional breakdowns, fake arguments, or humorous sadness.

The sad cat dance meme and sad cat song meme trends followed, syncing the crying kitty with music and captions that made people laugh—and sometimes cry.

Why People Relate to the Sad Cat Meme

This meme works because cats naturally show expressive faces. When edited to look sad, they mirror how people feel inside—even when pretending to be fine.

People use it for:

  • Jokes about school or work stress
  • Reactions to emotional moments
  • Mocking their own vulnerability
  • Sharing relatable sadness with others

The meme says, “I’m not okay, but I’m laughing about it.”

wet-shower-cat-meme-with-depressed-expression Sad Cat Meme Explained: Why Everyone Relates to This Crying Kitty
wet shower cat meme with depressed expression. Image credit: imgflip.com/

Popular Variants of the Sad Cat Meme

Here are some of the most viral versions of the sad cat meme:

  • Crying Cat Meme – The classic photo with tears
  • Thumbs Up Cat Meme – Sad cat giving a thumbs up (fake positivity)
  • Shower Cat Meme – Cat looks wet, broken, and emotional
  • Sad Cat Meowing—Video clips with desperate cries
  • Disappointed Cat – Looks frustrated or let down
  • Teary-Eyed Kitten—A baby cat looking like it’s about to cry

Each version adds a new twist to the same core emotion.

Sad Cat Meme in Pop Culture

The meme appears in:

  • TikTok videos and remixes
  • Instagram reels and reaction stories
  • Meme merchandise like shirts, mugs, and posters
  • YouTube compilations of the “saddest cat reactions”

It has become a symbol for internet feelings—sad, dramatic, and funny all at once.

FAQs About the Sad Cat Meme

Who created the sad cat meme?

It was made in 2014 by an anonymous Meme Generator user.

Why does the cat look so emotional?

Photoshop edits add realistic tears and sad expressions to normal cat photos.

Is the meme a real photo?

Yes, the cat is real—but the tears are fake.

What is the sad cat song on TikTok?

It’s a viral sound used in videos where the sad cat appears to cry to music.

Final Thoughts

The sad cat meme took a simple idea—a crying kitty—and turned it into a global emotion. Whether you laugh at it or feel it deeply, this meme proves that even cats can capture human feelings.

It’s funny, it’s sad, and it’s here to stay.

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