Huh Cat with a confused expression
The Huh Cat meme has become a prevalent video format online, instantly recognizable for its depiction of a bewildered cat uttering a questioning “huh?” sound. This meme, featuring a cat with wide eyes and an open mouth, perfectly captures the universal feeling of confusion and shock. Originating on TikTok in early 2023, the Huh Cat is frequently used in object-labeling memes to illustrate moments of disorientation and bewilderment. It’s a simple yet highly relatable way to express “I don’t understand” in the digital age.
About the Huh Cat Meme
The core of the Huh Cat meme revolves around a short video clip of a cat looking particularly confused. This feline’s exaggerated expression, coupled with the “huh?” sound, resonates widely across the internet. Often employed as an exploitable template, the meme’s versatility lies in its ability to be adapted to countless scenarios. By adding object labels to the image or video, creators can use the Huh Cat to represent their own feelings of confusion in various relatable situations, from navigating complex instructions to encountering unexpected news. The meme’s simplicity and universal relatability have contributed to its rapid spread and integration into internet culture.
Origin of the Confused Cat
The star of the Huh Cat meme is actually named Ben Cat, a beloved pet owned by the TikTok user @planetvenus500. @planetvenus500 is known for posting charming videos of their notably chubby cat. While the meme gained traction in 2023, the original video of Ben Cat dates back to September 2021. This initial post, later deleted but reposted on February 12th, 2023, captured Ben Cat meowing for food. This particular video clip (as seen below) is the source of the now-iconic Huh Cat meme, amassing over 2 million views and 332,000 likes within just two months of its re-upload, demonstrating the inherent appeal of Ben Cat’s expressive face.
@planetvenus500 Replying to @nyippaa #benderchonkycat#original ♬ original sound – BenChonkyCat
Interestingly, early meme adaptations of Ben Cat’s video appeared within the Russian TikTok community as early as September 2021. A TikTok user, @aromobar, posted a video on September 24th, 2021, featuring overlay text designed to complement the cat’s confused expressions. This early example (shown below, left) garnered over 2.4 million views and 80,000 likes in two years, highlighting the meme’s initial appeal. Shortly after, on October 3rd, 2021, TikTok user @planeta_belki utilized the meowing cat video as a reaction, posting it as a reaction video (shown below, right). This also proved popular, achieving more than 3 million views and 231,000 likes in the same two-year period, further cementing the video’s potential as a reaction meme.
@aromobar И такое бывает😂 ДЕУОЧКИ, У нас только 100% ОРИГИНАЛ⚡️ по самой низкой цене! Ниже уже некуда😱😱😱 #требовательныйкот #коттикток #жирныйкот ♬ оригинальный звук – AromoBar
@planeta_belki 😻 #bendercat #бендер #котмем #коткиваетголовой #котмяукает #котмяукаетикиваетголовой ♬ оригинальный звук – Ирина
Spread of the Huh Cat Meme
The Huh Cat meme truly began to take off on December 8th, 2022, when TikTok user @21pamix posted a video incorporating the now-signature “huh?” sound effect to Ben Cat’s meow. This addition was key to the meme’s virality, perfectly syncing the sound with the cat’s already confused expression. This video (shown below, left) quickly gained traction, accumulating approximately 135,000 views and 5,000 likes within a year, signaling the meme’s growing popularity. The meme experienced a significant surge in popularity on May 11th, 2023, when TikTok user @nyc.jav3 shared a new viral iteration of the “huh?” sound meme video (shown below, right). This particular post exploded, amassing over 1.7 million views and 135,000 likes in just six months, firmly establishing the Huh Cat as a mainstream internet meme format.
@21pamix Huh?#foryou #minecraft #huh #cat #meme ♬ original sound – Parsa
Related Memes: Rambling Goat and Huh Cat
The Huh Cat meme has also evolved and merged with other internet trends, leading to related meme formats such as Rambling Goat and Huh Cat. This particular meme combination, often referred to as Goat Cat Huh, utilizes both the confused cat video and a video of a goat making nonsensical noises. The combination creates a powerful object-labeling meme template, perfectly expressing extreme confusion or incomprehension. A popular example, posted by TikTok user @takutyan_ut on October 7th, 2023, illustrates this point effectively. The video (shown below) humorously depicts a Japanese person’s first experience in London and their struggle to understand spoken English. This meme resonated strongly, quickly accumulating over 2 million views and 298,000 likes within a week, demonstrating the comedic power of combining the Huh Cat with other confused animal sounds.
takutyan_ut#Meme #huhcat #English #Japan #british ♬ オリジナル楽曲 – 東大卒ふつうのひと@ちいかわ大好き – Super Elite 東大卒ふつうのひと@ちいかわ大好き
Various Examples of the Huh Cat Meme
The versatility of the Huh Cat meme is evident in its diverse applications across the internet. From expressing confusion about complex movie plots to reacting to bizarre or unexpected situations, the meme seamlessly integrates into numerous contexts. Below are further examples showcasing the range and adaptability of the Huh Cat in popular online culture.
@forever_lonely_lizzy #jigsaw #saw #huhcatmeme #fyp #comedy #catsoftiktok ♬ Saw Theme (Hello Zepp) – Metal Version – Dad Metal
@chu_gomikasudegomenn_ huh?cat 素材です#catmeme #goat #greenscreen #fyp #何言ってんのこいつ ♬ オリジナル楽曲 – ななす – あせるなくす
@planetvenus500 #benderchonkycat#huhcatmeme ♬ original sound – BenChonkyCat
@boojenny02 #CapCut #meme #MemeCut #huhcat #huhcatmeme ♬ HUUUUUUUH – ⚡️SpeedSong⚡️
Search Interest
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External References
[1] TikTok – planetvenus500
[2] TikTok – 21pamix
[3] TikTok – nyc.jav3
[4] TikTok – takutyan_ut
[5] TikTok – aromobar
[6] TikTok – planeta_belki
