What makes a cat video so popular? When clicking on the video tab at the end of any given day’s trending on Twitter or Facebook, what do you see? Have you seen one of the many cat videos that have become a viral phenomenon? You can see cats doing anything and everything. You see their funny faces, their adorable antics, and their curious yet cautious behavior with research showing that watching cat videos may even have therapeutic benefits. Cat videos are everywhere, so why is this the case? Why are cat videos so popular? How many cat videos are there? And what are the therapeutic benefits of cat videos?
According to Tubular Insights, there are 2 million videos, and over 25 billion views of these cute fluff balls that rule our life. However as a data nerd, I wanted to get some current live stats on how many cat videos there are, after unsuccessfully discovering any dedicated analytics site to view youtube stats specifically (Heads up digital content brands – there’s a niche market for you.), So how many cat videos are on youtube? I typed ‘cat video’ into Google, clicked the sub section, ‘video’ (Der.), and the SERP displayed About 897,000,000 results (0.45 seconds). That’s over 8 million cat videos at the time of publication. This result is not related to youtube alone, and I am guessing not every result has a cat video linked, especially if you understand how SEO works. It is, however, a useful tool you can use to find out how many cat videos are on the internet, at any given time, and the ‘video’ results tab had multiple youtube videos in the top results.
On youtube, my own “shorts” cat video garnered over 2.4 thousand views within a week of uploading it. I have a few others, however that one has been the most popular. My image for this site is a photo of my own cat, Misty, that I edited a flower crown onto. This is how much an effect cats have on us. And to be fair, I was not ‘always’ a cat person, I had a Pit bull terrier for several years, and during and after had a few cats bestowed upon me, and I have had psychic connections with each of them, although with Misty, my current feline, the bond is undeniable. She has a dog-like personality, is playful, humorous, and silly, but is incredibly caring towards me when I am sick. She knows when somethings’ up and will not leave my side until she is assured I am fine.
But why do cat videos make us feel good? To understand this, we will need to look at the therapeutic benefits of cats to start with. Cat therapy, not to be confused with Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT), which is an integrated, time-limited therapy that was originally developed by Dr Anthony Ryle in the UK, US Service Animals state (Therapy.) cats “provide emotional comfort to those who need it due to the human bonds that develop.”
(Not all.) “cats use this bond to heal and alleviate pain, loneliness, or anxiety. It can be incredibly soothing to hold and pet a cat, to feel it purr and enjoy touch.” They can assist in “fighting depression and anxiety disorders as these issues are often associated with feelings of loneliness, hopelessness, social anxiety, and fear.”
My cat also makes me feel better if I am struggling with a work situation or have had a difficult day. She is there, at the end of my bed where the fluffy blanket is, letting me give her a cuddle after a trying time. But what about those that do not have a cat, or don’t know someone with a cat? This is where cat videos become a therapy tool. There are those occasions when my daughter will randomly send me a cat video, and we watch them together having massive laughing fits watching their antics, which helps alleviate any stress or depression that may have developed during my 9 – 5 days.
Well now, my coffee has gone cold whilst problem solving my research dilemma at the conclusion of this piece. However, it is showing that cat videos are popular for a reason. They make us feel good. And as more people watch them, we are learning that cat videos may have therapeutic potential, too. So, the next time you find yourself watching a cat video (or 10), do not feel guilty — enjoy it! At the end of the day though, cat videos are just a lot of fun and so heckin cute. And if you know someone who could use a little cheering up, share one of your favorite feline videos with them. You never know, it might just make their day. What do you think? Do you agree that cat videos make us happy? Why or why not?
Starah 
This is great. I agress cats are special creatures for us.
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