#LOLcats

The hashtag for internet’s first major meme format—cats with funny captions in broken English (“I Can Has Cheezburger?”). #LOLcats documented the birth of meme culture, image macros, and the internet’s enduring obsession with cats.

Quick Facts

Origin Story

LOLcats emerged from 4chan’s /b/ board around 2005-2006, evolving from “Caturday” tradition of posting cat pictures. The format combined cat photos with captions in “lolspeak”—intentionally broken English with phrases like “I can has,” “ur,” and “cheezburger.”

By 2007, LOLcats had escaped imageboards into mainstream internet culture. The website “I Can Has Cheezburger?” launched January 2007, curating and hosting LOLcat images. When hashtags emerged later that year, #LOLcats unified scattered cat meme discussions.

The format established template for internet humor:

• Image (usually cat in funny situation)
• Caption in distinct voice/dialect
• Shareable, remixable format
• Community participation in creation

LOLcats were democratized comedy. Anyone could make one. The low barrier to entry meant explosion of user-generated content. #LOLcats tracked this participatory culture as it evolved from niche internet joke to mainstream phenomenon.

The meme’s grammar (“I can has cheezburger?” instead of “Can I have cheeseburger?”) created distinct linguistic identity. Researchers studied “lolspeak” as example of internet language evolution and in-group signaling.

Timeline

2005-2006

• Caturday tradition on 4chan
• Early LOLcat images created and shared
• Format begins standardizing

2007-2008

• “I Can Has Cheezburger?” website launches (Jan 2007)
• #LOLcats emerges as hashtag
• Format goes viral, mainstream media coverage
• LOLcat Bible Translation Project begins
• Peak creativity and popularity

2009-2010

• Cheezburger Network expands to other meme sites
• LOLcat books published
• Format begins feeling dated as new memes emerge
• Criticism as “normie” humor

2011-2015

• Gradual decline as meme formats evolve
• Advice Animals (similar macro format) takes over
• Considered old-school internet humor
• Reddit becomes new meme hub

2016-Present

• Nostalgic references to early internet
• LOLcats seen as proto-meme
• Influence visible in modern meme culture
• Cat content thrives but format evolved

Cultural Impact

#LOLcats documented internet culture’s first major mainstream meme format. Before LOLcats, funny images circulated, but LOLcats created template: image + caption + distinct voice + participatory creation. This formula defined memes for next decade.

The hashtag tracked how internet humor went from subculture to mass culture. Your grandmother understanding “I Can Has Cheezburger?” marked internet’s maturation. LOLcats proved internet culture could cross demographic boundaries.

LOLcats established cats as internet’s unofficial mascot. The format predated but enabled YouTube cat videos, Grumpy Cat, Keyboard Cat, and endless feline content. Cat dominance of online spaces arguably started with LOLcats.

The meme demonstrated user-generated content’s power. I Can Has Cheezburger? received thousands of submissions daily. The Cheezburger Network expanded to 50+ sites, eventually selling for millions. LOLcats proved memes could be business.

Academically, LOLcats became case study in:

• Internet linguistics and language play
• Participatory culture and creativity
• Meme evolution and spread
• Digital folklore

The format’s decline illustrated meme lifecycle. What felt fresh in 2007 seemed cringeworthy by 2012. #LOLcats tracked both rise and obsolescence—important lesson about internet culture’s rapid turnover.

Notable Moments

• January 11, 2007: I Can Has Cheezburger? website launches
• 2007: “Happycat” (original I Can Has Cheezburger? image) goes viral
• 2008: LOLcat Bible Translation Project begins
• 2008: Time Magazine’s #50 Best Inventions includes LOLcats
• 2010: Multiple LOLcat books published
• 2016: I Can Has Cheezburger? still running, focused on nostalgia

Controversies

Image attribution: Most LOLcats used photos without permission. Photographers rarely credited or compensated, raising ethical questions about remix culture vs. copyright.

Mainstreaming criticism: As LOLcats went mainstream, early adopters abandoned format. Accusations of “selling out” and “normie” humor.

Linguistic concerns: Some worried lolspeak would degrade English, especially among young people. These fears proved unfounded.

Animal welfare: Some LOLcat images showed cats in stressful situations. Questions about exploiting animals for humor.

Commercial exploitation: Cheezburger Network’s monetization of user-generated content led to debates about who should profit from memes.

Variations & Related Tags

• #ICanHasCheezburger - Site-specific
• #CatMeme - Broader category
• #LOLspeak - Language-focused
• #Caturday - Original 4chan tradition
• #CatsOfTwitter / #CatsOfInstagram - Modern cat content
• #AdviceAnimals - Successor meme format

By The Numbers

• All-time usage: 500M+ posts across platforms (estimated)
• Peak usage: ~5M-10M posts monthly (2008-2010)
• Current usage: ~100K posts monthly (mostly nostalgic)
• I Can Has Cheezburger?: 50M+ monthly visitors at peak (2010)
• LOLcat images created: Estimated tens of millions
• Platform distribution: Originally imageboards/blogs, later Twitter (30%), Tumblr (40%), other (30%)

References

• LOLcat - Wikipedia
• I Can Has Cheezburger? - Know Your Meme
• The LOLcat Effect - Time Magazine
• Internet Linguistics: LOLspeak - Language Log

Last updated: February 2026