Lolcat facts for kids

A common lolcat. The words "I are crying cuz I are out of focuss" show the funny language often used.

A lolcat with a simple, funny caption.

Another example of a lolcat.

A lolcat is a picture of a cat with a funny message, called a caption. These captions often use silly or "bad" English on purpose. The word "lolcat" comes from "lol" (which means "laughing out loud") and "cat."

Lolcats are a type of image macro. This means they are pictures with text added to them, usually for humor. People started noticing lolcats around 2006. They became very popular on the Internet.

What is a Lolcat?

Lolcats are usually photos of cats doing something funny or unusual. The captions are often written in large, simple letters (called sans serif letters). Sometimes, people use computer programs to change the pictures a little bit to make them even funnier.

The language used in lolcat captions is often called "lolspeak." It uses misspelled words, strange grammar, and internet slang. This makes the captions sound silly and adds to the humor.

Types of Lolcats

There are many different kinds of lolcats, often called "memes." Each one has its own special idea or phrase. Some famous examples include:

• Ceiling Cat: This meme shows a cat looking down from a hole in the ceiling, as if watching people.
• Monorail Cat: This one features a cat stretching out on a fence or railing, looking like a monorail train.
• 'I Can Has Cheezburger?': This is one of the most famous lolcat phrases. It shows a cat looking like it's asking for a cheeseburger. This phrase even inspired a popular website for lolcats.

These different types of lolcats show how creative and funny people can be with cat pictures and simple words.

How Lolcats Became Popular

Lolcats first became widely known on online forums and image boards, like 4chan. People would share funny cat pictures with captions, and others would create their own. The idea spread quickly because they were easy to understand and share.

The humor in lolcats comes from the unexpected things cats do and the funny ways their "thoughts" are written. They became a big part of early internet culture and helped show how pictures and text could be combined to create new kinds of jokes.

Images for kids

• 

  A 1905 cat postcard by Harry Whittier Frees, showing that funny cat pictures have been around for a long time.

• 

  A lolcat image using the "I'm in ur..." format, which was another popular type of lolcat meme.

See also

In Spanish: Lolcat para niños