Not many reaction images get around as much as the crying cat meme. One teary-eyed photo spun off into hundreds of variations, and now it shows up everywhere — comment sections, group chats, captions for a rough Monday or genuinely bad news. Here's where crying cat memes came from, ten formats people actually use, and how to put together your own crying cat GIF or video with a crying cat meme maker.
Crying Cat Meme: Origin, Spread, and Meaning Explained
- What Is the Crying Cat Meme: A photoshopped cat photo with huge, glassy, tear-filled eyes, used to play up sadness, exhaustion, or mock despair over something small.
- What's the Origin of Crying Cat: It goes back to a 2014 post on a meme-generator site — an edited take on the older "Serious Cat" photo. It didn't really take off until a couple of years later, spreading across Reddit, Facebook, and 4chan under captions like "sad react only."
- Why Is It So Popular: Cats already run the internet, and those exaggerated eyes read instantly — whether someone's after real sympathy or just an easy joke.
10 Popular Crying Cat Meme Formats and When to Use Them
1 The Classic Crying Cat
The original format: one cat face, giant wet eyes, nothing else added — no props, no background gag, just the raw expression carrying the whole joke.
When to use: a simple, understated "I'm not okay but I'm fine" for something mildly disappointing.
2 Angry Crying Cat
Big tears, wide eyes, and pure emotional chaos, this cat looks completely defeated by one final frustrating moment.
When to use: “I cannot deal with this anymore” when frustration has officially reached its breaking point.
3 Crying Cat with Thumbs Up
Same teary-eyed cat, thumbs up added — visible sadness paired with forced approval, like a smile through gritted teeth turned into a photo.
When to use: "I hate this but I'll do it anyway" energy — deadlines, chores, plans nobody wanted.
4 Screaming Crying Cat
A louder version — mouth wide open mid-wail instead of a quiet tear, more meltdown than mild inconvenience.
When to use: save it for the truly overwhelming stuff, like finals week or one too many tech failures.
5 Crying Cat Behind a Screen
The cat peeking out, teary, from behind a laptop, curtain, or door frame, like it's watching something unfold and doesn't want to get involved.
When to use: "watching this unfold from a safe distance" — drama you're not actually part of.
6 Crying Cat with Teddy Bear
Clutching a teddy bear while crying quietly, this cat captures the feeling of needing comfort but not knowing how to ask for it.
When to use: “I need a hug right now” during lonely, vulnerable, or emotionally exhausting moments.
7 Crying Cat in a Blanket
Wrapped tight in a blanket, only the wet eyes showing, the visual equivalent of pulling the covers over your head and refusing to deal with anything.
When to use: "hiding from the world today" — calling in sick, dodging responsibilities.
8 Banana Crying Cat
Dressed as a banana and crying dramatically, this ridiculous image turns ordinary disappointment into something wonderfully absurd and unforgettable.
When to use: “This is the worst thing ever” after a small problem feels ridiculously devastating.
9 Crying Cat Standing Up
Standing upright with tears streaming down its face, this kitten looks helpless, heartbroken, and desperate for someone to understand.
When to use: “Please notice that I am struggling” when you feel ignored, overwhelmed, or emotionally defeated.
10 Tiny Crying Cat Close-Up
An extreme crop on just the eyes and nose, everything else cut away, so the reaction still reads clearly even shrunk down to thumbnail size.
When to use: tight comment threads where a full image would eat up too much space.
How to Make a Crying Cat Meme for GIFs and Videos
A static crying cat image gets the point across fine, but a moving version — a short video or GIF — usually grabs more attention in a feed or a reply thread. That's the gap a dedicated crying cat meme maker fills.
Why Choose Edimakor as a Crying Cat Meme Maker
- Turn a static 'Crying Cat' image into a video meme: Turn a still photo into a short looping clip, no animation skills required.
- Remove the background to highlight the cat: Isolate the cat so text, effects, or a new background don't fight with the image.
- Repair or enhance low-resolution images: Clean up a blurry or pixelated photo before it becomes a shareable crying cat meme video.
- Export the finished product as a video or GIF: Export in whichever format the platform you're posting to actually wants.
How to Create a Crying Cat GIF or Video with Edimakor
Step 1: Prepare Your Media
Click New Project. Upload the crying cat photo and run it through the built-in image enhancer to sharpen detail and fix resolution, especially if the original was saved and re-saved a dozen times already.
Step 2: Remove the Background
Isolate the cat from its original background in a couple of clicks, so it's easier to drop onto a plain color, a new scene, or straight onto text.
Step 3: Add Text and Effects
Drop in a caption, animated tears, or a zoom effect to sell the reaction, and nudge the timing until the punchline actually lands.
Step 4: Export as Video or GIF
Save it in whatever format works for the platform you're posting to, then send it straight to chat, socials, or wherever it's needed.
Funny Crying Cat Meme Captions for Every Situation
Whatever the mood, here are crying cat meme captions sorted by the situation they fit best.
Everyday Life Captions
- "Me pretending today is going fine"
- "When the coffee machine is broken on a Monday"
- "Realizing it's only Tuesday"
- "My face when the WiFi drops mid-episode"
- "When I remember I have to adult tomorrow"
Work and School Captions
- "Me after the meeting that could've been an email"
- "When the deadline moves up a week"
- "Group project energy"
- "Me refreshing my inbox waiting for a reply"
- "When the professor adds one more reading"
Money Captions
- "Me checking my bank account after rent"
- "When the total is higher than expected"
- "Subscription renewals hitting all at once"
- "Me doing math on gas prices"
- "When "treat yourself" turns into overdraft"
Relationship and Social Captions
- "Me watching everyone's group chat plans without me"
- "When they leave you on read"
- "Me at the party pretending to know someone"
- "When your friend cancels last minute"
- "Me after a text that took way too long to type"
FAQs
A1: It started with a photoshopped 2014 post built on the older Serious Cat image, then spread widely across Reddit, Facebook, and 4chan a few years later.
A2: Both, really. The original format is a static photo, but it's just as common now as an animated GIF or a short clip.
A3: Meme template sites and meme generator tools host most of the classic formats, and a crying cat meme maker lets you build a fresh one from your own photo.
A4: Export it as a short video or GIF instead of a static image. A tool like HitPaw Edimakor can animate a still photo and add captions in the right format for either platform.
Conclusion
The crying cat meme has stuck around because it says more in one glance than most captions could in a whole paragraph. Whether you're borrowing a classic format or animating your own, it bends to fit almost any mood.
Want to turn a still photo into a shareable video or GIF? HitPaw Edimakor handles the background removal, image touch-up, and export in one place — give it a try on your next reaction post.
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