What Does the 🐈🐱😹 Cat Emoji Mean?

Co-authored by Janice Tieperman Reviewed by Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones

Last Updated: June 21, 2024 Fact Checked

Cat got your tongue? From photo captions and social media posts to texts and group chats, you probably see a wide variety of cute 🐈 (cat) and 🐱 (cat-face) emojis on a regular basis, along with some expressive cat reactions, like 😹 (cat with tears of joy) and 😻 (smiling cat heart eyes). But what exactly do these cute kitties mean? Not to worry—we’re here to walk you through the feline world of emojis, so you can pick out the purrfect one for your next message or post.

Meaning of the Cat (🐈🐱😹) Emojis

The traditional 🐈 (cat) emoji represents an actual kitty cat. Some cat emojis serve the same purpose, like the 🐱 (cat-face) emoji,🐈‍⬛ (black cat) emoji, or😺 (happy cat) emoji. Cat reaction emojis (like 😹 or 😻) are cute and lighthearted alternatives to traditional emojis that represent the same emotions.

Section 1 of 5:

What does the 🐈 (cat) emoji mean?

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The 🐈 emoji represents an actual kitty. Did someone you follow just post a picture of their cat? Chances are, they dropped a 🐈 emoji in the caption as a cute tribute to their furry friend. Unlike more flamboyant feline reactions like 😸 and 🙀, the traditional 🐈 emoji represents cats as an animal, rather than an emotion.^{[1]
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Research source} Some other cat emojis serve the same purpose, like:
- 🐱 (cat-face) emoji
- 🐈‍⬛ (black cat) emoji
- 😺 (happy cat) emoji

Section 2 of 5:

What do the cat reaction emojis mean?

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Cat reaction emojis are cute, silly alternatives to their traditional emoji counterparts. Some people save these emojis exclusively for cat-related messages, while other people use them as reactions for more joking/lighthearted situations. For example:
- Them: “The vending machine was out of Skittles!! I’m so sad 😭”
  You: “Nooooo that’s terrible 😿😿”
- Them: “Just got a flat in the middle of the highway… worst day ever 😠”
  You: “OMG I’m so sorry!! 😢😢 Is there anything I can do to help?”^{[2]
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Section 3 of 5:

How to Use Different Cat Emojis

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🐈 or 🐱: Show off your precious kitty by dropping a 🐈 or 🐱 emoji in the caption. Let’s face it—cat pictures are meant to be posted and shared all over the internet. Get your own kitty’s adorable mugshot out on the web with a few well-placed cat emojis. The 🐾 emoji also works well for this!
- “Mr. Beans is getting into mischief again! 🐈🐾”
- “Yet another flawless picture of Sprinkles… you wish you could be this photogenic 🐱😏”
- “Since it’s #BlackCatAppreciationDay, I figured I’d share a pic of my precious Bombay kitty! 🐈🐱🐈‍⬛”
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😺: You guessed it—this is a purr-rific alternative to the standard 😀 emoji. Stick this emoji in any caption, post, or text to share what a good mood you’re in, or to share something wonderful and exciting that’s going on.^{[3]
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- “Today’s gonna be a good day! 😺”
- “My co-worker just got proposed to over the weekend! 😺”
- “Got to pet some cats on my way to work and it was easily the best part of my day 😺”
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😸: Feeling the love? The 😸 emoji is a great way to show your happiness and contentedness, especially if you’re being pampered by a friend or loved one.^{[4]
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- “Sugar cookies and angel food cake? You’re spoiling me 😸😸”
- “Feeling really loved today 😸 Thanks for all the b-day wishes!”
- “Love spending time with my kitty 😸”
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😼: Sometimes the regular 😏 just doesn’t cut it. Not to worry—just crank up the sarcasm and wry humor with a few 😼 emojis.^{[5]
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Research source} It can also be a handy way to dial up the flirtiness of a message.
- “Sounds like you had a late night last night 😼😼”
- “Wow, I’ve totally never heard that one before 😼”
- “You should wear those earrings more often! 😼”
- “Love waking up to my cat making biscuits on my back… 😼”
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😹: 😹 offers a fun, playful way to react to just about everything. Is your friend cracking terrible dad jokes in the group chat? Drop a 😹. Did the most ridiculous cat meme just pop up on your Instagram feed? Share the LOLs with a quick 😹 in the comments.^{[6]
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- “Wait, you actually sent that to him? 😹😹”
- “This is most hilarious thing I’ve seen all week 😹”
- “I think I gave my cat too much catnip… he’s genuinely high now 😹😹”
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😻: Why use the regular 😍 emoji when you can send the cat version? This adoring emoji carries the exact same energy as its traditional emoji counterpart and is the perfect response to cute (or attractive) pictures that catch your eye. Of course, it’s also the perfect emoji to use when your friend texts you a picture of their kitty.^{[7]
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- “Your cat is literally the cutest thing on the entire planet 😻”
- “Loving the update on your Story. Who’s the guy?? 😻😻”
- Them: “Check out this guy I passed at the grocery store”
  You: 😻”
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😽: Yup, this emoji is identical to 😚, only with ears, whiskers, and a button nose. You can use these emojis pretty interchangeably. So, any time you feel like being extra affectionate, mushy, or lovey-dovey to your friends, loved ones, or SO, drop a 😽 in the chat.^{[8]
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- “Saw this and thought of you… 😽”
- “You really are the best, you know that? 😽😽”
- “Aww, you guys are so cute! 😽”
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😿: Spill mustard on your favorite shirt? Watch a sad episode of your favorite TV show? The 😿 is a great, light-hearted way to express sadness over not-very-serious issues.^{[9]
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- “TFW the barista accidentally puts soy milk in your drink 😿”
- “Woke up this morning thinking it was Saturday, only to remember that it was Thursday 😿”
- “Oliver took a 3 AM dump in his litterbox and the smell woke me up 😿😿”
- Them: “My phone said that the package was delivered, but it’s still not here 😔”
  You: “Oh no!! 😿 Did you report it missing?”
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🙀: This emoji is used to display a wide variety of shock and awe. It’s much more lighthearted than its 😱 counterpart, which makes it a great emoji to use for sarcastic comebacks.^{[10]
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- “You’re killing me here. What’s the big news?! 🙀🙀”
- “Apparently my next-door neighbor is friends with a famous singer? 🙀”
- “Thought my cat was just fat, but she’s actually pregnant 🙀🙀🙀”
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😾: Ticked off but not actually angry? The 😾 emoji helps you strike a happy medium in all of your frustrations and annoyances. Save it for when you’re in a sour mood, or when things just aren’t going your way.^{[11]
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- “I love sitting next to crying babies on a 5-hour flight 😾😾”
- “Why is my cat meowing at 2 AM? I’m so 😾😾”
- Older versions of this emoji had the pouting cat facing right instead of straight forward.^{[12]
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  Research source} This gave the emoji a “cold shoulder” type of vibe, which it doesn’t really have anymore.

Section 4 of 5:

How to Reply to Cat Emojis

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Compliment someone’s cute kitty with a 😍, 😻, or 🥰 emoji. Maybe your friend just got a new kitten, or a celeb you follow just posted a pic of their pet cat. Share all of the love with a handful of lovey-dovey emojis. Feel free to throw some cat emojis in there, too!
- “Ramses the Great has gotten so big!! 🙀😻 I love Sphinx cats so much 😭😍🥰”
- “Omg your new kitty is so cute! 😻😻 I’m going to be sneaking that little guy so many treats 😼”
- “Look at his little toe beans!! 💖💖😻 I’m dying of cuteness over here 😍”
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Mirror back someone’s cat emojis with some cat-tastic emojis of your own. There’s no “right” or “wrong” way to use cat reaction emojis—it really depends on your mood, as well as the tone of the conversation. If the other person is sprinkling some cat reactions into their messages, dish it back by sending some purrfect emojis of your own.
- Them: “Sounds like someone let the cat out of the bag… 😼😼😼”
  You: “Who, me? 🙀🙀”
- Them: “Have you looked outside yet? It’s raining 😺 and 🐶 out there.”
  You: “Ah, cat puns. Those never get old 😾😾”

Section 5 of 5:

Alternative Meanings

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In recent years, people have taken an old slang word for “cat” and repurposed it as a slang word for female genitalia. So, if your conversation is taking a less-than-innocent direction and someone drops the 🐱 emoji, you can safely assume they aren’t talking about a kitty cat. The more you know!^{[13]
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