I am very lucky when it comes to the Internet. Not only is English my first (and only) language, I adore cats. And cats are worshipped on the Web. I don't really understand why, but cats seem to be the animal of choice amongst the population of the InterWebs. Dogs? Well, they're nothing but second-class citizens, only really embraced when they're still in puppy form. Once they reach maturity no one cares.

Cats are everywhere online... as photos shared by friends on social networking sites, as cute pics on Reddit, on any of the cat-centric Tumblr sites, and even here on MakeUseOf. Oh, and then there's Nyan Cat. There are even whole websites dedicated to our feline friends, eight of which are highlighted below. Some you will have already heard of, others will be new to you.

LOLCats

There are several cat websites dedicated to LOLCats, but this one is my personal favorite. A LOLCat consists of any image of a cat with text added to turn it from unfunny to funny. The text usually consists of grammatically incorrect pidgin English.

The Internet is full of memes that come and go quickly, but this one has stuck around for years. This domain actually belongs to the I Can Has Cheezburger? network, which itself started out as a popular LOLCat phrase.

Stuff On My Cat

Stuff On My Cat is a website which taps into a pastime many cat owners have accidentally stumbled upon at some time in their lives. The cat is asleep, being cute and adorable as ever. It's almost as if he or she is inviting you to place random things on its body.

Cats are surprisingly placid and tolerant of you putting things on them, especially when they're being lazy on a particularly hot day. How much can you place gently on your feline friend before he or she gets annoyed enough to bare their claws?

Cat Bounce

Cat Bounce has been online for a long time, but strangely it never gets old. I happen across it from time to time and spend at least five minutes watching these frozen feline cutouts springing around like they've overdosed on catnip. And I suspect you'll do so as well.

Cats That Look Like Hitler

The title of this cat website really says it all. Yes, this is a domain dedicated to collecting and sharing photos of cats that look like Hitler. And there are a surprising number of cats who do indeed share a resemblance to the long-dead Nazi.

You may, without realizing it, have a cat that looks like Hitler. If it has a white face with black fur that resembles a severe side parting and small mustache then you (and your cat) can join the club.

Procatinator

Procatinator is a simple idea that mixes procrastination with cats. Hence you get to spend a few minutes listening to a song (with audio pulled from YouTube) while looking at a simple cat GIF. Some of the combinations can be strangely hypnotic.

Bring In The Cats [No Longer Available]

Take one hip-hop record, add in a load of decapitated cats' heads, and sprinkle the whole thing with some epilepsy-inducing flashing lights. Bring In The Cats is the result. You will spend five minutes absolutely mesmerized, and then never speak of this nonsense again.

Simon's Cat

Simon's Cat is a cartoon strip and video series created by British animator (and self-confessed cat lover) Simon Tofield. It stars, well, Simon's cat, who harasses his owner while exhibiting all of the usual cat behaviors.

The character is beautifully observed, representing a caricatured version of this domesticated moggy. The website features YouTube videos, previews of the books, games, and a shop stocking all the Simon's Cat merchandise you could ever ask for.

Written? Kitten! [Broken URL Removed]

Written? Kitten! is one of the cutest productivity tools I've ever had the pleasure of using. Writers of any kind will find it useful, as long as they like looking at photos of cats. This is because you're rewarded for writing a set number of words with a picture of a cat, as sourced from Flickr.

I wrote this description on Written? Kitten! and made sure it hit 100 words just so I could get my reward (as you can see in the screenshot above). This required a little bit of padding, here, here, and here. Oh, and here too.

Conclusions

 

As if those eight weird and wonderful cat websites aren't enough to keep you entertained for the next few hours, we conclude with my favorite cat video of all time. Titled Kitty City, it is from the warped mind of freelance animator Cyriak, and has previously appeared on our list of YouTube channels for original animations. Enjoy it... even if it does end up giving you nightmares.

What do you think of the websites listed above? Is there one in particular that stands out? Are there any others you're aware of that didn't get a mention? Why is the Internet so obsessed with cats? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Image Credit: Ana Cotta