Pop Culture PitPCP

Memes & Reactions

Black cat clapping

Also written Cat handshake, Clapping cat

First documented
September 25, 2026Earliest example found, not proof of origin
Seen on
Instagram, TikTokAs reported by sources
Last updated
October 31, 2026

What does it mean?

An obviously artificial cat applauds with human hands, often suggesting mischievous approval.

Origin

Earliest example found
instagram.com, September 25, 2026
Who made it
Credited to Aleksandr Kim / merkurianin (AI comedy-video creator credited by KYM) per knowyourmeme.com.Secondary role attribution not exclusive origin
Confidence
Medium

Original Context

The Original

Original
Instagram post on instagram.com
Posted by
merkurianin on Instagram
Posted
September 25, 2026
What this is
Earliest version we found. It isn’t proof of who made it first.Secondary identified upload primary content unverified
Archived copy
No archived copy found
Cited by
knowyourmeme.com, medianug.com

Watch It

This post isn’t embedded (embed not checked). View it on Instagram.

What Happened?

Reporting identifies merkurianin’s comedy clip as the early source.

How It Became a Meme

  1. Earliest appearance sources report. That isn't proof it was the first. Source
  2. Know Your Meme credits merkurianin September 25 2026 AI-edited cat comedy; September 28 green-screen remixes follow. The depicted clapping is not verified natural animal behavior; do not infer whether every underlying visual element was generated. Source
  3. A dated 2026 source covers it. That doesn't mean it's trending today. Source

How People Use It

Examples written by Pop Culture Pit to illustrate the meaning. These aren’t real posts.

  • The cat applauding when the villain finally gets a better costume.

The Social Conversation

Reported on Instagram, TikTok.

A few public posts, chosen for context. They aren’t a measure of how popular it is or how everyone uses it.

Related Memes

No related memes recorded yet. More in Memes & Reactions:

Sources

  1. Know Your Meme, 2026-10-05. Supports: Meaning and documented 2026 relevance Retrieved October 31, 2026.
  2. MediaNug, 2026-10-07. Supports: Dated Cat Handshake trend section Retrieved October 31, 2026.

How we research: every entry is sourced, and the earliest example we found isn’t necessarily the original. We update entries as we verify more. Part of Features alongside The PCP Connection and Useless Facts.