cat Emoji
๐ ยท U+1F408 ยท Emoji 0.7
What does the cat emoji mean?
Meaning reviewed and updated July 2026 ยท Unicode data from the official Unicode Standard
When conversations turn to pets or humor, people often reach for the cat emoji, which represents a domestic cat, and is defined as a symbol for the animal itself, as well as figuratively representing independence, agility, or slyness, and in slang, can refer to a sassy or cunning person, with its meaning often depending on the context in which it is used, such as in a literal sense to talk about the animal, or in a more playful sense to convey a particular attitude or personality trait. The cat emoji can also symbolize a cat lover or enthusiast, and is often used to express affection or admiration for the animal. In addition to its literal meaning, the cat emoji has also become a popular symbol in internet culture, representing a carefree or playful attitude. Overall, the cat emoji is a versatile symbol that can be used in a variety of contexts to convey different meanings and emotions.
How the cat emoji is used
The tone of the cat emoji can vary greatly depending on the platform and audience, with younger generations and social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram often using it in a more playful and humorous way, while older generations may use it in a more literal sense, and its usage can also differ depending on the cultural context, with some cultures having different associations with cats, and the emoji is often used in texting and commenting to add a lighthearted or humorous touch to a conversation, and can also be used in captions to convey a sense of personality or attitude. The cat emoji is also often used in combination with other emojis to convey a particular message or emotion, such as the heart eyes emoji to express admiration or adoration. In terms of generational differences, the cat emoji is more commonly used by younger generations, who are more familiar with internet culture and the symbolism of the emoji. The cat emoji can also be used to add a touch of whimsy or humor to a message or post.
cat emoji examples
- just saw the cutest cat video ๐
- my cat is being so lazy today ๐
How to copy the cat emoji
To use the cat emoji, tap the Copy button above, then paste it (long-press then Paste on mobile, or Ctrl+V / Cmd+V on desktop) anywhere you can type: messages, captions, usernames, bios and documents. It copies the real Unicode character (U+1F408), so it works on every app and platform, no download needed.
More about cat
cat emoji on different platforms
How the cat emoji looks across emoji sets. These designs come from openly-licensed sets (Twemoji, Google Noto, OpenMoji). See image credits.



cat Emoji Details
| Emoji | ๐ |
| Name | cat |
| Category | Animals & Nature |
| Codepoints | U+1F408 |
| Shortcode | :cat: |
| Emoji version | 0.7 |
| Unicode version | 0.7 |
cat Emoji FAQ
When conversations turn to pets or humor, people often reach for the cat emoji, which represents a domestic cat, and is defined as a symbol for the animal itself, as well as figuratively representing independence, agility, or slyness, and in slang, can refer to a sassy or cunning person, with its meaning often depending on the context in which it is used, such as in a literal sense to talk about the animal, or in a more playful sense to convey a particular attitude or personality trait. The cat emoji can also symbolize a cat lover or enthusiast, and is often used to express affection or admiration for the animal.
Tap the Copy button at the top of this page, then paste ๐ wherever you type. Because it copies the real Unicode character, it works in every app on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac.
It is U+1F408, introduced in Emoji version 0.7 (Unicode 0.7). Its shortcode is :cat:.