Johnson: Go ahead and watch the cat video

They run into walls, do back flips, play pranks on each other and their humans, or just simply look up with lazy, irritated eyes and stare into the camera.

link Sharna Johnson

They are the cats of the Internet, and it’s hard to click a mouse without running into one, or a dozen.

Ever-present in memes, cats have also taken center stage when it comes to online video watching, raking in more views — a reported 26 billion views in 2014 — than any other video categories on YouTube.

Some cats, such as Lil BUB, Grumpy Cat or Nala Cat, have even risen to celebrity status in the wake of videos gone viral, and annual cat film festivals are a growing trend across the country.

It’s hard not to see the appeal, after all, cats can express everything from heart-melting cuteness to regal indignation and their play antics are akin to watching acrobats at the circus.

In fact, cats are so versatile in nature and personality, there are literally millions upon millions of videos out there showing them doing funny things and even compilations that show them doing nothing at all.

Given the extensive amount of video coverage cats receive it’s safe to assume that people are investing a massive amount of time watching them, which leads to the natural question of what, if any, impact this has, or perhaps more specifically, what, exactly, viewers get in exchange for their time spent.

Though cat videos may seem like a less than serious research topic, an Indiana University researcher found the sheer numbers of those who watch cat videos staggering enough to look for an explanation.

Working to get to the bottom of the phenomenon, Jessica Gail Myrick surveyed nearly 7,000 people, examining their reasons for watching cat videos, watching habits and the effect watching the videos has on their moods.

Interestingly enough, she found not all cat video watchers are actually “cat people” with more than 60 percent identifying themselves as liking cats or dogs equally, yet overwhelmingly, participants acknowledge having watched cat videos and said they were familiar with online celebrity cats.

Anticipating that respondents would carry a feeling of guilt for spending time watching when they should be doing other things, what Myrick discovered was that in reality the positive feelings people gain from indulging in cat videos actually override any guilt they may have.

It turns out, after an exhausting day at work or in times of high stress, cat videos may be just what the doctor ordered, with those surveyed reporting a higher level of positive emotions after watching.

In fact, the mood shift that watching an entertaining cat video can bring fits with a school of thought known as Mood Management Theory, which, simply put, holds that people use forms of media to manage their moods — and cats, with their natural gift for funny antics seem to fit the bill.

The elevated mood that comes from enjoying online cat-capades, the study found, energizes and reinvigorates people who previously felt depleted.

Rather than avoiding or shirking responsibilities to watch cat videos online, the benefit the videos give may instead fuel people to move forward with tasks they had been putting off or were reluctant to complete before, Myrick speculated.

Since they deliver a little levity and a positive charge people need in their lives, the affect watching cat videos can have on mood offers an explanation as to why people partake.

Whisker splitting notwithstanding, the bottom line is cats are cute, full of personality, and make people laugh — traits that make for superstars on and off the screen.

Sharna Johnson is a writer who is always searching for ponies. You can reach her at:

[email protected]