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Shiroi

Other name(s)	Nobiko, Longcat
Species	Felis catus
Born	2002 (2002) Japan
Died	20 September 2020 (aged 18)
Known for	Subject of an internet meme
Owner	Miko

Longcat (2002 – 20 September 2020) was a Japanese domestic cat that became the subject of an Internet meme due to its length. Longcat, whose real name was "Shiroi", was born in 2002. It became popular on Futaba Channel, where it was nicknamed "Nobiko" ("Stretch" in Japanese) some time around 2005 or 2006, after a photo was posted of the cat being held with "outstretched paws" such that its body looked extremely long. It was reportedly 65 centimetres (26 in) "from head to toe".

Subsequently, the meme spread to English-language websites, primarily 4chan's /b/, where it was edited into various images, and even had a song written about it. A backstory was invented for the cat, involving a world-ending battle called "Catnarok" with a nemesis named "Tacgnol" (resembling Longcat with its colors inverted).

The virtual community and message board Subeta, which made available a number of pixel art virtual accessories for user avatars, briefly introduced a "Longcat scarf" in 2007; this prompted "a legion of internet users to attack Subeta", primarily in the form of a DDoS campaign involving "all of the chans", until the Longcat item was removed later in the month. A Pokémon design released in 2019, the "Gigantamax Meowth", was compared by some commentators to Longcat.

In a 2019 interview, Longcat's owner said that the cat was "originally rescued after being discovered on the street in 2002", and at the time was thin with gray hair; as it grew older, it became white and fluffy. The cat was deaf. In 2019, Longcat's owner said that, at the age of 17, the cat no longer "climbed to high places" but was "relaxing and living her life".

In September 2020, after a period of ill health, Longcat was taken to the hospital, and passed away at the age of 18.

References

1. ^ "Longcat, the internet meme icon, dies aged 18". CNET. Archived from the original on 2023-05-16. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
2. ^ Martinus, Danial (September 22, 2020). "Remember Longcat? The internet meme icon has finally passed away at the age of 18". Mashable SEA. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
3. ^ Thalen, Mikael (September 20, 2020). "Longcat, meme legend, dead at 18". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
4. ^ "'Pokémon Sword and Shield's Gigantamax Meowth looks a lot like Longcat meme". Inverse. Archived from the original on 2023-05-16. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
5. ^ Hughes, Matthew (May 24, 2019). "Longcat lives!". TheNextWeb. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
6. Keith (May 21, 2007). "Longcat is GONE". Subeta. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
7. McWhertor, Michael (October 16, 2019). "Thicc Pikachu and Longcat Meowth coming to Pokémon Sword and Shield". Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
8. ^ "Longcat, the stretchy feline internet meme, has died aged 18". The Independent. September 22, 2020. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
9. Tariq, Qishin. "So long, Longcat – Internet bids farewell to feline behind famous meme". The Star. Archived from the original on 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2023-05-16.

• 2002 animal births
• 2020 animal deaths
• Individual cats in Japan
• Internet memes introduced in 2006