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| Other name(s) | Nobiko, Longcat |
|---|---|
| Species | Felis catus |
| Born | 2002 Japan |
| Died | September 20, 2020(2020-09-20) (aged 17–18) |
| Known for | Being long |
| Owner | Miko |
Longcat was a cat, and is an internet meme, best known for 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 65 centimetres (26 in) "from head to toe".
Subsequently, the meme spread to English-language websites, primarily 4chan's /b/, where it was shooped 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 Pokemon 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 died at the age of 18.
References
- ^ "Longcat, the internet meme icon, dies aged 18". CNET.
- ^ Martinus, Danial (September 22, 2020). "Remember Longcat? The internet meme icon has finally passed away at the age of 18". Mashable SEA.
- ^ Thalen, Mikael (September 20, 2020). "Longcat, meme legend, dead at 18". The Daily Dot.
- ^ "'Pokémon Sword and Shield's Gigantamax Meowth looks a lot like Longcat meme". Inverse.
- ^ Hughes, Matthew (May 24, 2019). "Longcat lives!". TheNextWeb.
- Keith (May 21, 2007). "Longcat is GONE". Subeta.
- McWhertor, Michael (October 16, 2019). "Thicc Pikachu and Longcat Meowth coming to Pokémon Sword and Shield".
- ^ "Longcat, the stretchy feline internet meme, has died aged 18". The Independent. September 22, 2020.