The internet was made for cat videos. This meta video of a cat watching cat videos seems almost inevitable. The @_cat_riki TikTok channel is dedicated to sphynx cat content, including the kitty scrolling through the internet looking just like the rest of us. While his owner holds their cell phone, Riki paws away at the screen. In the video below, it’s all cat content. He pauses on a post to watch another fluffier kitty eat kibbles, but otherwise quickly swipes down on each video.
The channel’s other excellent naked kitty content includes short clips of Riki purring, yawning, and stalking his human. Normal cat stuff. There’s also another cell phone scrolling video. Posted only a few days earlier, it quickly amassed millions of views. But that was before the curated content, as it just looks like your basic social media feed.
Having a kitty take over your phone is one way to help limit screen time. But does it only work because Riki is a hairless cat? I tried it out on my very fluffy cat and, even though he looked at me like I was crazy, his paw can still scroll. Seems like cell phones recognize cat toe beans as fingers.
We saw this excellent cat TikTok video on Boing Boing. According to a Newsweek article about it, cats can see what’s on our phone screen. At least enough to see lights and movement, which we know they like to make into toys. There are even video games designed for cats! The CATS TV YouTube channel has a bunch to keep your kitty playing. And then there’s Stray, the video game where you play as a cat. The online game Mission Meow, developed by a global animal health company with veterinarian assistance, helps humans understand cat behavior and signs we may be missing.
Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.
