Cat on Roomba

2008Viral video / animal videoclassic

Also known as: Roomba Cat · Roomba Driver · Cats Riding on Roombas

Cat on Roomba is a late-2008 viral video meme featuring cats riding Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners, popularized by the YouTube video "Roomba Driver.

Cat on Roomba is a viral video meme featuring cats sitting or riding on Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners as they move around a room. The format took off in late 2008 when a YouTube video titled "Roomba Driver" showed a cat perched on a moving Roomba, and it became one of the defining cute animal video trends of the late 2000s internet1. The meme belongs to the broader "Cats Riding on X" genre, which expanded to include cats riding tortoises, dogs, and other unlikely vehicles.

catsanimal memespet video memesyoutube virallate 2000s memes

Overview

The basic setup is simple: a cat sits on top of a Roomba vacuum cleaner while it autonomously scoots across a floor. The humor comes from the cat's typically unbothered expression as it glides around like a tiny monarch on a motorized throne. Some versions show cats swatting at dogs or other pets while riding past, and others feature cats in costumes (shark suits being a popular choice). The videos tapped into the internet's deep love of cat content and the inherent comedy of animals interacting with household robots2.

The format sits within the larger "Cats Riding on X" meme family, which covers any video of a cat mounted on a moving object or animal2.

The earliest notable example appeared on November 11, 2008, when YouTube user poutamo uploaded a video titled "Roomba Driver" showing a cat riding a Roomba vacuum cleaner2. The video captured the absurd image of a house cat treating an autonomous vacuum as personal transportation, and it quickly picked up views.

A related video that helped expand the broader genre was "Kitten Rides a Tortoise," uploaded by YouTube user mountain462 on October 6, 20092. While not a Roomba video itself, this clip became widely popular and directly fueled the "cats riding things" trend that made Roomba cat videos a recognized format.

Origin & Background

Platform
YouTube
Creator
poutamo
Date
2008

The earliest notable example appeared on November 11, 2008, when YouTube user poutamo uploaded a video titled "Roomba Driver" showing a cat riding a Roomba vacuum cleaner. The video captured the absurd image of a house cat treating an autonomous vacuum as personal transportation, and it quickly picked up views.

A related video that helped expand the broader genre was "Kitten Rides a Tortoise," uploaded by YouTube user mountain462 on October 6, 2009. While not a Roomba video itself, this clip became widely popular and directly fueled the "cats riding things" trend that made Roomba cat videos a recognized format.

How It Spread

The "Kitten Rides a Tortoise" video proved so popular that someone remixed it to the tune of Chamillionaire's "Ridin' Dirty," turning the cute clip into a comedic mashup. This remix format caught on and inspired a wave of similar videos featuring cats riding all sorts of objects, with Roombas being the most common and iconic platform.

Throughout 2009 and into the early 2010s, Roomba cat videos multiplied across YouTube. Pet owners realized they could recreate the setup easily (most cats will tolerate sitting on a Roomba, and some genuinely seem to enjoy it), which made it one of the most accessible viral video formats of the era. The trend fed into the broader rise of cute animal content that defined YouTube's early growth years.

The meme saw renewed interest whenever particularly creative variations surfaced, such as cats in shark costumes riding Roombas (popularized around 2014-2015) or multi-cat Roomba scenarios. iRobot, the company behind Roomba, leaned into the association, and the pairing of cats and Roombas became a cultural shorthand for "the internet loves weird cat videos."

Platforms

YouTubeVineTikTokInstagram

Timeline

2010-01-01

Early videos of cats interacting with Roombas emerge

2015-01-01

Format becomes established and widely recognized

2016-01-01

Cat on Roomba started spreading across social media platforms

2017-01-01

Content migrates to newer platforms like TikTok

2018-01-01

Brands and companies started using Cat on Roomba in marketing

2020-01-01

Cat on Roomba entered the broader pop culture conversation

2024-01-01

Format is still popular and constantly generates new content

2025-01-01

Cat on Roomba is still actively used and shared across platforms

View on Google Trends

How to Use This Meme

The format is straightforward:

1

Place a cat on a Roomba (or wait for the cat to climb on by itself)

2

Turn on the Roomba and let it navigate around the room

3

Record the cat's ride

Create Your Own

Cultural Impact

Cat on Roomba became one of the signature memes of the late 2000s YouTube era, when simple, unedited pet videos could rack up millions of views. The format helped establish the template for viral pet content that would later dominate platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

iRobot benefited from the free publicity, with Roomba cat videos essentially serving as organic marketing for their product line. The association between Roombas and cats became so strong that it influenced how people thought about robot vacuums in general.

The meme also contributed to the broader "Cats Riding on X" genre, which expanded to include cats on robot vacuums from competing brands, cats on turtles, dogs, skateboards, and virtually anything that moves.

Fun Facts

The original "Roomba Driver" video predates many of YouTube's most famous cat memes, making it one of the earlier examples of the cat video genre.

Cats seem to ride Roombas partly because they enjoy warm, vibrating surfaces, and partly because cats will sit on literally anything.

The "Ridin' Dirty" remix of "Kitten Rides a Tortoise" created a template that people applied to dozens of other animal-riding videos.

iRobot has never officially sponsored a cat-on-Roomba video, despite the format being some of the best advertising the company never paid for.

Derivatives & Variations

Dog on Roomba

A variation of Cat on Roomba

(2015)

Multiple cats on one Roomba

A variation of Cat on Roomba

(2015)

Roombas with toys and objects attached

A variation of Cat on Roomba

(2015)

Cats versus Roombas showdowns

A variation of Cat on Roomba

(2015)

Frequently Asked Questions

References (2)

  1. 1
    List of NFL nicknamesencyclopedia
  2. 2
    Cat on Roomba - Know Your Memeencyclopedia

Cat on Roomba

2008Viral video / animal videoclassic

Also known as: Roomba Cat · Roomba Driver · Cats Riding on Roombas

Cat on Roomba is a late-2008 viral video meme featuring cats riding Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners, popularized by the YouTube video "Roomba Driver.

Cat on Roomba is a viral video meme featuring cats sitting or riding on Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners as they move around a room. The format took off in late 2008 when a YouTube video titled "Roomba Driver" showed a cat perched on a moving Roomba, and it became one of the defining cute animal video trends of the late 2000s internet. The meme belongs to the broader "Cats Riding on X" genre, which expanded to include cats riding tortoises, dogs, and other unlikely vehicles.

cats animal memes pet video memes youtube viral late 2000s memes

Overview

The basic setup is simple: a cat sits on top of a Roomba vacuum cleaner while it autonomously scoots across a floor. The humor comes from the cat's typically unbothered expression as it glides around like a tiny monarch on a motorized throne. Some versions show cats swatting at dogs or other pets while riding past, and others feature cats in costumes (shark suits being a popular choice). The videos tapped into the internet's deep love of cat content and the inherent comedy of animals interacting with household robots.

The format sits within the larger "Cats Riding on X" meme family, which covers any video of a cat mounted on a moving object or animal.

The earliest notable example appeared on November 11, 2008, when YouTube user poutamo uploaded a video titled "Roomba Driver" showing a cat riding a Roomba vacuum cleaner. The video captured the absurd image of a house cat treating an autonomous vacuum as personal transportation, and it quickly picked up views.

A related video that helped expand the broader genre was "Kitten Rides a Tortoise," uploaded by YouTube user mountain462 on October 6, 2009. While not a Roomba video itself, this clip became widely popular and directly fueled the "cats riding things" trend that made Roomba cat videos a recognized format.

Origin & Background

Platform
YouTube
Creator
poutamo
Date
2008

The earliest notable example appeared on November 11, 2008, when YouTube user poutamo uploaded a video titled "Roomba Driver" showing a cat riding a Roomba vacuum cleaner. The video captured the absurd image of a house cat treating an autonomous vacuum as personal transportation, and it quickly picked up views.

A related video that helped expand the broader genre was "Kitten Rides a Tortoise," uploaded by YouTube user mountain462 on October 6, 2009. While not a Roomba video itself, this clip became widely popular and directly fueled the "cats riding things" trend that made Roomba cat videos a recognized format.

How It Spread

The "Kitten Rides a Tortoise" video proved so popular that someone remixed it to the tune of Chamillionaire's "Ridin' Dirty," turning the cute clip into a comedic mashup. This remix format caught on and inspired a wave of similar videos featuring cats riding all sorts of objects, with Roombas being the most common and iconic platform.

Throughout 2009 and into the early 2010s, Roomba cat videos multiplied across YouTube. Pet owners realized they could recreate the setup easily (most cats will tolerate sitting on a Roomba, and some genuinely seem to enjoy it), which made it one of the most accessible viral video formats of the era. The trend fed into the broader rise of cute animal content that defined YouTube's early growth years.

The meme saw renewed interest whenever particularly creative variations surfaced, such as cats in shark costumes riding Roombas (popularized around 2014-2015) or multi-cat Roomba scenarios. iRobot, the company behind Roomba, leaned into the association, and the pairing of cats and Roombas became a cultural shorthand for "the internet loves weird cat videos."

Platforms

YouTubeVineTikTokInstagram

Timeline

2010-01-01

Early videos of cats interacting with Roombas emerge

2015-01-01

Format becomes established and widely recognized

2016-01-01

Cat on Roomba started spreading across social media platforms

2017-01-01

Content migrates to newer platforms like TikTok

2018-01-01

Brands and companies started using Cat on Roomba in marketing

2020-01-01

Cat on Roomba entered the broader pop culture conversation

2024-01-01

Format is still popular and constantly generates new content

2025-01-01

Cat on Roomba is still actively used and shared across platforms

View on Google Trends

How to Use This Meme

The format is straightforward:

1

Place a cat on a Roomba (or wait for the cat to climb on by itself)

2

Turn on the Roomba and let it navigate around the room

3

Record the cat's ride

Create Your Own

Cultural Impact

Cat on Roomba became one of the signature memes of the late 2000s YouTube era, when simple, unedited pet videos could rack up millions of views. The format helped establish the template for viral pet content that would later dominate platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

iRobot benefited from the free publicity, with Roomba cat videos essentially serving as organic marketing for their product line. The association between Roombas and cats became so strong that it influenced how people thought about robot vacuums in general.

The meme also contributed to the broader "Cats Riding on X" genre, which expanded to include cats on robot vacuums from competing brands, cats on turtles, dogs, skateboards, and virtually anything that moves.

Fun Facts

The original "Roomba Driver" video predates many of YouTube's most famous cat memes, making it one of the earlier examples of the cat video genre.

Cats seem to ride Roombas partly because they enjoy warm, vibrating surfaces, and partly because cats will sit on literally anything.

The "Ridin' Dirty" remix of "Kitten Rides a Tortoise" created a template that people applied to dozens of other animal-riding videos.

iRobot has never officially sponsored a cat-on-Roomba video, despite the format being some of the best advertising the company never paid for.

Derivatives & Variations

Dog on Roomba

A variation of Cat on Roomba

(2015)

Multiple cats on one Roomba

A variation of Cat on Roomba

(2015)

Roombas with toys and objects attached

A variation of Cat on Roomba

(2015)

Cats versus Roombas showdowns

A variation of Cat on Roomba

(2015)

Frequently Asked Questions

References (2)

  1. 1
    List of NFL nicknamesencyclopedia
  2. 2
    Cat on Roomba - Know Your Memeencyclopedia