# Cat on Roomba > 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[1]. The meme belongs to the broader "Cats Riding on X" genre, which expanded to include cats riding tortoises, dogs, and other unlikely vehicles. ## Origin 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[2]. 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[2]. 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. - **Platform:** YouTube - **Creator:** poutamo (original "Roomba Driver" uploader) - **Date:** 2008 ## 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[2]. 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[2]. ## 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[2]. 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[2]. 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." ## How to Use 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 ## 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[2]. ## 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[2]. - 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[2]. - iRobot has never officially sponsored a cat-on-Roomba video, despite the format being some of the best advertising the company never paid for. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Cat on Roomba? Cat on Roomba is a viral video meme showing cats sitting on and riding Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners as they move around a room, originating from a 2008 YouTube video[2]. ### Where did Cat on Roomba come from? The meme originated with a YouTube video titled "Roomba Driver" uploaded by user poutamo on November 11, 2008[2]. ### What does Cat on Roomba mean? The meme doesn't carry a deeper meaning. It's pure comedy built on the absurd image of a cat passively riding a household robot, part of the internet's broader love of funny cat content[2]. ### How do you use Cat on Roomba? Film a cat sitting on a Roomba as it moves around. Popular additions include costumes, music (especially "Ridin' Dirty"), or reactions from other pets in the house[2]. ### Is Cat on Roomba still popular? Cat on Roomba is a classic internet meme. While the initial viral wave peaked in the late 2000s and early 2010s, new variations still pop up regularly on TikTok and other platforms[2]. ### Who uploaded the first Roomba cat video? YouTube user poutamo uploaded "Roomba Driver" on November 11, 2008, one of the first cat-on-Roomba videos to gain traction online[2]. ### What is the connection between Cat on Roomba and "Ridin' Dirty"? Someone remixed the popular "Kitten Rides a Tortoise" video (a related meme from 2009) with Chamillionaire's "Ridin' Dirty," creating a mashup format that inspired more cat-riding videos including Roomba clips[2]. ### Is Cat on Roomba part of a bigger meme? Yes, it falls under the "Cats Riding on X" genre, which includes cats riding tortoises, dogs, and other animals or objects[2]. ## References 1. [List of NFL nicknames]() 2. [Cat on Roomba - Know Your Meme]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/cat-on-roomba Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library