Foxes

2008viral videoclassic

Foxes is a long-running animal meme built around viral YouTube clips of red foxes screaming and acting like affectionate dogs, backed by dedicated Reddit and Tumblr fan communities. The format took shape in 2008 with dan izzo's screeching fox clip and grew through pet fox videos and fox photo blogs across the following years.

animal memespet video memesyoutube virallate 2000s memestumblr memes

Overview

Foxes as an internet subject is a long-running animal meme built around viral red fox videos and dedicated fan blogs. The clips lean on two sides of the animal: their loud, alien-sounding screams, and their surprisingly dog-like behavior around humans31.

Since the late 2000s, YouTube uploads of pet foxes greeting their owners racked up tens of millions of views, while Reddit and Tumblr communities gathered photos, illustrations and trivia about wild and captive foxes4. The mix of shock at the screaming calls and adoration for the affectionate pets gave the meme its steady online life2.

How It Spread

The pet fox angle took over next. On February 13th, 2010, YouTuber hulibird uploaded a clip of a tame red fox enthusiastically greeting its owner, and the video pulled past 4.5 million views and 10,800 comments across six years4. On February 4th, 2011, Pontus Jarnemyr posted a video of a red fox licking a window, picking up 2.2 million views and 5,800 comments within five years3.

Tumblr picked up the format later that year. The Fox Blog opened on August 14th, 2011, collecting photo posts and fan illustrations of foxes2. On November 9th, 2013, YouTuber foxalbiazul uploaded footage of a man playing with his affectionate pet red fox, and that clip topped 15.4 million views and 26,600 comments in only two years3. On January 5th, 2014, the Tumblr blog Foxes Only launched with a focus on wild fox photography and illustration5.

How to Use This Meme

People typically share the meme by reposting the classic YouTube clips, especially dan izzo's screeching call, or by uploading their own fox sightings and pet fox videos to r/foxes and fox-focused Tumblr blogs1.

Frequently Asked Questions

Foxes

2008viral videoclassic

Foxes is a long-running animal meme built around viral YouTube clips of red foxes screaming and acting like affectionate dogs, backed by dedicated Reddit and Tumblr fan communities. The format took shape in 2008 with dan izzo's screeching fox clip and grew through pet fox videos and fox photo blogs across the following years.

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

Overview

Foxes as an internet subject is a long-running animal meme built around viral red fox videos and dedicated fan blogs. The clips lean on two sides of the animal: their loud, alien-sounding screams, and their surprisingly dog-like behavior around humans31.

Since the late 2000s, YouTube uploads of pet foxes greeting their owners racked up tens of millions of views, while Reddit and Tumblr communities gathered photos, illustrations and trivia about wild and captive foxes4. The mix of shock at the screaming calls and adoration for the affectionate pets gave the meme its steady online life2.

How It Spread

The pet fox angle took over next. On February 13th, 2010, YouTuber hulibird uploaded a clip of a tame red fox enthusiastically greeting its owner, and the video pulled past 4.5 million views and 10,800 comments across six years4. On February 4th, 2011, Pontus Jarnemyr posted a video of a red fox licking a window, picking up 2.2 million views and 5,800 comments within five years3.

Tumblr picked up the format later that year. The Fox Blog opened on August 14th, 2011, collecting photo posts and fan illustrations of foxes2. On November 9th, 2013, YouTuber foxalbiazul uploaded footage of a man playing with his affectionate pet red fox, and that clip topped 15.4 million views and 26,600 comments in only two years3. On January 5th, 2014, the Tumblr blog Foxes Only launched with a focus on wild fox photography and illustration5.

How to Use This Meme

People typically share the meme by reposting the classic YouTube clips, especially dan izzo's screeching call, or by uploading their own fox sightings and pet fox videos to r/foxes and fox-focused Tumblr blogs1.

Frequently Asked Questions