OMG Cat is the nickname for Chocolate, a Japanese kitten whose slackjawed, open-mouthed expression became a viral reaction image and video after her caretaker posted her photos to 2channel in March 2010.

Where did OMG Cat come from?

The original post went up on 2channel's /news4vip/ board around 9:22 pm on March 17, 2010, asking for help with the kitten's dislocated jaw, and a matching video was uploaded to Nico Nico Douga and YouTube the same day.

What does OMG Cat mean?

The image is used as a reaction to shocking, scandalous or unbelievable news, playing off Chocolate's stunned open-mouth expression, which was actually caused by a jaw injury.

How do you use OMG Cat?

People drop the still image as a reply to jaw-dropping posts, often with captions like 'OMG,' or share short video mashups of Chocolate in the style of Keyboard Cat.

Is OMG Cat still popular?

OMG Cat is a classic 2010 cat meme; it broke into wider pop culture after Justin Bieber restaged the clip in his April Fools' Day parody on Funny or Die.

OMG Cat

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Published September 18, 2026

OMG Cat is the nickname for Chocolate, a Japanese kitten whose slackjawed expression appeared on 2channel in March 2010 after her caretaker asked readers for help with her dislocated jaw. The photos and video jumped from 2channel to YouTube and Nico Nico Douga within hours, then broke into mainstream attention two weeks later when Justin Bieber restaged the clip in an April Fools' Day prank on Funny or Die.

cats reaction memes japanese internet memes captioned animal memes early 2010s memes

Overview

OMG Cat is a reaction image and short clip of Chocolate, a small kitten photographed with her mouth hanging open in a stunned, wide-eyed pose3. The picture is used as a reply to shocking, unbelievable or scandalous news, since the cat looks like she just overheard something outrageous, even though the expression was actually caused by a dislocated jaw at the time of the shoot3.

On YouTube the joke lived less as a static image macro and more as short video edits, with the original clip getting mirrored, slowed down and cut into mashups in the same style as Keyboard Cat2. Fans typically pair the still frame with captions expressing disbelief, or drop the video as a punchline reply after an absurd claim.

Gallery

Origin & Background

Platform

2channel (source) / YouTube (viral spread)

Date

2010

At around 9:22 pm on March 17, 2010, an anonymous user posted a thread on 2channel's /news4vip/ (Breaking news: VIP) board attaching photos of a slackjawed kitten named Chocolate and asking readers for advice on how to handle her dislocated jaw3. Commenters were sympathetic but pointed out that the cat's stunned expression looked funny in stills.

The same day, the poster uploaded a matching video of Chocolate to Nico Nico Douga and to YouTube, where it was quickly picked up outside Japan2. A follow-up thread appeared on 2channel around 1:11 pm on March 19, 2010, with an update on the kitten3.

How It Spread

Within hours of the YouTube upload, other users mirrored the clip and cut reaction mashups in the style of Keyboard Cat, and duplicate uploads and remixes piled up on the platform2 4. Compilation and reaction edits kept appearing on YouTube in the weeks that followed5 6.

The video jumped from cat-video circles into wider pop culture on April 1, 2010, when Justin Bieber took over Funny or Die for an April Fools' Day prank, temporarily rebranding the site as "Bieber or Die" and posting a parody that restaged the OMG Cat clip with Bieber in the slackjawed role1. MTV covered the stunt the same day, describing the OMG Cat parody as the centerpiece of Bieber's takeover1.

Timeline

2010-03-17

Anonymous user posts photos of Chocolate the kitten with a dislocated jaw on 2channel's /news4vip/ board at roughly 9:22 pm and uploads a matching video to Nico Nico Douga and YouTube.

2010-03-19

A follow-up thread about Chocolate appears on 2channel around 1:11 pm.

2010-04-01

Justin Bieber hijacks Funny or Die for an April Fools' Day prank, rebranding it 'Bieber or Die' and posting an OMG Cat parody covered the same day by MTV.

How to Use This Meme

OMG Cat is typically used as a reaction to jaw-dropping news, gossip or plot twists, either as the still image of Chocolate's open-mouthed face or as a short video reply. A common convention is to pair the picture with captions like "OMG" or "wait, what" to mimic the cat's stunned look.