# Uncanny Cat

Uncanny Cat is an image macro meme featuring a cat named Professor Jones whose face becomes progressively darker and creepier, similar to the Mr. Incredible Becoming Uncanny format. The meme originated from a 2018 Reddit post but gained viral popularity through Discord servers in early 2023.

## Overview
Uncanny Cat is an image macro featuring a staring cat whose face becomes progressively darker and more distorted, creating an unsettling visual effect. The format draws direct inspiration from the Mr. Incredible Becoming Uncanny meme, applying the same escalating creepiness to a feline subject[3]. The meme typically pairs the original image of a wide-eyed tabby cat with increasingly corrupted versions, often accompanied by ominous music or disturbing scenarios in video edits.

The meme also has a counterpart called the Canny Cat, which represents the opposite effect. While Uncanny Cat gets progressively more disturbing, Canny Cat versions feature the image becoming brighter and more wholesome[3]. These paired formats allow for tier-list style comparisons where users rank scenarios from best to worst.

The original cat in the meme is reportedly named Professor Jones, a pet belonging to Reddit user Lavonicus[1]. The cat's naturally intense stare made the image perfect for manipulation into the uncanny format that would later make it famous on Discord and other platforms.

## How It Spread
The Uncanny Cat meme's viral spread began within the DEAD AHEAD Discord server, a community built around a Roblox game of the same name[3]. As early as February 2022, members were sharing various "uncanny" cat images using already-popular cats like Wawa Cat and Alien Cat[3]. On March 8th, 2023, Discord user Amburgie shared the Professor Jones image within the server, and by March 18th, user 15placek had created the first Canny Cat GIF[3].

The meme escaped Discord to broader platforms on March 13th, 2023, when it appeared on 4chan's /vg/ board[3]. Throughout April 2023, Discord users Amburgie and 15placek became the primary creators of Uncanny and Canny Cat content, producing numerous GIF variations including crossovers with SpongeBob's Krusty Krab[3].

By May 2023, the meme had spread to Discord servers beyond DEAD AHEAD. On May 24th, 2023, the Twitter account @Cato_Collector launched as a dedicated collection account for Uncanny and Canny Cat GIFs[2]. The account solicited submissions from followers and shared content throughout June 2023. Instagram user @owen_kung posted multiple Uncanny Cat memes in June 2023, further expanding the meme's reach[3]. The format saw some controversy when 15placek, one of its main proponents, claimed in a June 2023 message that "the origins of the uncanny and canny cat shit is racism," suggesting the light/dark visual motif served as a dog whistle[3].

## How to Use
Uncanny Cat memes typically follow a tier-list format where different scenarios are ranked from pleasant to disturbing. The meme often uses a series of increasingly corrupted cat images paired with text describing progressively worse situations. Common conventions include using bright, normal images of the cat for positive scenarios, then transitioning to darkened, distorted versions for negative ones.

Video versions often include escalating ominous music as the cat becomes more uncanny. Creators frequently apply filters, add red eyes, or distort facial features to achieve the unsettling effect. The Canny Cat format works in reverse, starting dark and becoming progressively brighter and more wholesome.

## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is Uncanny Cat?
Uncanny Cat is an image macro meme featuring a staring cat that becomes progressively darker and more distorted, similar to the Mr. Incredible Becoming Uncanny format[3].

### Where did Uncanny Cat come from?
The original image is of a cat named Professor Jones, posted to Reddit's r/cats by user Lavonicus on April 23rd, 2018. It became the "Uncanny Cat" meme in early 2023 through Discord servers, particularly the DEAD AHEAD Roblox community[1][3].

### What does Uncanny Cat mean?
The meme uses progressively creepier versions of a cat image to represent increasingly disturbing or negative scenarios, following the tier-list format popularized by Mr. Incredible Becoming Uncanny[3].

### How do you use Uncanny Cat?
Creators pair different versions of the cat image with text describing scenarios from good to bad. The normal cat represents pleasant situations, while distorted, darkened versions represent disturbing ones[3].

### Is Uncanny Cat still popular?
The meme gained viral popularity in 2023 through Discord, Twitter, and Instagram. The @Cato_Collector Twitter account established in May 2023 collects and shares Uncanny Cat GIFs[2].

## References
1. [https://www.reddit.com/r/cats/comments/8eb5jd/when_you_accidentally_switch_to_the_front_facing/](<https://www.reddit.com/r/cats/comments/8eb5jd/when_you_accidentally_switch_to_the_front_facing/>)
2. [https://x.com/Cato_Collector/status/1661347976768376833](<https://x.com/Cato_Collector/status/1661347976768376833>)
3. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/uncanny-cat](<https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/uncanny-cat>)

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Source: https://meme.com/memes/uncanny-cat
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