Alexis Kestler
If you‘ve been on TikTok in recent months, chances are you‘ve encountered the ubiquitous "El Gato" trend. Videos featuring an orange cartoon cat and impassioned cries of "Ell Gatooooo!" have flooded feeds on the popular short-form video app. But what exactly does the nonsensical Spanish phrase mean in the context of TikTok? Where did this inexplicable meme come from and why has it captivated millions?
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll unravel the curious case of "El Gato" – analyzing its anime origins, evolution as a viral TikTok sensation, deeper significance as an internet cultural phenomenon, and tips for getting in on the trend yourself. Whether you‘re already yelling "Ell Gatooooo!" or wondering what all the feline fuss is about, read on to become an expert on all things "El Gato"!
The TikTok Trend Explainer: Why "El Gato" Blew Up
Before analyzing the specific "El Gato" meme, it helps to understand why TikTok is such a breeding ground for viral sounds and memes in general. The ultra-popular short-form video app has a massive user base – over 1 billion monthly active users as of 2022 – giving it enormous meme distribution power.
But it‘s TikTok‘s proprietary recommendation algorithm that really gives trends momentum. The algorithm determines each user‘s interests based on factors like engagements, searches, and watches. It then populates the For You Page with content it thinks you‘ll like and interact with. This creates a positive feedback loop that repeatedly exposes users to trending sounds, fueling their spread.
According to internal documents revealed by the New York Times, a sound on TikTok needs 5,000 to 10,000 videos to gain enough traction to go viral. But once momentum is reached, the median views per video quickly spike – reaching as high as several million views for top trends.
For instance, the #SilhouetteChallenge sound started gaining steam in January 2021 and within 5 days had 30,000 TikTok videos. By the end of February 2021 it had accrued 29.7 million videos and 5 billion views!
This snowball effect is intensified by TikTok features like duets, which allow users to react to videos, and stitches, which let people insert themselves into existing clips. These tools make participating in trends irresistibly easy.
So when the "El Gato" sound first emerged in March 2022, it already had the perfect environment to explode. Its emotional delivery combined with an absurdly misheard phrase was meme gold. The algorithm immediately picked up steam and pushed the sound into hundreds of thousands of users‘ feeds. There, the cute cat graphic and cries of "Ell Gatooooo!" in the comments proved predictably addictive.
Within one month, "El Gato" videos gained over 2 billion views, cementing its status as one of the biggest TikTok trends of 2022 thus far.
Lost in Translation: How Anime Birthed the "El Gato" Meme
While "El Gato" seemed to come out of left field for many TikTok users, it actually originated from a poignant scene in the popular anime series Demon Slayer.
In Episode 10 of the show, a character named Suma cries "Arigatō" (the Japanese word for "thank you") while covered in blood and tears. However, Suma‘s unique pronunciation sounded similar to "El Gato" (Spanish for "The Cat") to Western audiences.
TikTok user @ruubesz posted about the misinterpreted quote in March 2022, kicking off the meme. The clip of Suma‘s emotional "Arigatō" was quickly ripped from Demon Slayer and reposted as the viral "El Gato" sound.
This phenomenon of misheard anime quotes taken out of context has spawned many memes before. Western fans on sites like Tumblr have long enjoyed parodying their favorite dramatic scenes by intentionally misinterpreting the dialogue as absurd or nonsensical phrases.
The ridiculous image of Suma bawling over a random cat rather than sincerely thanking someone provided perfect fodder for this long-running internet joke format. Soon the sound lost all context from the show and took on a surreal meaning of its own.
Anime has influence far beyond its original fanbase, often permeating mainstream internet culture. While not everyone has seen the show, Demon Slayer‘s beautiful animation and captivating characters have made it wildly popular even outside regular anime circles.
This wider resonance likely gave the "El Gato" sound legs long enough to reach non-anime fans on TikTok. The dramatic voice performance seems tailor-made for meme-ification – emotional yet vague enough for endless interpretations.
Indeed,numerous anime clips have gone viral on TikTok for this reason. Sounds from shows like Naruto, Hunter x Hunter, and Haikyuu!! have been meme‘d into TikTok ubiquity, crossing over with pop music and general youth culture.
As meme culture expert Brad Kim tells Mashable, "Anime is a dominant force in internet and meme culture. This latest ‘El Gato‘ TikTok meme proving that anime‘s online influence is only growing."
So while originally an inside joke among Demon Slayer fans, the decontextualized "El Gato" sound was perfectly primed for TikTok virality.
Tracing the Evolution of "El Gato" on TikTok
Once a TikTok trend gains momentum, it often mutates and spreads in unexpected new directions as more users put their spin on it. The "El Gato" meme is no exception.
In the earliest videos using the sound, creators typically just looked upset or caught off guard as the clip played. But soon new formats emerged:
Photo Manipulations: The iconic crying orange cat graphic was photoshopped into movie scenes, iconic paintings, and pop culture images for an absurd effect.
Music Mashups: The "El Gato" sound was mixed with other melodic TikTok trends for funny remixes. Most popular was the emotional ballad "Elastic Heart" by Sia.
Zooming/Shaking: Zoomed in shots of the cat graphic shaking on beat became prevalent for a dramatic Chipmunks vibe.
Lyrical Replacements: Song lyrics were swapped out with "El Gato" for absurdist humor, like the line "Starboy" becoming "El Gato" in The Weeknd‘s hit.
Full Elaboration: Videos fully acted out the premise of crying profusely over a cat, taking the meme extremely literally.
As the trend spread beyond TikTok, static graphics and comics also gained popularity on Twitter and Instagram. Simple rage comic faces with "El Gato" captions became a quick shorthand for conveying intense dismay.
Some merchandise also emerged, like t-shirts, hoodies, and phone cases featuring the meme cat crying "Ell Gatooooo!"
In late April, TikTok introduced an official "El Gato" lens that anyone could use. The augmented reality effect places a 3D animated cat in the scene which users can control. This entrenched the meme even further.
No matter the format, absurd humor is at the core of each iteration. As online culture expert Marissa Potts describes, "The elasticity of the meme is a big factor in its viral appeal. There‘s an addictive challenge in trying to one-up each other with the most ridiculous ‘El Gato‘ content."
This constant one-upmanship fuels continual reinvention of the meme.
Step-by-Step: Making Your Own Viral "El Gato" TikTok Video
Want to try your hand at the "El Gato" trend? Follow these steps:
1. Find the Sound
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Open TikTok and tap the + to create a new video
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Tap the sounds icon and search for "El Gato"
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Pick the emotional crying clip to add it to your video
2. Get Creative with Context
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Film yourself looking upset or surprised to contrast with the silly sound
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Use green screen effects to place the cat meme in weird settings
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Remix the sound with popular songs for ironic mashups
3. Enhance with Effects
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Use zooming/shaking effects on the cat for added absurdity
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Add text captions with the words "El Gato" swapped in for humor
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Use the official El Gato lens for augmented reality cat overlays
4. Add Emojis and Comments
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Caption the video with many crying emojis to match the sound
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Comment "Ell Gatooooo" repeatedly under your posted video
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Reply to comments ad nauseum with more "El Gato" cries
5. Duet and Stitch for Exposure
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Duet popular El Gato videos to inherit some views/follows
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Stitch yourself reacting to increase reach beyond your followers
Leaning fully into the absurdity of the meme pays off in engagement. The more sincerely you take the joke, the funnier the video lands.
The Cultural Significance of Internet Cat Memes
On the surface, memes like "El Gato" that derive humor from cats or mistaken language seem frivolous and disposable. But dismissing viral web phenomena like this misses their value as artifacts of internet culture and history.
Media studies professor Dr. Melissa Gregg argues that today‘s online memes are significant representations of digital society. In an interview with Wired, she explains:
"Internet memes have become our modern folk culture, transmitting shared values and ideas virally across diverse communities. Their spread represents how the social web allows dispersed people to find common ground."
In the case of "El Gato," the meme demonstrates a globally shared appetite for audiovisual humor based on decontextualized content and absurdist juxtapositions. This editing and remixing of media for humorous effect is native to the internet generation.
Cats have a particularly important place in internet history, with memes like LOLCats and Nyan Cat making felines an eternal digital mascot. They represent the internet‘s ability to imbue the mundane with entertainment value through repetition and creative remixing.
This alchemical power of the web to transform any piece of media into a cultural phenomenon is part of what makes memes like "El Gato" special. On a deeper level, they reflect the human desire to find connections and joy online through shared inside jokes.
The Outlook for "El Gato": An Enduring Meme?
Most viral memes have a short shelf life, fading away within weeks or months. But some transcend their initial explosion to become an enduring part of online culture. Grumpy Cat, Doge, and Distracted Boyfriend have shown surprising longevity over the years. They‘ve been cycled through endless variations and nostalgic rebirths.
So what does the future hold for "El Gato" – fleeting fame or immortal meme status?
Some key factors point towards longevity:
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Broad appeal – funny even if you don‘t know the anime origins
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Emotive sound – distinctive enough for endless remix potential
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Simple image format – easily inserted into any context
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Absurdist humor – loss of meaning increases joke randomness
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Strong associations – cat memes have cultural staying power
As meme culture expert Melissa Anelli explains, "‘El Gato‘ ticks a lot of boxes we see in enduring viral formats. The emotional delivery contrasts with the absurdity in a way people just don‘t seem to tire of. It‘s easy to bring back for Nostalgia Cycle content years from now."
Only time will tell, but there‘s a strong chance we‘ll see this meme‘s cartoon cat standing the test of time. It has all the ingredients for regular resurrection and reinterpretation, keeping "Ell Gatooooo!" cries echoing across the internet for years to come.
So next time you have a strong reaction to something silly online, go ahead and let out an emphatic "El Gato!" You‘ll be keeping this legendary feline meme alive – and recognizing how even an anime cat can bring millions together in shared laughter on the internet.
