Introduction

The Woman Yelling at a Cat meme features a split image of cast members from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alongside a confused cat, gaining viral popularity for its relatable humor.

Background

The meme format showcases a screen capture of Taylor Armstrong and Kyle Richards from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where Armstrong is visibly upset and pointing, contrasted with a photo of a bewildered cat sitting at a dinner table. The cat, later identified as Smudge, became an integral part of the meme's appeal, which surged in popularity starting in June 2019.

How It Began

The origins trace back to December 5, 2011, during the episode titled 'Malibu Beach Party From Hell' of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. In a memorable scene, Taylor Armstrong cries and points during a heated argument, while Kyle Richards tries to console her. The next day, an article by Daily Mail highlighted the scene, featuring an image of Armstrong's emotional moment. Meanwhile, on June 19, 2018, a Tumblr post by user deadbefordeath shared a picture of a white cat with a confused look, humorously captioned, 'he no like vegetals,' which received significant engagement. This cat was later identified as Smudge, and by May 2019, both images began to circulate more frequently across social media.

Online Popularity

The meme format started gaining traction on May 1, 2019, when Twitter user @MISSINGEGIRL combined both images in a post that went viral, garnering over 78,900 retweets and 276,800 likes. The following day, the first meme based on this format was created by @lc28__, leading to a wave of similar content across platforms like Reddit and Instagram. The format saw significant usage in various subreddits, achieving high upvotes and shares, and was subsequently featured in an article by EbaumsWorld that compiled notable examples of the meme.