We also identified a dark side: . At extreme doses (>3 hours daily), users reported diminished returns — “cat blindness” — where even a kitten in a sock fails to spark joy. Further research is needed on digital tolerance breaks. 5. Conclusion Cat Salut Online is not a bug of internet culture; it is a feature of human emotional regulation. In an era of algorithmic anxiety, doomscrolling, and parasocial strain, the simple act of saluting a digital cat provides a micro-respite. We recommend that future studies explore cross-species digital wellness (e.g., Dog Salut? early results suggest lower engagement due to insufficient chaos) and the potential therapeutic use of prescribed cat compilations in clinical settings.
Author: Dr. A. Whiskerfield (Institute for Digital Zoology & Meme Sciences) Journal: Journal of Internet Anthropology , Vol. 12, Issue 3, pp. 145-162 Published Date: April 13, 2026 Abstract The internet is not merely a network of computers; it is a vast, sprawling ecosystem of cat content. This paper introduces the concept of Cat Salut Online (CSO) — a neologism combining cat , salute (as in recognition or tribute), and salut (French/English for health or wellness). CSO refers to the collective digital rituals in which users create, share, and consume feline media to achieve a measurable, if transient, state of psychological ease. Through a mixed-methods analysis of 5,000 cat tweets, 200 hours of TikTok cat compilations, and a survey of self-identified “chronically online” users, we argue that CSO functions as a low-stakes, asynchronous form of social grooming for the digital age. 1. Introduction Why do cats dominate the internet? From Grumpy Cat’s enduring frown to the chaotic energy of “bingus,” felines have held a vice-like grip on our collective attention spans. Existing literature explains this through “cute aggression” (Stavropoulos & Alba, 2018) or the unpredictability of cat behavior (McComb et al., 2009). However, these theories fail to account for the salut — the active, intentional salute to cats as digital healers. cat salut online