Grumpy Cat move over: dogs snapping at feline heels in battle for internet supremacy
How Menswear Dog, Marnie and Boo are leading the charge to oust cats from their spot as the internet's favourite animals.
When internet historians look back at 2014, it may well be deemed the year of the cat – and all because of one grouchy feline.
With perhaps the exception of Frozen and Pharrell Williams' Happy, few things were as inescapable last year as Grumpy Cat. The two-year-old kitty, real name Tardar Sauce, endorsed everything from cappuccinos and pet food to soft toys and books. She even appeared in a made-for-TV-movie Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever. Altogether, the famous feline raked in so much that owner Tabatha Bundesen was able to quit her waitressing job – though she disputes the US$100 million earnings reported by British tabloid The Express.
However, the cranky kitten's position may be coming under threat.
"As it stands, Grumpy Cat is the most famous animal in the world, but dogs are definitely catching up," says Shirley Braha, owner of a 12-year-old Shih Tzu named Marnie.
"I think historically on the internet, dogs haven't been given their due," Braha says. "Now people are thinking 'we did cats, so let's do dogs'."