Calvin T. Katz, the Most Interesting Cat in the World, Goes Viral

He’s always been the most photogenic of my cats.

Calvin looks directly into the camera with a sophisticated insouciance that matches his tuxedo markings and cape.

So when I caught him napping in the dog bed, with his paws crossed just so, and an expression of rightful ownership on his masked face, I began snapping away with my iPhone and my digital SLR.

Because I knew it would be a great photo.

And I also knew exactly what I was going to do with it: I was going to meme-ify it.

The Most Interesting Cat in the World

Calvin seemed to channel the personality of The Most Interesting Man in the World, a Hemingway-esque character created by ad agency Havas Worldwide for Dos Equis, a Mexican beer. (To be technically correct, the agency that developed the persona and campaign was Euro RSCG, which is now part of Havas Worldwide.) The ads for the beer usually end with the character saying, “I don’t always drink beer. But when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.” This is usually followed by “Stay thirsty, my friends.”

The ads spawned a meme featuring a photo of The Most Interesting Man in the World, played by actor Jonathan Goldsmith. The meme plays on the idea of “I don’t always…, but when I do…”

From Meme Generator: The Most Interesting Man in the World.

And so I created this:

and posted it here on my site, and on Facebook on Tuesday.

I’m funny. Really. I am.

I do this kind of thing a lot. Silly humor featuring my cats or dogs.

Like the time I created a fake poster for a noir film I called The Beast at the Bottom of the Stairs.

Or had Tucker Terrier Chasing “rewrite” Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnet: “How Do I Love Thee, Ball?”

Of course there’s Haiku by Cat and Haiku by Dog.

And Dogs and Cats Texting.

Most Interesting

So when I posted Calvin as the Most Interesting Cat in the World, it felt no different that the hundreds of other goofy things I post.

I was very excited when, by the end of the day, several people had shared it. And by several, I mean about a dozen or so. The next morning, it was up to 18 people, and I proudly showed my husband. I really love it when people share my posts, particularly my humorous ones, because I know I’ve made someone smile or laugh or purr or wag.

An hour later, I checked my Facebook page, and saw that Likes and Shares had changed dramatically. They were in the hundreds!

I thought that was awesome. But it had only just begun.

I tried to get a screen grab when my Most Interesting Cat in the World post hit 1000 Likes but it went from 999 to 1001 in a blink and I missed it.

My photo is going viral; now what?

Now, thousands of people have liked and shared Calvin’s photo, and it’s still growing. This makes me smile. It makes Calvin purr.

But Calvin is more than just that one photo. I have many pictures of him where he exudes the calm, yet devil-may-care catitude seen in the original photo.

The camera loves Calvin, and he loves the camera. My cat is not a one-trick kitty.

It is one of the reasons, I began referring to him awhile ago as Calvin Tiberius Katz; his purr-sonality seemed to require a more refined and worldly name.

In an attempt to ride the wave of attention that Calvin T. Katz is attracting, I created a Facebook Page for The Most Interesting Cat in the World. And yes, I also created a Twitter feed (@CalvinTKatz) and an Instagram account: Calvin, Most Interesting Cat (calvintkatz).

Facebook page of Calvin Tiberius Katz, The Most Interesting Cat in the World.

Because I think there’s a lot more that Calvin can share. I already posted several more photos of meme-ified photos of Calvin on the Facebook page, as well as a few other pictures. They’ll be appearing on his Twitter and Instagram accounts as well.

And what does Calvin think of all this? He demanded tuna and caviar for dinner last night.

Calvin, the Most Interesting Cat in the World.

Stay comfy, my friends.

Related posts:

The Most Interesting Cat in the World Sleeps in a Dog Bed Story: I wear my heart on my sleeve and my cat on my shoulders Calvin, Cat Office Manager Story: Of cats, boxes and bookcases