Who Is Polite Cat, And Why Is Bruce Making An Exception For Him?

If the internet has a mascot, it’s a cat. But like the web itself, not every cat is nice or good: often they’re mischievous, forever f***ing around and finding out, knocking over items and throwing claws when bothered. This is why landlords often don’t allow domestic animals like cats.

But there’s at least one internet cat that has always meant well, and who really hopes you’re doing great: this is the tale of Polite Cat and other polite creatures that really should be allowed in the property you’re renting.

Where Did Polite Cat Come From?

Polite Cat made his first recorded online appearance on 9GAG on June 7th, 2018. His very kind-looking and oddly human facial expression was a MFW (my face when) meme image. In this first case, Polite Cat's face represented “My face when someone expects me to be excited about something that I'm not excited about".

However, Polite Cat wasn’t destined to be a reaction image, but to take part in another meme. He began to feature in a popular landlord text message meme, which showed a screenshot of a tenant asking for an exception to an animal clause in a lease.

After Polite Cat was first featured in this landlord text message, on July 2nd, 2018, he was soon followed by other adorable animals.

Bruce Landlord, who had already made an exception for Polite Cat, was forced to accept these other creatures.

But some existential doubt crept into his life.

Are There Other Polite Cat Memes?

Like every other meme animal, Polite Cat has been remixed and altered in a variety of outrageous ways. Memers have yassified Polite Cat, placed him into other meme formats, and turned him into a terrifying alien creature.

It’s a classic meme technique: take an image that is objectively funny, and push it to the point of absurdist exhaustion.

Why Do People Post Polite Cat?

The tenant and landlord relationship is famously tense. Many people find it absurd that there’s another human being -- often a Bruce or someone else like that -- who holds such power over them and can decide whether or not they get to have a pet.

The fantasy of a landlord who would accept a pet if it were polite and cute enough is a joke because most landlords would never do that. Posters of Polite Cat dream about a world with more flexible rules which doesn’t really exist, a place where landlords and others would recognize and value their weirdness and needs.

For the full history of Polite Cat, be sure to check out our entry on the meme here for even more information.