The internet's favorite animal videos — which one is the most iconic?

Long before MrBeast or gaming Let's Plays, animals were quietly running YouTube. From a Japanese cat who became a global celebrity for climbing into boxes to a permanently scowling cat who launched a media empire, animal videos have generated some of the platform's most enduring fame. Which furry (or grumpy) internet icon do you think earned it the most?

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Maru the box-loving cat — Japan's most famous internet cat has racked up hundreds of millions of views across his channel simply climbing into boxes too small for him, and once held a Guinness World Record for most-watched animal on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHwntRpLobU

Grumpy Cat — Tardar Sauce's permanently scowling face turned a single photo into a multi-million dollar media franchise, including books and a movie, before her passing in 2019.

Talking animal compilations — supercuts of dogs and cats seemingly "talking" back to their owners via dubbed voiceovers became one of YouTube's most reliably viral video formats for over a decade.

Simon's Cat — the animated (but based on real feline behavior) series about a demanding orange cat has become one of the most-subscribed animal-focused channels on the platform.

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