Cats Get Their Own Social Network

Fellow cat owners: ever caught your feline stealing jealous glances at your laptop? Wonder why they keep walking all over your keyboard?

Turns out they're not trying to catch your attention or steal your lap heat. They just want you to get off Facebook so they can have their turn.

OK, not really -- but the world's smartest pets are long overdue for their own social network. And now, thanks to a couple of developers in Malaysia, they just may have found one worthy of them.

The site in question is Catmoji, the brainchild of Matthew Phiong and Koekoe Loo Wan Koe. "We want to be Facebook for cats," the Penang-based programmers told Betabeat.

Facebook isn't the first social network you'll think of when you see the design, however. Check it out:

Pinterest, anyone?

Then again, a picture and video-based social network makes a lot of sense when cats are your subject. None of that pesky text that dogs (so to speak) sites such as Catster or United Cats. Given the international appeal of cats -- and the rather shaky English of Catmoji's founders -- that's probably for the best. The site does offer the option to tag and filter cat pics according to their emotion (hence the name).

Catmoji only launched on Christmas Eve, so it doesn't have anything in the way of impressive user numbers just yet. But given its founders' obvious passion for the topic, we'll be keeping one beady kitty eye on its growth.

And if you're thinking you've already seen a parody video along the lines of a feline social network, you might be thinking of this:

BONUS: The 33 Most-Watched Cat Videos of All Time

1. 33. Kitten in Hamster Ball

   It goes on too long, and could do with a little more motion to justify the Stealer's Wheel soundtrack. But these are forgivable sins in the cat video world, it seems; Tom Tom's spherical plastic antics have racked up more than 11 million views.

2. 32. Kitten Dance

   Sometimes on YouTube, the simplest ideas are the best. Tabby kitten, ball of yarn, shaky camerawork: go go gadget 11 million views!

3. 31. Brave Kitten Stands Up to Dog

   Who doesn't love an underdog -- especially when it happens to be a kitten? This inspiring scene of courage in the face of fear has racked up almost 12 million views since December 2011 (and features the only appearance by a dog in the top 30.)

4. 30. Cat Fight

   Uploaded way back in August 2006, this legendary boxing match between BJ and Cognac is easily the most successful cat video from YouTube's pre-Google era. It has now been watched nearly 13 million times.

5. 29. Cats Playing Patty-cake

   Perhaps the finest example of the cat voice-over subgenre, "Patty-cake" was a 2010 collaboration between two YouTube users on opposite sides of the world. Hong Kong-based Becky provided the video, and U.S.-based Justin Elliot added the hilarious narration. Result: 14 million views.

6. 28. Scottish Fold Munchkin

   A relatively new breed of cat, the Munchkin seems almost genetically designed for YouTube success -- especially when six weeks old. This 2008 video boasts 14 million views and way too much cuteness for its own good.

7. 27. I Am Maru

   One of the world's most popular cats, Japanese megastar Maru -- a male Scottish Fold -- made his first appearance in this January 2009 video, which went on to gain more than 14 million views.

8. 26. Kitten and His Box

   Step one: put kitten in box of wipes. Step two: add two other kittens and a Debussy soundtrack. Step three: 15 million views!

9. 25. Kittens Inspired by Kittens

   There aren't any actual cats in this 2008 picture-book narration by 6 year-old Maddy Kelly. But that didn't stop it from gaining 16 million views. Whether you like this one may depend more on your feelings about squealing 6 year-old girls than your love of cats.

10. 24. The OMG Cat

    OMG, this shot of me with my mouth open has been watched 17 million times? OMG.

11. 23. Kittens at Lunch

    Pro tip: music rarely enhances cat videos the way their makers might expect. Still, this short is worth its 18 million views for the one shot of kittens lined up to chow down.

12. 22. Kitten vs. Watermelon

    SPOILER ALERT: The big round green thing wins by default. Still, those of you who gave this video 19 million views already knew that.

13. 21. Dramatic Cat

    It's no "Dramatic Chipmunk," the five-second clip from which it borrows the concept and the music, but this swiveling kitty still managed to make heads turn with 21 million views (compared to the chipmunk's 35 million).

14. 20. Drunk Kitty

    Well, not drunk, but sedated -- it's the "David After Dentist" of cat videos, with nearly 22 million views.

15. 19. Small Cute Kitten

    It's no "Surprised Kitty," but 22 million views prove that we like to watch just about any kitten playing on its back.

16. 18. Talking Cat

    We really wish there was some way to remove the laugh track from this seminal moment in cat communication. The human-like voice is uncanny; the video has gained more than 22 million views.

17. 17. When Cats Pray

    Billy the cat passed on in 2010, but his voiceover prayer lives on -- with more than 23 million views.

18. 16. Nora: Practice Makes Purr-fect

    Forget Keyboard Cat and his fake piano-playing. This right here is the "Shine" of cat videos. Nora's musical efforts have been watched 24 million times in this video alone, not to mention the sequel.

19. 15. Talking Cat

    There's something profoundly disturbing about this one, more so with the laugh track. Still, it has 25 million views.

20. 14. Charlie Schmidt's Keyboard Cat

    Before there was Nyan Cat, there was Keyboard Cat. This original video has 25 million views, but if you added in all the "play him off" variations, Nyan wouldn't stand a chance. Stick around for the encore.

21. 13. Kitten Surprise!

    It has violence, a twist ending, and it's a rare foray into the gross-out genre. That may be why this cat video boasts 30 million views.

22. 12. Don't Pet this Kitty!

    The terror, the shrieking, the shaky camerawork -- it's the Blair Witch Project of cat videos. It also has 31 million views.

23. 11. Cat Talking, Translation

    The most-watched cat video voiceover has gained 33 million views -- by riding on the back of the fourth most-watched cat video ever, and translating it into words every human couple can understand. "You ... you don't listen."

24. 10. Stalking Cat

    Sometimes known as "ninja kitty," this silent movie manages to build tension until the very last second. The stalking has been seen more than 34 million times.

25. 9. Crazy Cat Loves Water

    Here we see two successful elements in the cat video world: show a cat doing something no feline in its right mind would do, and set it to just the right song. Those 35 million views can't be wrong.

26. 8. Simon's Cat: 'Cat Man Do'

    The first in a hugely popular series, Cat Man Do won the "Best Comedy" award at the British Animation Awards in 2008. It also garnered 35 million views.

27. 7. I Are Cute Kitten

    42 million views for this? Really? Just goes to show how low the bar is set for stardom when you're young and beautiful.

28. 6. Cat Mom Hugs Baby Kitten

    You'll need a hug yourself after watching this heart-melting moment. We hope everyone who contributed to the 47 million views had someone close by to throw their arms around.

29. 5. Two Talking Cats

    Want to know what they're really saying? They're debating just how many times those silly humans will watch their conversation. Answer: 50 million times.

30. 4. The Mean Kitty Song

    Cats seem to lend themselves well to rap songs, but none have been quite as catchy as the hook for "Mean Kitty," the tale of a cat named Sparta. Sparta's owner, Cory Williams, is a 30 year-old actor -- and thanks to this video, he has been seen busting his moves more than 64 million times.

31. 3. Surprised Kitty

    Back in October 2009, British YouTube user Rozzafly uploaded this and changed the course of cat video history. She's never uploaded anything since, but we like to think Surprised Kitty is still out there, throwing its paws up, some 64 million views later.

32. 2. Very Angry Cat

    Poor Burger the shelter cat had clearly been through some rough times when this video was shot. Luckily, he found a home soon after. We have to wonder how many of the 77 million views came from dogs.

33. 1. Nyan Cat

    You were expecting someone else? The 8-bit Pop Tart-shaped feline has been spreading rainbows for more than a year, garnering 79 million views along the way.