A Beginner’s Guide to Viral Animal Celebrities
by Laura Cross
Published on December 03, 2013
Here’s a scenario that can be particularly embarrassing to animal lovers: You’re standing around the water cooler and your co-workers can’t stop laughing about a depressed cat named Henri. They’re spouting off joke after joke and you’re feeling a little depressed yourself because you have no idea what they’re talking about and can’t chime in. In fact, you’re a little concerned about this poor cat and think your co-workers are actually being mean and cruel. Then you find out Henri is from a viral video that everyone but you has known about for weeks.
Don't feel bad if this has happened to you, there are so many furry and feathered Internet stars out there that it's hard to keep track of them all. To avoid future embarrassment, or if you just need a quick refresher, here is an introduction to the A-list Internet animal celebrities.
Boo
https://youtu.be/qwaptht9WYgWhy he's famous: He's hands-down the world's cutest dog.
Where you've heard his name: Since he launched his Facebook page in 2009, Boo has amassed over 5 million fans. He's made appearances on the talk show circuit, stars in 2 books, and you can even find a plush version of him in toy stores. That's not all; as you can see from the video above, he also was just named the pet liaison for Virgin America. His fame doesn't come without controversy though; the tech website All Things D claims that the adorable Pomeranian is owned by a Facebook employee who used her insider information to make Boo go viral.
Stay up-to-date: To see the world's cutest dog's latest adventures be sure to 'Like' him on Facebook.
Maru
https://youtu.be/tHwntRpLobUWhy he's famous: The adorable Scottish Fold has never met a box he didn't like.
Where you've heard his name: Maru is a YouTube sensation. Since appearing on YouTube four years ago, the box-loving feline has garnered over 172 million video views and 230,000 subscribers. With his talent for squeezing into tiny boxes, it's no surprise that he also has a book — I Am Maru. Published in 2011, the book was written by his "human roommate" Mugumogu and reveals that the feline loves tuna and sasami and prefers to hang out in in the bathroom sink.
Stay up-to-date: To catch up on Maru’s latest antics, check out his blog and his Twitter handle is, @Maru_0524.
Jesse
https://youtu.be/PztO-OvzRygWhy he's famous: This Jack Russell Terrier is one helpful canine — he does his owner's household chores with a smile.
Where you've heard his name: Jesse is another YouTube star with over 35,000 subscribers and more than 25 million video views. He also was recently crowned Good Morning America's Top Dog and has starred in numerous commercials and TV shows.
Stay up-to-date: You can keep up with Jesse’s latest tricks and acting gigs on her blog, Just Jesse the Jack.
Mishka
https://youtu.be/jbW-SUUZs1YWhy she's famous: The 10-year-old Husky knows how to "talk." She can say, "I love you" and is courteous enough to ask you how your day went.
Where you've heard her name: Mishka is a YouTube celebrity with over 300 million video views and 330,000 subscribers. She's also done the talk show circuit and has starred in commercials. The chatty canine is also quite prolific — according to her YouTube Vlog, she has a new video every Saturday. Mishka also sometimes shares the spotlight with her canine sisters Laika and Moki.
Stay up-to-date: You can also hear what Mishka has to say on her Twitter and Facebook page.
Clark G
https://youtu.be/nGeKSiCQkPwWhy he's famous: Poor Clark G, no one will give him a piece of delicious maple-glazed bacon.
Where you've heard his name: "The Ultimate Dog Tease" video went viral in 2011 and has had more than 100 million views. Since then, the Dutch Shepherd mix has been using his fame to spread awareness about shelter pets and to promote adoption.
Stay up-to-date: Keep up with Clark G's quest for bacon on his blog, Facebook and Twitter.
Henri the Cat
https://youtu.be/Q34z5dCmC4MWhy he's famous: Henri le chat noir suffers from ennui. Quel dommage!
Where you've heard his name: The depressed and tormented feline first appeared on YouTube in 2007 but we didn't hear from him again until last April, when he gave us the hilarious follow-up "Henri 2, Paw de Deux" which quickly went viral and is nominated (along with Maru) for the Walker Museum’s Internet Cat Video Festival people's choice award.
Stay up-to-date: The ever suffering feline posts existential thoughts on his Facebook page and Twitter.
Paige the Border Collie
https://youtu.be/0atefssLylMWhy she's famous: Paige has tons of tricks up her sleeve — like coloring pictures, catching Frisbees and putting her own toys away.
Where you've heard her name: Not to be confused with Jesse the talented Jack Russell, videos featuring Paige have attracted more than a million views. The Border Collie has appeared on Late Night With David Letterman, where she put a frozen waffle in a toaster for his "Stupid Pet Tricks" segment.
Stay up-to-date: Catch all of Paige's latest tricks on her Facebook page.