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As we roll into 2020, it is no surprise that influencers are dominating the social media game. Every day, we see a new YouTuber or Instagramer post a brand deal with leading industry companies. However, we can no longer just classify these influencers as exclusively human. Some may even say these four-legged, furry house pets are running the world of Instagram. Yes, cats have not only taken over our hearts but they have also taken over the internet. Cats are Instagram sensations with aesthetic feeds, millions of followers, and major brand partnerships. Here are the top 10 cats on Instagram you should be following right now:
1. @nala_cat
- Nala
- 4.3 million followers
Nala is the top cat on Instagram with several million followers to her name. Nala was adopted from an animal shelter at 5 months old and has climbed her way to success with the help of her owners Pookie and Shannon. Nala’s following has led her to become the Guinness World Record holder for cat with most Instagram followers. Nala has also been featured on her Instagram with various celebrities and influencers such as Dacre Montgomery, Sadie Sink, Steve Harvey, The Merrell Twins, and Shane Dawson. Nala has also been nominated for both a Shorty Award and a Kid’s Choice Award. This social media success has also transcended her from not only being a feline but also a businesswoman. Owners Pookie and Shannon have launched Nala’s career by creating merchandise, their own cat food brand, and brand partnerships on Instagram.
Nala’s Popular Brand Partnerships:
- Paw CBD
- Bissell Clean
- Litter Genie
- Pet Armor
- A Dog’s Way Home (movie)
- Dyson
2. @smoothiethecat
- Smoothie
- 2.2 million followers
Smoothie is the true definition of a cat influencer (and not just on Instagram). Smoothie not only has 2.2 million followers on Instagram, but she also has a TikTok and YouTube page, both accounts with several thousand subscribers. Her content includes her around her house doing various tasks or promoting her merchandise. Her merchandise, sold by her owners, includes socks and a 2020 calendar that features her and her cat sibling, Milkshake. Smoothie’s strong social media presence truly leads up to her name on Instagram, “Queen of Fluff.”
3. @venustwofacecat
- Venus
- 2 million followers
Venus is a very unique member of the cats on Instagram on the inside and out. Her aesthetic is notorious because her face is perfectly half black with a green eye and half orange with a blue eye. Her rare physique is what makes followers so intrigued compared to any other cat. Venus has three other cat “siblings” and one Shiba Inu (dog) “sis” that all have Instagram content under the account @venusandfamily. Most brand-sponsored posts on Venus’ account come from Paw CBD, a CBD oil company for pets. Venus and Nala Cat are both pet ambassadors for Paw CBD and have their own coupon codes.
- CBD Oil Tinctures
- CBD Soft Chews
- Kidney Support Chews
4. @white_coffee_cat
- Coffee
- 2 million followers
Coffee (aka Mr. White) is not only one of the cats on Instagram, but he could easily be considered an Instagram model as well. Coffee’s content includes many themed photography shoots such as him dressed up as a football player, “hipster,” and even Batman. His Instagram modeling career doesn’t stop there, though. Coffee has also been a cat model for Feline Magazine and has modeled for Nala Cat’s cat food brand, “Love, Nala.” Coffee is not only a model and sponsor for Love, Nala but he is also a friend of Nala’s, as seen in several collaboration posts on Instagram. Coffee is also a Cancer survivor that has shared his story via Instagram highlights.
5. @cobythecat
- Coby
- 1.8 million followers
Coby The Cat is another Instagram cat known for his striking, blue eyes. As stated in his Instagram bio, “it’s all in the eyes.” Coby’s content, like Coffee’s, is primarily model-like professional photos of him dressed up doing human activities. However, he also has his own website where he features his merchandise, a “get to know me” column, and fan art that he receives. Coby’s success on Instagram has also led to impressive brand deals, specifically his partnership with Spotify where he created and promoted his own “pet playlist.”
6. @sukiicat
- Suki
- 1.8 million followers
Suki could best be described as the “travel influencer” of the cats on Instagram. Suki has traveled to places all over the world such as Vancouver, Mexico, and Switzerland. Suki’s highly aesthetic travel content with owner Marti Gutfreund (@enchanted.forest), has given an entirely new perspective on what it means to be a cat influencer. Suki also has her own Etsy page that sells a plethora of merchandise such as prints, phone cases, and mugs. Suki is best described as an adventure cat and has a new book available for pre-order on Amazon called Travels of Suki the Adventure Cat.
7. @waffles_the_cat
- Waffles
- 934k followers
Waffles is the pop culture cat on our list of cats on Instagram. At almost a million followers, Waffles produces entertainment content such as TV show inspired photoshoots, memes, and cooking videos while also having successful YouTube and TikTok pages. Waffles was also recently nominated for a Shorty Award and has been featured on Forbes’ Top Influencer Pets list for 2017. Waffles’ Instagram is continuing to grow with the help of featured fan art and available merchandise.
Other Featured Cats on Forbes’ Top Influencer Pets of 2017 List:
| Name | Handle | Follower Count |
|---|---|---|
| Nala | @nala_cat | 4.3 million |
| Lil Bub | @iamlilbub | 2.4 million |
| Grumpy Cat | @realgrumpycat | 2.7 million |
8. @declanandfrankie
- Declan and Frankie
- 546k followers
Declan and Frankie have a very special owner that made their cat page skyrocket in followers, even though they are relatively new to Instagram. Youtube sensation, Emma Chamberlain, recently adopted two cats named Declan and Frankie and instantly gave them an Instagram account to post everyday content. Chamberlain’s approach to this account is very casual, including quirky pictures of her and her cats, unlike most cats on Instagram that have professional photos. Chamberlain likely does this because it goes very hand-in-hand with her laid-back brand. It has given her 8.64 million YouTube subscribers in success and has carried over into her Declan and Frankie account as she has already received PR gifts from Benefit Cosmetics for the cats.
9. @kittysushiandtuna
- Sushi and Tuna
- 527k followers
Now, if you thought that having Youtuber Emma Chamberlain as your owner was a big deal, these next two cats might just take the win for the biggest celebrity owner. Sushi and Tuna, cats on Instagram, are owned by none other than Justin Bieber. Sushi and Tuna are brother and sister cats that also share a similar Instagram aesthetic to (cats) Declan and Frankie. Bieber runs this account and also gives it a very laid-back approach, producing content of the cats doing leisure activities such as eating, sleeping, and laying on the sofa. However, he has also featured recent wife Hailey Bieber on this account lounging with the cats, giving followers/fans an inside look into his personal life.
10. @princesscheeto
- Cheeto
- 161k followers
Cheeto, our final cat on the list, is here not only because of her trendy feed on Instagram, but also because she is a movie star. Cheeto is featured in Netflix’s documentary on cats called #Cats_The_Mewvie. This 2019 film, featuring Cheeto on the poster, explores the appeal of the traditional house cat that has taken over the nation (especially via Instagram). Cheeto Insta-cat success and appealing feed have given her brand deals with Amazon Music and made her a pop culture cat for the media.
Exhibits Featured In:
- Princess Cheeto and Friends – The Bund Finance Center (China)
- The Constellation Cats – Lumino City Festival (New York City)
Other Notable Cats on Instagram:
| Name | Handle | Follower Count |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | @memphis2nosecat | 159k followers |
| Zappa | @zappa_the_cat | 120k followers |
| Morris | @morris_the_persian_cat | 77.9k followers |
| Shrampton | @shrampton | 51.6k followers |
| Waverly | @wavery_mctinybeans | 41.1k followers |
| Maverick and Toast | @meetmaverickandtoast | 29.4k followers |
| Oreo | @oreolovesboxes | 20.9k followers |
| Vituzzo | @vituzzosuperstar | 15.1k followers |
| Benson | @a_street_cat_named_benson | 5,994 followers |
| Rosie | @rosie_british_blue | 1,534 followers |
If you want to learn more about pet influencers, check out our blogs on the Top 10 Dogs on Instagram and Top Dogs on Social Media.
