Keyboard Cat Meme Meaning and Origin

Keyboard Cat shows a cat appears to play a keyboard at exactly the right moment. The orange tabby, named Fatso, became an internet icon years after the original video was recorded.

The funny part is that the video was not actually made as an internet meme. The footage was recorded way back in 1984, long before YouTube, social media, or modern meme culture existed. More than two decades later, the video was uploaded online and eventually turned into the famous “Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat” meme.

What Is Keyboard Cat?

Keyboard Cat is a viral video meme showing an orange tabby cat sitting in front of an electronic keyboard while wearing a small blue shirt. The cat seems to be playing a cheerful tune.

The original cat was named Fatso, and the footage was recorded by performance artist Charlie Schmidt. Fatso was not really playing the keyboard. Schmidt controlled the cat’s paws from underneath the shirt, creating the illusion that the cat was performing the song.

The clip later became a popular way to end videos showing someone making a mistake, failing, or doing something embarrassing. The joke was that Keyboard Cat was there to “play them off” as if they were being removed from a stage.

Information	Details
Meme Name	Keyboard Cat
Also Known As	Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat; Cool Cat
Original Cat	Fatso
Creator	Charlie Schmidt
Original Footage	1984
Uploaded Online	2007
Meme Became Viral	2009
Main Platform	YouTube
Popular Meme Format	Adding Keyboard Cat after a failure or embarrassing moment
Original Keyboard	Ensoniq Mirage
Original Cat’s Owner	Charlie Schmidt
Original Cat’s Death	1987

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The Origin of Keyboard Cat

The story of Keyboard Cat actually begins in 1984. Charlie Schmidt filmed his orange tabby cat Fatso sitting at an electronic keyboard. He put a small blue shirt on the cat and moved its paws while remaining out of view of the camera.

The result was a strange but funny video of a cat apparently playing music.

Schmidt created the footage for fun and did not expect it to become famous. He also created the music used in the clip. According to accounts of the video’s history, the tune was put together very quickly on an Ensoniq Mirage keyboard.

Fatso died in 1987, but the old VHS footage remained with Schmidt. It would be many years before the video found an audience.

When Was Keyboard Cat Uploaded to YouTube?

In June 2007, Schmidt digitized the old footage and uploaded it to YouTube. At the time, the video was called “charlie schmidt’s ‘cool cat'”.

For almost two years, the video remained relatively quiet. It had some viewers, but there was no sign that it would become one of the most recognizable cat memes on the internet.

That changed in 2009.

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How Keyboard Cat Became a Meme

The big turning point came on February 2, 2009, when Brad O’Farrell created a mashup using the Keyboard Cat footage.

He placed the cat at the end of a video showing a person falling from an escalator. The joke was simple: after the person failed, Keyboard Cat appeared to play them off the stage.

The video was called “Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat.”

This format worked because it could be used with almost any embarrassing situation. Someone could fall down, make a terrible mistake, lose an argument, or completely fail at something. Keyboard Cat could then appear at the end as a funny musical goodbye.

The idea was also connected to an old entertainment tradition in which a performer could be “played off” or removed from the stage after a bad performance. The meme gave that old idea a silly internet twist.

Why Did Keyboard Cat Become So Popular?

The meme had several things going for it. First, the video was extremely easy to understand. You did not need any special knowledge to get the joke.

Second, the format was easy to copy. People could take almost any funny failure video and add Keyboard Cat at the end.

Third, the cat itself was memorable. The blue shirt, serious expression, keyboard, and cheerful music created a strange combination that was hard to forget.

Once people started making their own versions, the meme spread quickly across YouTube and other websites.

Keyboard Cat’s Rise in 2009

By April 2009, the meme was appearing on major internet sites. Schmidt also created a website dedicated to collecting Keyboard Cat videos.

In May, the meme received an even bigger boost when actor Ashton Kutcher shared a Keyboard Cat mashup with his large Twitter audience and called it his favorite video.

Traditional media soon picked up the story. Keyboard Cat was discussed by outlets including CNN, The Guardian, the Los Angeles Times, and MSNBC. The Keyboard Cat song also appeared on The Daily Show.

By then, Keyboard Cat had moved beyond a simple YouTube joke and had become a recognizable part of internet culture.

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What Does the Keyboard Cat Meme Mean?

The meaning of Keyboard Cat depends on the situation, but the basic joke is always the same: someone has messed up, and it is time for them to leave.

For example, imagine someone posts a video of a person making an embarrassing mistake. Adding Keyboard Cat at the end suggests that the person has failed so badly that the cat is now providing the music for their exit.

It can also be used as a reaction to a bad decision, awkward moment, failed attempt, or embarrassing situation.

In simple terms, Keyboard Cat means something like:

“That went badly. Time to play you off.”

Why Is It Called “Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat”?

The phrase comes from the idea of playing a performer off a stage after a poor performance or when their time is up.

Keyboard Cat turns this idea into a joke. Instead of a band or orchestra playing someone off, the internet’s most serious-looking cat takes over the job.

That is why the classic format is usually placed at the end of a failure or embarrassing clip.

What Happened to Fatso?

The original Keyboard Cat, Fatso, died in 1987, years before the meme became popular.

This is one of the strangest parts of the Keyboard Cat story. Fatso never experienced the internet fame that came from his video. The footage sat around for decades before becoming a viral sensation.

After Keyboard Cat became famous, Charlie Schmidt continued the character through other cats.

Who Was Bento, the Second Keyboard Cat?

After Fatso’s old footage became popular, Schmidt adopted another orange tabby named Bento. Bento became known as the next Keyboard Cat and appeared in new videos and public appearances.

Bento helped keep the Keyboard Cat character alive after Fatso’s original footage became a viral classic.

Bento also appeared in a Wonderful Pistachios commercial during the 2010 World Series, showing just how far the meme had moved into mainstream advertising.

Bento died in 2018 at the age of nine.

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What Happened to Keyboard Cat After Bento?

The Keyboard Cat character did not disappear after Bento’s death.

Charlie Schmidt later introduced another cat named Skinny, who became Keyboard Cat 3.0. In 2023, another orange tabby named Arlo was introduced as part of the Keyboard Cat story.

This means Keyboard Cat is more than just one viral video today. It has become a character and internet brand that has continued through different cats.

Keyboard Cat in Movies, Games and Advertising

The popularity of Keyboard Cat eventually took the meme outside YouTube.

The character appeared in advertising, television references, merchandise, fan art, and video games. The meme was also referenced in games such as Scribblenauts and World of Warcraft.

Keyboard Cat even became part of live entertainment and television jokes during the height of its popularity.

This was important because it showed how internet memes were beginning to influence mainstream entertainment in the late 2000s.