Signing off a message as a cat
Classic
(=^･ω･^=)
Paws
ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ
The whiskered face is the neutral cat; the paws-up one is asking for attention. Either works as a signature for a cat person.
Cat Kaomoji
Ears, whiskers, paws and tails - every cat Japanese emoticon, from a sleepy kitty to a grumpy one. Tap a face to copy it.
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How a kaomoji becomes a cat
Two marks make the cat. The carets ^ ^ at the top corners are ears, and the equals signs = = at the edges are whiskers, which is why (=^･ω･^=) reads instantly as a cat while (^･ω･^) is only a cat with no whiskers. The ω mouth doubles as a nose and split lip; ェ and ｘ are other cat mouths. Wide eyes ↀ ↀ or Ф Ф give the round glossy stare.
Paws come from the Thai letter ฅ: ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ has both paws up, and ฅ(=･ω･=)ฅ is the whiskered version. A ~ or ノ~ after the face is a swishing tail. The rest of the moods carry over - (=｀ω´=) is a grumpy cat, (=；ェ；=) a crying one, (=♡ω♡=) a cat in love.
The board above opens on the Cats category. Tap a face to copy it; the Bunnies and Other Animals tabs are next door.
What to know about cat text faces
- ^ ^ are the ears and = = the whiskers - together they make any face a cat.
- ฅ is a Thai letter used as a paw; two of them around the face means the cat is reaching for you.
- ~ after the closing parenthesis is a tail, and ノ~ is a tail being waved.
- Every mood works on a cat: change the eyes and mouth inside the ears and whiskers and the cat is angry, asleep or in love.
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Popular cat kaomoji and what they mean
The cat faces people copy most, and what each cat is up to.
| Face | Name | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| (=^･ω･^=) | Cat | The classic kitty |
| ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ | Paws up | Cute cat reaching for you |
| (=｀ω´=) | Grumpy cat | Annoyed kitty |
| (=^-ω-^=) | Sleepy cat | Napping |
| (=ↀωↀ=) | Wide-eyed cat | Startled or curious |
| (=♡ω♡=) | Cat in love | Heart-eyed kitty |
Cat kaomoji examples
Cat moods
Grumpy
(=｀ω´=)
Sleepy
(=^-ω-^=)zzZ
Slanted ｀ ´ brows make the cat grumpy; closed - eyes and zzZ put it to sleep. The ears and whiskers stay the same.
Common cat kaomoji mistakes
- Dropping the whiskers - (^･ω･^) is still cute, but without the = = it is not clearly a cat.
- Retyping ฅ by hand - it is a Thai letter and is not on a Latin keyboard, so the paws come out as a different character. Copy the face.
- Using the grumpy cat (=｀ω´=) as a joke on someone who is actually upset - a cat face does not soften a jab.
Cat kaomoji FAQ
What is the cat kaomoji with whiskers?
(=^･ω･^=) - the = = at the edges are whiskers, the ^ ^ are ears and ω is the nose and mouth. It is the standard cat text face.
What is the ฅ in ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ?
A letter from the Thai alphabet used as a paw. Two of them around the face mean both paws up; ฅ(=･ω･=)ฅ is the same gesture on a whiskered cat.
Is there a grumpy cat kaomoji?
Yes - (=｀ω´=), with slanted brows over the eyes, and (=｀ェ´=) with a flatter mouth. ヾ(=`ω´=)ノ” is a cat hissing with its paws up.
How do I add a tail to a cat kaomoji?
Put ~ after the closing parenthesis: (=^･ω･^=)~ has a tail, and (=ↀωↀ=)ノ~ is a wide-eyed cat waving it.
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