For fans of the perfectly imperfect Jimothy the Raccoon, thereโs now another furry friend over which we can all obsess.
Readers, meet Meemers: The adorable rescue cat who has short-spine syndrome, the same condition that Jimothy is also believed to have. The two-and-a-half-year-old feline, whoโs based in Bloomington, Illinois, recently went viral for her barely-there neck and resemblance to Seattleโs beloved raccoon. One video of Meemers, posted Aug. 18, has drawn more than 41 million views as of Aug. 22.
Owner Katie Dahlen, who previously worked at the shelter where Meemers was found, has always loved making clips for social media. But, Dahlen tells TODAY.com, that she never expected the video of Meemers to go viral seemingly overnight.
โI missed making videos, and I was like, โWell, I have this awesome cat, and I want to share her with people,โโ Dahlen says. โI just didnโt realize how big she would blow up in a 24-hour span. It was crazy.โ
In the video, Meemers, in her black, fluffy glory, simply sits down. Thereโs a few shots of Meemers giving her best Blue Steel as well. And itโs truly easy to see why sheโs so beloved.
โSensational whiskers / body tea / no notes ๐คโ one fan replied.
Another demanded a collab between Meemers, Jimothy and Tilly, the famous pup who also has short spine syndrome.
Meemers is certainly unique. From her shoulders to the base of her tail, sheโs only about seven-and-a-half inches long. She also has a slight tail deformity. For Dahlen, whoโs had Meemers for over a year now, it was love at first sight.
โShe was actually left at the shelter in a box outside,โ Dahlen says of the shelter at which she was working at the time. โLiterally, from the day she came in, I was like, โShe needs to come home with me.โโ
Meemers was, at first, not in the greatest shape, Dahlen says. The fur around her butt was matted and there was an abscess in the area as well, Dahlen explains.
โThe owner had tried to shave her, so you could tell they cared, but maybe they didnโt have the resources, and they were embarrassed about walking her in through the doors,โ Dahlen says. โSo they left her out front.โ
After Meemers was given a course of antibiotics and some TLC, she was ready to head home with Dahlen. And since July 2025, Dahlen said she and her husband have been enjoying their adorable cat.
Given her deformities, Meemers has had to make a couple of adjustments in order to thrive, Dahlen says. She doesnโt climb much and sheโs unable to jump. Because her organs are squished in her very small body, she needs to be held a certain way, Dahlen says. The feline also overheats quite easily.
โI always equate her to being kind of like a pug, where she overheats easily if itโs too warm outside,โ she says. Dahlen adds that if Meemers over-exerts herself, sheโll start panting. โSo a lot of her supervised outside time in her backyard is in the evening when itโs cooler.โ
Dahlen points out that Meemers has โvirtually no neck,โ so sheโs unable to successfully groom her own back. Thatโs where Dahlen comes in.
โI brush her multiple times a day. If Iโm sitting down, watching TV in the evening, sheโs sitting on my lap and Iโm grooming her,โ Dahlen says. โShe gets the occasional bath because I can only redistribute the oils in her coat so much with brushing.โ
Though none of that has stopped Meemers from having an infectious personality. Sheโs a people person, er, cat, Dahlen says. And sheโs quite social.
โShe loves people,โ Dahlen says. โI can literally take her out like anywhere on leash.โ
Meemers also loves being pet, and often returns the favor with chatty little meows that Dahlen likens to the sound that Spongebobโs pet Gary the snail makes.
โShe loves to be held, but you have to hold her right,โ Dahlen says. โWhen you pet her, she will talk.โ
As for Meemersโ incredible name? Well, Dahlen says itโs actually a moniker that evolved from the catโs original name Mila.
โI was calling her โMimi.โ I was calling her โMealy Bug,โ and then โMeemersโ just kind of came up,โ Dahlen says of the catโs now one true government name. โThen she was really only responding to that.โ
Dahlen says sheโs been pleased with the positive reception to her Meemers and hopes that fans can learn from the sweet cat.
โGive special needs cats a chance,โ Dahlen says. โThey definitely do require a little adaptation at home, but they are so worth it.โ