The 'Me Petting My Cat Before the Nuclear Blast' meme is a bittersweet image macro that pairs the comforting act of spending time with a pet against the backdrop of total annihilation. The template often features a person calmly holding their cat as a mushroom cloud blooms in the distance, representing a peaceful acceptance of the end. It gained significant traction on platforms like Reddit and Twitter as a way to express nihilistic acceptance, 'doom-scrolling' fatigue, or the desire for simple comforts in the face of global chaos. It’s frequently used to represent finding a small spark of joy or peace amidst a metaphorical or literal disaster, resonating deeply with internet subcultures that embrace hopeful nihilism.