The 'Please Do Not The Cat' meme originated from a viral 2020 photograph of a warning sign that inadvertently omitted a verb, resulting in the absurdly ominous instruction to simply not 'the cat.' The phrase quickly resonated across Reddit and Tumblr, where it became a linguistic trope used to describe the chaotic and unpredictable nature of cats. It is often paired with images of cats looking slightly threatening, confused, or caught in the middle of a bizarre action. The humor lies in the broken English and the surreal implication that 'catting' is a dangerous action one must avoid at all costs. Today, it remains a popular reaction image and a staple of internet animal culture.