The clip spread online as a viral meme sound taken from a home video of a child reacting to a cat outside his house. Short excerpts, especially the grandma comparison, were reposted on TikTok and soundboards and reused far beyond the original context. Creators began placing the audio over other cats, dogs and odd looking animals, treating the panicked warning as a universal reaction. Its length lets editors use either the full buildup or a short punchline section, which helped it stay popular as a reaction sound.