Short cat meow clips have circulated on soundboards for years as a universal pet reaction, with no single film, anime or creator credited as the original source. The sound spread because a single meow is instantly understood in any language and fits both real pet footage and edited jokes. Creators pair it with other animal reaction sounds like the screaming sheep for farm or pet compilations, and it remains popular for its clean recording, short length and recognisable tone that works even without a cat on screen.