Mewing is the softer, higher sound kittens use with their mother and that many adult cats keep using with people, distinct from a louder, longer meow. Online, short mew clips have circulated for years on soundboards and in pet videos because the sound is recognisable even without a picture. Creators reuse it as a shorthand for innocence, neediness or playful pleading, dubbing it over cats, animated pets and even people pulling a cute face. Its lasting appeal is simplicity: one small call tells viewers exactly what feeling the edit wants.