Nermal comes from Jim Davis's Garfield comic strip, introduced in 1979 as a tiny grey tabby who boasts about being the world's cutest kitten. Garfield's jealousy became a running joke, with Nermal frequently mailed to Abu Dhabi or otherwise disposed of in the strips and cartoons. Online, that disposal gag evolved into trash can memes and soundboard clips, where Nermal's fate stands in for any smug character being thrown out. The joke persists because the contrast between Nermal's pride and Garfield's cold rejection remains instantly readable.