Nom nom nom eating sounds have been a staple of cute animal videos online for years, long before short form apps made pet clips loop endlessly. The phrase itself mimics the sound of happy chewing in cartoons and comics, so viewers understand it instantly even without seeing the dog. This dog version spread through meme edits and pet pages because it turns an ordinary feeding moment into a punchline. It remains popular because it works with almost any hungry animal, baby or animated character taking an exaggerated bite.