The internet has brought humanity a great number of truly incredible things. We have vast amounts of information at our fingertips, can talk to friends across the globe like they’re in the next room, and have more ways to entertain ourselves than ever before. But let’s be honest—memes might be the real MVPs.
So it only makes sense that combining the language of memes with one of humanity’s other great obsessions—our animals—would produce something like internet gold. The @funanimalmemes Instagram account is proof. Just ask its 1.1 million followers. We’ve rounded up some of the page’s best posts. Some are cute, some are downright wholesome, and some are so hilariously relatable that you might find yourself wondering if the animals are in on the joke, too.
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Being online, either chronically or occasionally, can be a pretty overwhelming thing sometimes, and if we aren’t careful, our feeds can quickly become rather depressing. But luckily, sometimes just a meme or video of a ridiculously cute animal is enough to snap you out of your doomscroll, lift your spirits, and begin to restore the best kind of order to the algorithm. Because if you’re anything like me, one video of a baby goat eating a cherry—and then surprisingly gracefully spitting out the pit—is never enough. You go looking for more, and your feed quickly (and miraculously) catches on.
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Image source: funanimalmemes, disillusioned
The cherry-eating goat I just mentioned is just the most recent gift I received from a friend whose algorithm was clearly on the right side of the internet gods that day. You see, my friend and I don’t chat all that often these days—adulting, man—but we do share memes—animal ones, of course—pretty consistently. Often there are no frills or strings attached—no “hello, how are you” or detailed life update is needed. Just an animal caught doing something cute or mildly chaotic is usually enough to check in and let the other know: I saw this and thought of you.
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And that’s really a large part of the beauty of memes. Sure, they might be silly, and some might dismiss them as trivial, but as Theodora Blanchfield, AMFT, writes for Verywell Mind, “they’re an important social currency and way of communicating online in this day and age. These small, often funny pieces of content are important for their ability to share ideas quickly and succinctly as well as foster a sense of connection and feeling seen.”
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Image source: funanimalmemes, damnitmadeline
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That’s because although memes come wrapped in “quippy sayings or observations,” she says, “at their core they’re still an exchange of ideas, just in a very easy-to-digest format.” In this way, they aren’t just disposable jokes—they can function as small, low-effort acts of connection that help maintain relationships over time. Reflecting on her own friend who sends her memes, for example, Blanchfield says, “It’s a tiny reminder that she’s thinking of me and still feels connected. These moments help us keep building our emotional capital, rather than waiting until one of us has something important enough to pick up the phone about.”
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It turns out there’s a name for this practice of ours. And as if the animal kingdom hadn’t already given us plenty to be thankful for, we apparently have the Gentoo penguins of Antarctica to thank for it too. Writing for Yahoo Life, Amelia Edelman explains, “Pebbling is the social phenomenon of sending people memes, videos or links to show you’re thinking of them. A funny cat video, a recipe, an article you simply have to share … if you’re DMing it to your pal or partner, you’re pebbling.”
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The name comes from male Gentoo penguins, who methodically search for the smoothest, most perfect pebble they can find before presenting it to a potential mate during courtship. If she accepts, Mark Travers, PhD, writes for Forbes, “the pebble becomes the foundation of their nest, and symbolizes the beginning of their life together.”
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Image source: funanimalmemes, PM-ME-YOUR-TITS-GIRL
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In human terms, that perfect pebble just looks a little different. As Travers explains, meme-sharing might be our most relatable and widespread modern equivalent—instead of collecting smooth stones, we send along photos, TikToks, and funny tweets we think someone we love will appreciate. It’s basically our own version of saying, “I found this lovely thing, and I think I want you to have it.”
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Image source: funanimalmemes, mattjh
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So that cherry-eating goat my friend sent me? Apparently, it was a pebble.
And really, when it comes to animals, as these posts from the @funanimalmemes Instagram account show, there’s an endless supply of gems. Consider them pebbles, and send accordingly.
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