TikTok‘s ban in America is set to take effect on Jan. 19, and many users are looking for a new digital home. Those who picked Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu (aka REDnote) are now being asked to pay a special tax. The cat tax is a memey way to demand a cute photo or drawing of a cat. Though it’s obviously not a real tax, it’s a popular enough joke that it has become a key part of the TikTok refugee landing process. Whether it’s safety from government overreach or pictures of sassy calicos, it seems the people know what they want. Here’s how the kitties are getting collected on REDnote.
Americans Cough Up Pics of Their Favorite Felines
Just because the cat tax isn’t a real tax on REDnote doesn’t mean it lacks enforcers. A user named TiktokRefugee_Guide jokingly shared a Cat/Dog Tax Bureau announcement, complete with a meme demanding that users “pay the tax!” The comment section passed the vibe check with flying colors, ponying up pics of their own cuddly kitties.
“MY BABBYYY <33” said REDnote user Rue, captioning a shot of their orange cat. “I don’t have a pet so I drew one,” said another commentor, posting a simple cartoon kitten, its watery eyes gazing out of the blackness. Others shared pictures of dogs, pandas, and more adorable animals. It’s the thought that counts.
The cat tax is an old enough meme to have Urban Dictionary definitions dating back years before REDnote. It’s easy to see why the joke hasn’t needed to evolve. It’s short, absurd, and often recognizable even if you don’t speak the language on a given meme.
Unless the Supreme Court delays the ban, ByteDance will be forced to cease its operation of TikTok in the U.S. on Jan. 19. Coming just a day before President-elect Trump takes office for a second time, TikTok’s ban is just one big issue on the mind of many Americans. Between the Switch 2 and the cat tax, recent distractions have been the purr-fect relief.
