Cat emoji
Three cats and nine cat faces, each mirroring a human smiley. Copy them here and see which cat face says what.
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Three cats and nine cat faces
The everyday cat emoji is ๐ฑ (cat face), a friendly front-on face used for pets, cat people and general cuteness. ๐ (cat) is the full-body animal, and ๐โโฌ (black cat) is a ZWJ sequence added in Emoji 13.0 for Halloween, superstition and, increasingly, black cat owners tired of the orange default. ๐พ (paw prints) tags anything pet-related.
Then there is the set of nine cat faces in the Smileys & Emotion group. Each one mirrors a human face: ๐บ is the catโs ๐, ๐น is its ๐, ๐ is its ๐ฑ. They say the same things as the human faces, with a wink of silliness, and they are the natural choice when the joke is about a cat.
| Cat face | Name | Human equivalent | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๐บ | grinning cat | ๐ | Cheerful, โhiโ |
| ๐ธ | grinning cat with smiling eyes | ๐ | Happy, pleased |
| ๐น | cat with tears of joy | ๐ | Laughing; see the laughing emoji guide |
| ๐ป | smiling cat with heart-eyes | ๐ | Adoration, โI love thisโ |
| ๐ผ | cat with wry smile | ๐ | Smug, scheming; see the smirk emoji guide |
| ๐ฝ | kissing cat | ๐ | Affection |
| ๐ | weary cat | ๐ฑ | Shock, mock horror; see the scared emoji guide |
| ๐ฟ | crying cat | ๐ข | Sadness, sympathy |
| ๐พ | pouting cat | ๐ | Grumpy, annoyed |
Using cat emoji
- Pet posts: ๐ฑ๐พ or ๐โโฌ๐พ as a caption tag.
- Halloween: ๐โโฌ๐๐ป.
- โCat personโ: ๐ฑ in a bio, often with ๐ถ for both.
- Reactions: ๐น for a cat video, ๐ป for a cute one, ๐ for a chaotic one.
- Big cats: ๐ฏ tiger face, ๐ฆ lion and ๐ leopard live in the same Animals & Nature collection.
Cat face meanings: surprised, cool, and kissing
Among the nine cat faces, three are often chosen for specific moods. ๐ (weary cat) is often used for shock or panic. ๐ผ (cat with wry smile) plays the cool cat emoji with a smug, knowing look. ๐ฝ (kissing cat) sends a kiss, perfect for affectionate messages or cat kisses. There is no cat face exactly matching the blank face ๐, but ๐พ (pouting cat) can stand in for annoyance.
Cat emoji ideas and alternatives
Cat emoji work well on their own, but they also pair with a few other symbols. ๐ฑ with ๐งถ suggests a playful cat, ๐ with ๐ shows a cat ready to eat, and ๐โโฌ with ๐ can set a quiet night mood. You donโt need to use all three; one cat plus one object usually reads clearly.
In bios and quick replies, a single ๐ฑ or ๐ can show youโre a cat person without adding words. A sign-off like โstay pawsome ๐พโ is warm and a little playful. For affectionate messages, ๐ฝ or ๐ป work better than plain text.
Kiss cat: the ๐ฝ emoji and smiling cat faces
The kiss cat face ๐ฝ is the cat counterpart to the kissing face with closed eyes ๐. It suits affectionate cat posts, gentle teasing, or telling a friend you care โ all with a whiskery twist. It pairs naturally with ๐บ (grinning cat), ๐ธ (grinning cat with smiling eyes), and ๐ป (smiling cat with heart-shaped eyes). When you want a lighter, feline take on a blown kiss, this face keeps the tone warm without feeling overly romantic.
Chat examples
Real messages with ๐ฑ, and a reply that fits.
the cat is asleep on my laptop again ๐ฑ
she owns the laptop now
adopted a black cat ๐โโฌ
name??
๐ says hi
hi ๐
Questions people ask
What is the difference between ๐ฑ and ๐?
๐ฑ is a cat face, used like a smiley. ๐ is the whole animal, used literally. Both are cats; the face is far more common in chat.
Why does the black cat show as a cat and a black square?
๐โโฌ is a sequence: cat + zero-width joiner + black large square. Devices that do not support the sequence show the parts separately.
Is there a grumpy cat emoji?
๐พ (pouting cat) is the closest. There is no character for the Grumpy Cat meme itself.
What does :3 emoji mean?
:3 isnโt an emoji; itโs a text emoticon resembling a cat face with closed eyes, often used to convey cuteness or playfulness. Pair it with ๐ฑ for extra effect.
Is there a kitten emoji?
Thereโs no dedicated kitten emoji. People use ๐ฑ (cat face) or ๐ (cat) to represent a kitten, sometimes with ๐ผ or the word โkittenโ to make it clear.
How does the cat emoji look on Android?
Designs vary by Android version and manufacturer. The colour and line style may be slightly different, but it stays clearly a cat face. This page shows the emoji as text, so you can see how it appears on your device.
About this guide
Written and maintained by the Emoji Directory editorial team, without ads or sponsorship. Meanings describe how the emoji is commonly used in public posts and messages, not an official definition. Names, code points, versions, keywords and translations come from the Unicode Emoji 18.0 and CLDR data; shortcodes from the gemoji project. Last reviewed . Spotted a mistake or a new usage? Tell us, or read how the directory is made.
