Grinning cat emoji ๐บ ๐ธ (the happy cat face)
๐บ grinning cat and ๐ธ grinning cat with smiling eyes are the two happy cat faces: an open-mouthed yellow cat, with plain eyes on ๐บ and squeezed-shut smiling eyes on ๐ธ.
Published ยท Updated
What the grinning cat ๐บ ๐ธ (the happy cat face) emoji means
๐บ grinning cat and ๐ธ grinning cat with smiling eyes are the two happy cat faces: an open-mouthed yellow cat, with plain eyes on ๐บ and squeezed-shut smiling eyes on ๐ธ. They mean happy, cheerful, playful, and people reach for them to soften a message or when the subject is an actual cat. All nine cat faces mirror a human smiley โ ๐บ is ๐, ๐ธ is ๐ โ and the cat emoji guide maps every pair. For a cat in love use ๐ป on the heart eyes guide.
Unicode name: grinning cat ยท U+1F63A ยท Emoji 0.6 (original set) ยท group: Smileys & Emotion.
How people use it
- Happy: a playful alternative to ๐ ๐
- Cat posts: captions on pets
- Cute reactions: to anything wholesome
- Cat people: as a signature emoji
Compare the options
| Emoji | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| grinning catU+1F63A | Open smile, plain eyes | |
| grinning cat with smiling eyesU+1F638 | Delighted | |
| smiling cat with heart-eyesU+1F63B | In love | |
| kissing catU+1F63D | A kiss | |
| cat with wry smileU+1F63C | Smirking |
Cute cat face emoji: joyful and excited without the intensity
The ๐บ and ๐ธ faces work as a softer alternative to the human smileys. They are cute cat faces that suggest cheerfulness without the loud enthusiasm of ๐ or ๐. They can be used to share good news, like finishing a project or seeing a friend, while keeping the tone light. The excited cat face ๐ธ, with its smiling eyes, leans slightly more energetic. Both work well in captions for pet photos, where the cat smile matches the subject. The cat ears make them endearing.
Using the grinning cat emoji in reactions and memes
The grinning cat emoji ๐บ and ๐ธ can be used as reaction images, sometimes paired with text that suggests a self-satisfied or quietly amused cat. Because the faces are less intense than human versions, they suit deadpan humour. In comment threads, the cat smile emoji can show amusement without using a laughing face. Variants like ๐น (tears of joy) and ๐ป (heart eyes) belong to the same family, but the grinning cat pair works well for simple, playful happiness.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between ๐บ and ๐ธ?
The eyes: ๐บ has plain round eyes, ๐ธ has smiling curved eyes. ๐ธ reads as happier.
Which emoji is the happy cat face?
๐บ grinning cat or ๐ธ grinning cat with smiling eyes. ๐ฑ cat face is the neutral one.
Why are there cat versions of the smileys?
They came from the Japanese carrier sets, where cat faces were a popular playful alternative to human faces. Unicode kept nine of them.
What does the grinning cat emoji mean?
The grinning cat emoji ๐บ shows a cat face with a big, open smile. It is a playful way to express happiness or amusement.
Is there a grinning cat meme?
The grinning cat emoji appears in some memes and reaction images, sometimes paired with cute or funny cat photos. There is no single well-known grinning cat meme โ the face is used across social media to add a cheerful, slightly mischievous tone to posts about cats or playful situations.
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.
