SadCatThumbsUp

SadCatThumbsUp is an emote featuring a sad-looking cat giving a thumbs up gesture. The emote conveys a sense of reluctant approval or forced positivity despite feeling sad or disappointed. It's often used to express a bittersweet sentiment where someone is trying to be supportive or agreeable while clearly feeling unhappy about the situation.

The SadCatThumbsUp emote originated from a photograph of a white and brown cat with a melancholic expression giving what appears to be a thumbs up with its paw. It gained popularity in the late 2010s and became widely used across various platforms including 7TV, BTTV (BetterTTV), and FFZ (FrankerFaceZ), which are third-party emote services used by Twitch viewers. The exact date of its first upload to these services is not precisely documented, but it became particularly popular around 2019-2020.

The SadCatThumbsUp emote is commonly used in Twitch chat in the following contexts:

• When a streamer makes a decision that viewers reluctantly agree with
• When something unfortunate happens but people are trying to stay positive
• As a response to disappointing news or outcomes
• When viewers want to show support despite feeling let down
• In situations where someone is putting on a brave face despite obvious disappointment
• When a streamer or community member is trying to be optimistic in a clearly negative situation