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The first viral cat video was filmed in 1894 by Thomas Edison and it has 2025 vibes all over it

People were entertaining themselves with cats long before the Internet.

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

The first cat video was filmed by Thomas Edison and they're boxing?

There's a running joke that the Internet was invented for cat videos. Cats are not only cute, but they're constantly doing something ridiculous that happens to get caught on camera. The resulting videos become moments that bring people across the globe together. Ok, that might be a bit dramatic, but filming cats being weird and sharing it with your friends has been going on much longer than people might think.

In fact, the first known cat video was filmed in Thomas Edison's motion picture production studio. Yes, that Thomas Edison, the lightbulb guy. Turns out that he not only assisted us in not having to carry around oil lanterns, but he also gave us cat videos. Who knew? But the first cat video isn't quite like the ones we're used to seeing today. Edison didn't just film cats doing typical cat stuff; he knew the silent film would need a hook–a left hook to be exact.

boxing cats; cats boxing; first cat video; thomas edison cat video; viral cat videos; pets; cats Curious calico cat with bright eyes looking up.Photo credit: Canva

The grainy black and white film displays two cats in a boxing ring, likely confused as to why they had tiny boxing gloves strapped to their paws. In addition to the adorable boxing gloves, the two cats were equipped with a type of harness that allows the man in the video, presumably a Professor Henry Welton, as the film is titled The Boxing Cats (Prof. Welton) to steady the cats as they paw at each other.

According to The Library of Congress, the cats were trained so this is not something to repeat at home with your own pets. In some copies of the video, the captions state that it was filmed by Thomas Edison, but others list the cameraman as William Heise. The confusion may come from the fact that it was filmed in Edison's studio, the Black Maria, which filmed and recorded several of the earliest known film clips.

boxing cats; cats boxing; first cat video; thomas edison cat video; viral cat videos; pets; cats Cozy cuddle buddies enjoying a nap. 🐾💤Photo credit: Canva

The Library of Congress also notes that, "The studio had a roof that could be opened to admit sunlight for illumination, and the building itself was mounted on a revolving pivot so that the structure could be constantly repositioned to keep it aligned with the sun." In fact, "Many of the films were expected to appeal to male audiences, and some even featured scantily-clad women. Other masculine activities, such as boxing and cockfights, were also filmed."

Of all the big acts, like Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, the boxing cats is the film that keeps resurfacing. It's likely because...cats. Once you add in boxing gloves and an itty bitty boxing ring, it's viral gold. Cat videos are popular due to their cuteness factor. In 2020, the University of Leeds released a study that found people's anxiety and stress levels are decreased by 50% while watching videos of cute animals.

"Throughout the course of the session, heart rates and blood pressure fell across all individuals to a level that would be considered healthy and indicative of limited stress or anxiety,” Dr Andrea Utley explains in the University of Leeds' article.

People who stumbled upon this gem online can't seem to get enough of the boxing cats, with one person writing, "I have found the first ever cat video and cats never fail to entertain. Thanks for starting this trend, Edison."

"This is what Edison worked all those years for: to share his passion of cat-boxing the world 'round," another says.

boxing cats; cats boxing; first cat video; thomas edison cat video; viral cat videos; pets; cats Joyful kitty celebrates with paws up! 🐾Photo credit: Canva

"This was probably the most popular attraction of Edison's 'Kinetoscopes' that year; I'm sure a LOT of people paid more than one penny to peer into one of those machines and watch this film loop again and again...." someone else surmises.

One person points out that humans are predictable, saying, "Ok this proves that us humans hasn't really changed that much when it comes to entertainment for the past 120+ years."

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An unlikely antidote for a tough news day? A coloring book page.

There's a way to find hope. It might start with crayons.

I'm not the only one who watches the news (or my Facebook feed, Twitter, AP news alerts, MSNBC, etc.) and feels my blood pressure rise, right?

GIF via "The Office"/NBC.

It's a rough world out there right now. But artist Andrea Pippins has a solution:

An adult coloring book!

But this isn't just any coloring book. Instead, it's art that allows people to, as Pippins says, "see the beauty and light in themselves."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD!

You probably know that the old standard activity for kiddos — the coloring book — has become new again for adults.

When asked about the psychological benefits of coloring, Marti Faist, an art therapist, told the Baltimore Sun, "I've watched people under acute stress, almost panic-attack levels, color and have their blood pressure go down very quickly. It's cathartic for them."

But Pippins' coloring book is even more special, timely, and profound than the gorgeous mandalas your friend from work is probably coloring.

Behold! The gorgeous mandalas that my friend from work IS coloring! Photo and coloring skills by Jenni Gritters/Upworthy.

Pippins created the Freedom coloring-book page to take therapeutic coloring to a new level.

The page is made to help us deal with tragedies, process our emotions, and think about how to move forward.

It's both a coloring book and a journal in one.

It has prompts like:



and

and

And it's free to download!

So today, print that thing out. Then unplug. And shut down those screens.

Now get your crayons, y'all, and let's talk about news cycle self-care, shall we?

Pippins wants to empower folks and help them process their feelings in the best way.

"I strongly believe that when we allow ourselves to feel what's happening and then put pen to paper some thoughts on how to make change, something happens," she says. "Ideas began to emerge and we start to see some solutions, and also feel that change is possible."

When the news is tough and feelings run high, it's easy to just shut down and shut in.

But reaching out and connecting is often the best way to heal.

In an interview with Mequilibrium, psychologist and stress expert Andrew Shatté said that the more you expand, reach out, and form connections to friends, neighbors, your community, and the world around you, the less alone you'll feel.

"The bigger your boat, the less likely you’ll capsize."

Pippins' coloring-book page provides a much-needed place to begin conversations.

They could be conversations about ourselves, our feelings, our country, or our hopes and fears.

As Pippins told Upworthy: "I just hope folks, especially kids, find peace in doing the prompts. To recognize that even in moments of despair we have a voice and can take action. "

So if you haven't downloaded it yet ... what are you waiting for?

Print out a bunch and drop 'em off at your favorite local hangout, or just keep one all to yourself! *runs to printer*

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A few simple activities to find a taste of happy in your everyday life.

What is that happy feeling that comes from scratching an itch (real or metaphorical)?

True
Cadbury

Finding little ways to incorporate joy into our days can make a big difference for our overall happiness and well-being.

Breaking up a long day with simple moments of joy and happiness can really make a difference. Take it from this bear who found the perfect tree to scratch an itch.

GIF via Cadbury.

Here are four little ways to add a lot of joy into your day — sans romping through a forest.

1. Getting a dose of fun cuteness actually does a body good.

I mean, how can you resist the cuteness?

A 2015 study suggested there may be real benefit to watching cute cat videos — participants reported more energy and positive feelings and less negative feelings after watching them.

We think that extends to cat GIFs, as well — right?

2. Seeing things in their "perfect place" feels so satisfying.

Beyond good organization, we've all felt that odd sense of satisfaction when seeing images and GIFs of things fitting perfectly into other things. If you've experienced that feeling, you're not alone — there are even whole Tumblrs and subreddits dedicated to it.

A perfect gum holder.

Why the heck does it feel so good to even just look at things being where they're seemingly supposed to be?

One psychological theory discussed in an article in The Atlantic is that it might create a sense of relief in relationship to the jumble of everyday life. It's no secret we all have tons of responsibilities and pressures to deal with daily. But these simple acts of success can be deeply satisfying in the chaos of it all. Don't you agree?

3. Making others happy is infectious!

The simplest acts — holding a door open, surprising a co-worker with their favorite snack, even a hug — can come with a sense of overwhelming personal happiness.

It turns out there's a ton of science behind why it feels so plain great to be kind to others: Studies have shown there are very real physical rewards for kindness, such as reducing social anxiety, lowering blood pressure, and even recharging our gut bacteria.

This helpful girl picks up a wallet ... and our hearts. Awww. GIF via Japanese Red Cross.

Yes, your body is physically rewarding you for doing good things — no wonder it feels so great!

4. Maybe it's that satisfied feeling from your favorite snack.

Have you ever wondered why we feel that happy satisfied feeling after we eat a really satisfying meal or snack?

Pancakes can be a meal or a snack, right?

When it comes to being satisfied, it goes beyond just filling up your actual stomach to the "satiety signals" sent to the brain.

These satiety signals are influenced by your food — the aesthetic quality of the food as it relates to your personal tastes. The amount of delight you get from the sight, smell, texture, and so on of your meal relate to actual hormones in your body. The more "satiation power" in what you're eating, the stronger the signal of satisfaction is.

GIF by Cadbury.

So that's why when you bite into, say, your favorite Cadbury bar, it is so very and truly satisfying.

Why not add one of these little happy activities to your list of to-dos?

It might be time to take a cue from this awesome bear and go for it!

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These adorable pics of dogs at airports show why pups are the ultimate stress reliever.

Airports are stressful.

Even the most relaxing vacations usually start with you dragging a half-broken suitcase through a maze of terminals and expensive egg sandwiches while removing your shoes in public and wondering if you forgot your neck pillow. (You did.)

You also forgot your headphones. Have a nice flight! Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images.

Things get way worse if you miss your plane or have to sit through a nine-hour delay. There's only so much CNN a person can watch before they start wanting to punch Wolf Blitzer in the mouth (about 5 minutes by my estimate).

"The most common thing we notice at airports is that most passengers don’t smile at all," says Aakash Lonkar.

Lonkar, a director at Animal Angels Foundation, which specializes in animal-assisted therapy, says there's one thing that always changes people's moods, even at airports: dogs.

"Whenever they see a dog, a natural smile comes on their faces — they keep their bags aside and pet the dogs. The entire mood at the airport changes," Lonkar told The Better India.

This is a picture of a very not-stressed-out person. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

That's why Animal Angels, an non-governmental organization in India, has started bringing dogs to Mumbai Airport (with the airport's permission, of course).

When it comes to animal-assisted therapy, animals are "a catalyst to help the patients help themselves," explains the Animal Angels website. "For example, a child may not want to walk or reach after surgery because it is painful, but will happily take a dog for a walk or throw a ball, forgetting the pain for a little while and moving closer to going home."

Photo from Animal Angels Foundation, used with permission.

While people waiting in line at the airport may not be recovering from surgery, the physical and emotional stress of traveling is no joke, and neither is the healing ability of some animal company. Being able to spend a few minutes with a friendly dog can do wonders to relieve that burden on passengers coming on or off their flights.

So far the group has brought three golden retrievers (named Pepe, Goldie, and Sunshine) to provide some much needed smiles at the busy Terminal T2.

It's a simple solution that has had hugely positive effects — Lonkar even said that some people cry when they see the dogs "because their stress is immediately released."

Photo from Animal Angels Foundation, used with permission.

The stress-relieving abilities of dogs are no secret, and other airlines and airports have run similar programs.

Many studies have found that spending even a short amount of time with a pet can lower blood pressure and stress hormones like cortisol while raising oxytocin, which is linked to happiness and relaxation.

San Jose International Airport was one of the first to introduce the concept of therapy dogs to airports following the events of 9/11. Since then, airports in other cities like Los Angeles and Miami have followed suit.


In 2013, San Francisco International Airport welcomed what it calls the "wag brigade," a legion of adorable dogs whose job it is to be adorable dogs while people are at the airport.


A boy pets a therapy dog at San Francisco International Airport. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

The Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin, also has a therapy dog program — though if you ask me, it's a totally missed opportunity if none of their dogs are Great Danes:

The point is this — dogs are awesome and they make people happy, and it'd be great to see more programs like this at other places too.

There should be dogs at work! There should be dogs when you're studying for finals! There should be dogs at the supermarket to help you deal with that lady in front of you who's somehow in the midst of her very first encounter with a self-checkout machine even though that technology has been around since the early '90s. And there should 100% absolutely and completely be dogs around at the DMV. Just thinking about that place makes me stressed.

Therapy dogs everywhere! C'mon, who's with me?

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