ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Friskies®, a leader in Internet cat culture, launched the Friskies 50, the definitive guide of the 50 most influential cats on the Internet (www.Friskies50.com). New cat stars are popping up on the Internet every day, which makes it hard to keep track of who’s who and what celebrity kitty will blow up the Internet next. But now there is an easy way for cat fanatics to follow the status of their favorite feline and see where they rank on the list. Topping the chart this month are famous felines Grumpy Cat, Lil’ Bub, Colonel Meow, Oskar & Klaus and City the Kitty.

“Cat lovers can’t get enough of Internet cat culture; there have been billions of cat video views on YouTube, and popular cat personalities dominate social media with massive followings. But with such a cluttered landscape, where do you start?” says Shaun Belongie, senior brand manager for Friskies. “Friskies is committed to being a leader in Internet cat culture and we saw an opportunity to help cat lovers navigate the crazy, wonderful world of Internet cats with the Friskies 50. We hope people love it as much as we do.”

Utilizing an algorithm based on each cat’s social media reach and engagement levels across various social platforms, the Friskies 501 compiles the most influential Internet cats every month (out of a total of more than 250 cats) and ranks them in order from 1-50 at www.Friskies50.com. The index methodology also takes into account the cat’s presence in traditional news such as recent mentions in print and online articles. While each cat’s ranking is strongly influenced by the number of social channels the cat is engaged on and the level of media coverage they receive, a key factor is also the public's reception of the content and coverage.

With the Friskies 50, users are able to view how cats rank each month depending on their score from the previous month. Arrows displayed beside each cat's name indicate upward or downward movement. For example, upward indicators in green show an increase in score and downward indicators in red show a decrease. All data collected is publicly available.

The Friskies 50 website not only offers the rankings of the most influential cats, but it also allows users to submit a cat that might have what it takes to be considered for the list. Simply enter the name and the links to the cat’s social media properties and let the algorithm do the work. If the cat makes the cut, he/she will be on the next month’s list. Additionally, users can subscribe to receive monthly updates on their favorite influential cats.

The Friskies 50 - Top 50 Influential Cats (as of July 8) 1. Grumpy Cat 26. Homer The Blind Wondercat 2. Sparta & Loki (Mean Kitty) 27. Snoopybabe 3. Shironeko 28. Hank 4. Lil’ Bub 29. Justin Fire Survivor 5. Nylah Kitty 30. Sockington 6. Oskar & Klaus 31. Sam Has Eyebrows 7. City the Kitty 32. Corky the Cradle Cat 8. Henri Le Chat Noir 33. Richard Kitty 9. Colonel Meow 34. Princess Monster Truck 10. Venus the Two Faced Cat 35. Mercury The Cat 11. Nala 36. Maccha Cat 12. Hamilton the Hipster Cat 37. Daisy The Curly Cat 13. Roku 38. Captain Pancakes 14. Maru 39. Smoosh 15. Luna The Fashion Kitty 40. Spangles The Cross Eyed Cat 16. Winston 41. Waffles 17. Anakin the Two Legged Miracle Cat 42. Choupette Lagerfeld 18. Pudge 43. Little Bear 19. Tommy, Gracie, and Leo 44. Chase No Face 20. Zeus the Serval 45. Sir Stuffington 21. Street Cat Bob 46. Lazarus The Vampire Cat 22. Hero Cat 47. Mayor Stubbs 23. Pokey 48. Hello Oskar 24. Cole & Marmalade 49. Milla the Cat 25. Cooper the Photographer Cat 50. Cat Food Breath

Stay tuned to see how rankings will differ in next month’s list. For additional information about the Friskies 50, please visit www.Friskies50.com and follow the conversation online using the hashtag #Friskies50.

ABOUT FRISKIES

The Friskies® brand offers a complete line of great-tasting cat foods, including more than 60 wet, dry and treat varieties. Friskies is manufactured by Nestlé Purina PetCare, a global leader in the pet care industry. Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. The North American headquarters for Nestlé Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis; Mo. Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A. – the world’s largest food company.

1 Disclaimer: The Friskies 50 does not represent all cats whose owners have created social accounts on their behalf. As new accounts are created, those account holders must correspond with the Friskies 50 for inclusion in the Friskies 50 index. Any account holder must notify the Friskies 50 in writing via the website www.friskies50.com/remove if he/she does not wish to be included in the index.