
An App That Allows Your Cat To Type Messages And A LinkedIn Service For Cats? Felines Dominate The Web On April Fools’ Day

Creativecommons.org/Hal Morgan

If there was anything to learn this April Fools’ Day, it was this: Cats are the undeniable, unquestionable, irrefutable kings of the internet.

Yes, when it comes to pulling the wool over the eyes of unsuspecting April Fools, cats are the overwhelmingly dominant weapon of choice.

Just check out what our feline friends got up to on April 1 this year...

PRANK: GOOGLE QWERTY CAT

WHAT IS IT? An App That Allows Your Cat To Type Out Messages

Google revealed a new app in its Chrome Web Store, offering customers a virtual keyboard specifically designed for their cats. Called ‘Qwerty Cats’, this virtual keyboard features cat paw prints that your feline friends use to type out messages.

Man, don’t you just wish that this was true?

The enticing features of Qwerty Cats include ‘four pawing modalities’, ‘mouse mode’ and ‘cat translation technology’.

"But this is just the beginning," Google cautioned. "Input research is underway for other pet users, including dogs, fish, hamsters and dinosaurs."

Right. Erm, watch this space... I suppose.

PRANK: CATS BY OPERA

WHAT IS IT? An Internet Browser For Cats

Opera Software chose April 1 to launch its ‘Cats by Opera’ browser.

According to the Opera press release: ‘Humans have long been in a privileged position on the internet. Keyboards are hard to use, curated content is homo sapiens-oriented and - quite frankly - boring for four-legged creatures. Yet, billions and billions of people coast the web in search of funny cats and cute kittens all day, when they should be working. It’s time to turn the tables on internet cat content. Enter the Cats by Opera project. The first web browser tail-or made for cats.’

Tail-or made... Get it?

There was even a nice quote from Huib Kleinhout, senior cat coder at Opera Software: “I noticed that my cat, Admiral Fluffington III, had a peculiar interest in the Coast by Opera web browser left open on my iPad. When I go to work, my cats were just left at home with iPads sitting on the coffee table. It just made sense to give them something better to do other than snooze or cough-up hairballs. Now they can interact with the web, which is 92.3 per cent cats anyways. That’s when I got the idea for Cats by Opera. My other cats, Pistols McMegatron and Dr Snuggles, also love it.”

Cats by Opera features: The ‘TongueTouch’ interface that responds to the slightest of screen licks; ‘PawPredict’, which translates addresses like “34lkr34tottttt4<<<....uuuu” into “www.catnip4u.com” when your cat walks over the keyboard; and ‘Catimized Speed Dial’ easy-to click buttons that provide quick access to cat content.

PRANK: CHEEZBURGER'S CAT SHIRT & PYJAMAS COLLECTION

WHAT IS IT? Human-Themed Clothing For Cats

According to clothing designer Cheezeburger: ‘There are many injustices in this world, perhaps none more egregious than the fact that cat-themed clothes exist for humans, yet it's next to impossible to find human-inspired garments for cats.’

So far, I’m convinced.

The collection features a human-look onesie for cats, a ‘human shirt’ that, when your cat wears it, will make ‘all other cats wonder if he actually loves people, or if he’s just making an ironic fashion statement’, and a human-patterned muscle tee that allows body-con cats to show off their ‘perfectly sculpted figures’.

PRANK:LINKEDINCATS YOU MAY KNOW

WHAT IS IT? LinkedIn Page That Recommends New Cat Contacts

Looking to make ‘mew’ contacts? (Sorry, I couldn’t resist) – then LinkedIn’s new Cats You May Know platform could be for you!

Apparently, the service not only recommends new potential cat contacts, it also allows you to connect with cats you may already know.

According to LinkedIn: ‘Cats You May Know was designed to give pawed professionals an opportunity to brand themselves, share their unique skills, and network with both humans and other relevant cats in their breed. You can also easily access every feline’s expertise (from chasing bits of lint on the floor to watching birds), as well as their locations and interests — all with a single click.’

It even allows you to endorse cats with exceptional skills such as random feet attacks, kitty somersaults or napping in the sun.

Just right.

PRANK: FIDO'S 'YES WE CAT'

WHAT IS IT? Canadian Phone Company Replaces Dog Ambassadors With Cats

In response to overwhelming media trends, Fido announced yesterday that it was replacing its popular ‘dog ambassadors’ with cats.

"Dogs have been the face of Fido for the past 18 years and we see this change as a reflection of our customers' growing passion for the Internet,” commented Shelagh Stoneham, senior vice president and general manager brands and marketing communications, Fido Solutions Inc. "We are consistently listening to the wants and interests of our customers, and what they want are cats. We thank our dog ambassadors for their years of dedicated service and are excited to introduce the cat as the cuddly and curious face of Fido.

“Can we excel with this new brand breed? Yes we cat."

Okay. That’s enough now. It’s now April 2. Get back to your work...