Lifestyle

And Now, Popular Texting Abbreviations, As Illustrated By 8 Cats

By Angie Bailey

, March 4, 2014

I happen to be one of those people who don’t use many abbreviations when I text. Maybe it’s because I’m a writer, but it just feels wrong to shorten perfectly good words. My teenage kids are all about shortening common texting terms. In fact, my daughter was my expert consultant when I wrote this post. I wound up changing some of them because, “Mom, no one even uses that one.” Just when I thought I possessed a modicum of coolness.

Because I’m a visual person, I often imagine what these abbreviations would look like if people — or in this case, cats — were physically demonstrating them.

Here are (really funny) pictures of eight common texting abbreviations, as modeled by cats.

1. ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing)

This one always cracks me up. I can picture someone sitting stoically on the sofa texting an “ROFL” reply. I guarantee they aren’t actually rolling around on the floor and cackling. It’s a hysterical visual, though. Once I ROFL’d and made my son record it. I looked just as fantastically ridiculous as I’d imagined. And my son was absolutely horrified. Cats, however, can rock a literal ROFL.

2. BRB (be right back)

BRB is used when the one texting needs to step away for a few minutes. My kids say they use this one quite often. Cats get so distracted, and would probably wind up spotting a bug and not return to the text conversation for an hour. BRB would become BBS (Be Back Sometime).

3. BTW (by the way)

This is one I do use from time to time. Why is that, I wonder? Is “by the way” really that time-consuming to type? It’s just five additional characters. Habit. I imagine cats would have a smug air about them when typing BTW. You know, like, “By the way, this food is crap.”

4. TYVM (thank you very much)

This is another I use from time to time. Gratitude is an important expression, even within a text … even as an abbreviation. Although aloof much of the time, kitties do appreciate a nice chin rub and, of course, a few catnip sprinkles from time to time. I’d like another cup of coffee, TYVM.

5. TMI (too much information)

Some people are generous with overly personal and vivid details during conversations. I’m not bothered by gross tidbits of information, so TMI isn’t something I’d type or say very often. It takes a lot to offend me. Others become squeamish when such details are introduced, and cover their faces with their paws and scream TMI! Of course cats would need their paws to type TMI, so they’d just figuratively cover their faces as they typed.

6. TBH (to be honest)

My daughter says this is one she uses often. Beware whatever comes after TBH — the truth sometimes hurts. BTW, cats live their live according to the TBH philosophy. And the snarky face is the perfect demonstration of this abbreviation.

7. WB (welcome back)

When someone returns from a BRB, they’re generally greeted with a WB. Cats like sitting by doors and waiting for us to return. To them WB goes hand in hand with FM (feed me). I just made up that last one.

8. JK (just kidding)

The good ol’ JK! This is another one that is said as well as typed in text messages, accompanied with a cheesy smile, much like the kitty in the above photo. You text something that may freak someone out, and then follow up with a light and airy “JK!” “TBH, you’re getting a little paunchy … JK!” JK always leaves someone wondering if the statement that preceded the abbreviation is really true. JK can easily launch one into full-blown paranoia.

Do your cats demonstrate texting abbreviations? Show us in the comments!

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About the Author: Angie Bailey is an eternal optimist with an adoration of all things silly. Loves pre-adolescent boy humor, puns, making up parody songs, thinking about cats doing people things and The Smiths. Writes Catladyland, a cat humor blog, Texts from Mittens (birthed right here on Catster) and authored whiskerslist: the kitty classifieds, a silly book about cats wheeling and dealing online. Partner in a production company and writes and acts in comedy web series that features sketches and mockumentaries. Mother to two humans and three cats, all of which want her to make them food.

Tags: Behavior, Humor, Pix We Love

Angie Bailey

Angie Bailey, an award-winning writer, podcaster, and humorist, is the author of Texts from Mittens and Whiskerslist: The Kitty Classifieds. She’s written cat humor for over a decade, and lives in Minneapolis with her fiancé and two cats — Phoebe, a sassy senior and Janet, a teenage kitty with tons of tortitude.

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