A newly identified wild cat species in Bolivia has quickly become an internet celebrity, with users across X / Twitter and TikTok celebrating the discovery through memes, artwork, edits and affectionate reactions to the tiny feline.
The tilcayo, scientifically known as Leopardus tilcayo, was identified as a genetically distinct species during research into tiger cats in South America, marking the first time in more than a century that a new living feline species had been formally named and described.
Since the discovery of the new animal, some users have also adopted the catchphrase “new cat dropped” to celebrate the discovery.
So, what exactly is the tilcayo, and how did the newly identified species become an internet sensation? Here’s what you need to know about the internet’s new favorite cat.
What Is The ‘Tilcayo’ And How Did It First Go Viral?
The tilcayo is a newly identified wild cat species found in Bolivia’s Yungas forest, a mountainous cloud-forest region. The species was discovered as part of research into tiger cats, which had previously been treated as a single species across South America.
Researchers analyzed DNA from 38 cats sampled across several South American countries, including eight museum specimens. Their analysis determined that the tiger cats actually comprise five genetically distinct species, leading to the identification of the tilcayo as its own species.
Once its status as a distinct species was confirmed through genetic analysis, the cat was given the scientific name Leopardus tilcayo, retaining the name used by local communities.
It is also notably small, measuring approximately 18 inches (46 cm) long and weighing around 3 pounds (1.4 kg), which puts it below the size of an average domestic cat.
The discovery entered the social media spotlight on September 17th, 2026, when the X account of National Geographic (@NatGeo) announced Leopardus tilcayo as the first new living feline species formally named and described in more than a century.
The post quickly attracted tens of millions of views and hundreds of thousands of likes in just a few days as the new cat went viral online.
How Is The Tilcayo Used In Memes?
The tilcayo quickly went from a scientific discovery to a social media darling, with users reacting to the news in a variety of ways, such as memes like “We got a new cat before GTA 6.”
Some simply celebrated the arrival of a new cat species, while others turned the discovery into artwork, edits and jokes, with “new cat dropped” becoming one recurring catchphrase among the reactions.
NatGeo helped keep the discovery circulating later on September 17th by posting photos of the tilcayo and noting that experts believe more undiscovered cat species could exist around the world. That follow-up received over 11.7 million views and 168,000 likes in four days.
The discovery also inspired users to turn the announcement itself into a punchline for various jokes and memes.
X user @heavyfortress quote-posted NatGeo’s original announcement with “NEW CAT DROPPED,” treating the scientific discovery like the release of a highly anticipated new character. The post received 7.7 million views and 245,000 likes in about four days.
X user @pastapilled took a slightly different approach, quote-posting NatGeo’s follow-up with a caption about why it’s important to never give up on living. The post received 3.1 million views and 229,000 likes in the same timeframe.
By September 18th, the reactions had expanded beyond simple posts about the news. X user @SWAGVO1D shared original artwork inspired by the tilcayo while using “new cat dropped” as the caption and quoting NatGeo’s original announcement. The post received nearly a million views and a hundred thousand likes in approximately three days.
TikTok users likewise began putting their own spin on the discovery. For instance, TikToker @kasefx posted an edit captioned “new cat just dropped,” which received over 1.3 million views and 471,000 likes in just a few days.
Other reactions were more straightforwardly affectionate. TikTok user @lexkomi posted a moodboard-style video calling the tilcayo “the cutest little guy,” receiving over 811,000 views and 190,000 likes in about three days.
What Are Some Tilcayo Memes And Reactions?
For the full history of the internet’s reaction to the Tilcayo cat, be sure to check out Know Your Meme’s encyclopedia entry.
Read the original article on Know Your Meme.
