Cat Chat: Text Abbreviations for Tech-Savvy Felines

By Julia Williams

The advent of computers and cell phones spawned a new way of communicating for many people. Words and phrases became abbreviated to save time while typing in chat rooms, online forums, mobile text messages and on Facebook. Chat abbreviations have become so commonplace that most of us know what LOL, BRB, TMI, ETA, IDK, OMG and BFF mean. However, I saw a text abbreviation recently that stumped me, so I did what I always do nowadays when I need information – I googled it. Paydirt! I not only found the one that had baffled me, but a comprehensive A to Z list that blew me away. Who knew there were thousands of text abbreviations just waiting to make our lives easier by shaving two seconds off our typing time? Wut?

Naturally, that got me to thinking about texting abbreviations cats would use in their everyday communications with other cats (and perhaps even a stray human or two). Never mind the lack of opposable thumbs. Plenty of cat crazy people are willing to buy into the fantasy that felines are capable of typing. Why wouldn’t cats want to save precious time by using text abbreviations? After all, that leaves more time for what is really important to kittehs – such as, eatin' a big bowl of FELIDAE cat food, then settling down for a long nap as only a cat can do.

As responsible pet owners, we should be keeping tabs on Tabby while she’s online and especially when she’s texting that Tomcat hotty who has a reputation for wooing every ladycat within hissing distance. To make it easy for you, I spied on my own wily felines and compiled a list of all the texting lingo that tech-savvy cats use.

Here you go:

2G2BT - Too good to be tuna
BBAN - Be back after nap
BFFF - Best furry friends forever
BI4D - Begging is for dogs
BLNT - Better luck next treat
CCL - Crazy cat lady
CCLIH - Crazy cat lady is home
CFB - Cat food breath
CMT - Chasing my tail
FA - Flea alert!
FUBAR - Furred up beyond all repair
GANCB - Got a new cat bed
GHCAFU - Got human’s clothes all furred up
GYFIO - Get your furs in order
HAGN - Have a good nom
HAW - Humans are weird
HOC - High on catnip
IDK - I’m da kitteh
IHAH - I have a hairball
IHTCO - I hear the can opener
IL4T - I live for treats
ILK - I love kibble
IMHFO - In my humble feline opinion
INAC - I need a catnap
KMFB - Kiss my furry behind
LMFBO - Laughing my furry butt off
LOL - Lots of licks
MFBIE - My food bowl is empty
OMC - Oh my cat!
P4Y - Purring for you
STC - Scratching the carpet
SAOTB - Sweater alert! On the bed!
SHF - Stealing human’s food
T4N - Time for noms
TDHF - The dog has fleas
WTH - What the hairball??

Top photo by dougwoods
Middle photo by JoshSemans
Bottom photo by Wilson Afonso

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