The Fascinating World of Pet Instagram Accounts

Instagram: the ultimate playground for charismatic, hip pets. Everybody likes a cute dog, but we especially like it when those dogs are dressed in stylish clothes, wearing sunglasses and eating our fav greasy foods like pizza and donuts.

Of course, the trend of Instagram pets is not a new concept by any means; pets became internet famous well before Instagram existed. Consider one of the OG’s of internet fame: Tardar Sauce, aka Grumpy Cat.

The top dogs (and cats) of Instagram

The ever-scowling feline found fame after being posted to Reddit, where his fixed scowl turned him into a meme. Grumpy Cat now boasts 2.5 million Instagram followers, and he’s only No. 5 on the top list of most followed pets. No. 1 on that list is @jiffpom, a Pomeranian that broke the world record for running the fastest 5 meters on his front paws in 2014. From there he rocketed to fame, appearing in Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” music video, and now boasts more than 8 million Instagram followers, being the most Instagram famous pet.

What's the big deal?

So why the appeal of these iconic Instagram animals? The idea that pet owners resemble their furry friends is relevant for these #instapets. The majority of famous pet accounts find their popularity in showing their animals doing human things.

Take @itsdougthepug for example, a pug named Doug who enjoys spa days, laying by the pool in his sunnies, and even celebrated his birthday with a pizza-themed cake.

Or just look at Agador, the @poochofnyc with sharp style and a seriously fluffy fro. He almost looks more human than a dog, which may, in part, attribute to why he and many others have found fame.

On Instagram, these famous pets are living the life—fashion, food, luxury, and travel. And for whatever reason, humans love seeing animals do things they shouldn’t be able to do, like look like an english professor out for coffee. We think it's cute.

How the rise of technology has aided the rise of pet Instagram accounts

Although Reddit was the first online medium that shot animals to fame, the growth in smartphone adoption and social platforms like Instagram has helped to facilitate easier capturing and sharing of our pet's cutest moments.

Creating your own pet Instagram account is easier than you think. All you need is a smartphone and the perfect opportunity with your cute pet. Whether you get a picture or video of them sneezing, sleeping, or up to their old antics, the Internet's fascination with our four-legged friends makes most content you could capture relevant.

Smart home technology has particularly made it effortless to never miss a moment with your pet, with tools like indoor cameras, outdoor cameras, and doorbell cameras. Set to record people and animals, the Vivint Indoor Camera is perfect for capturing your pet in its natural habitat, a potentially viral prospect. You can easily review and share footage caught by your indoor camera, sending your pet to stardom.

A little more about cute

Costumes and anthropomorphic tactics aren’t the only way to find Insta-fame. Many Insta-pets have garnered their staggering number of followers simply by being cute.

Take @nala_cat, the most followed cat on Instagram. Her orb-like eyes, fluffy coat, and playful attitude has transfixed 3.6 million followers. Her posts consist of simple close-ups and videos of her playing, all captioned with how much Nala “loves you.” In this case, no costumes or cute set-ups were needed to make the masses love Nala.

Maru Taro the Shiba Inu has also found fame through his general lovability—no outfits or influencer collaborations needed. He found his many followers after his owner posted daily pictures of Maru to make people happy after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011. He continues to spread happiness to all that gaze upon his lovable grin.

Sometimes it comes down to good genes

Although it seems all of these pet personalities have become famous for different reasons, it all comes down to one thing—the pet! These animals have serious personalities, and it is their unique demeanors that ultimately draw in the followers by the millions. It also helps if your dog looks like a cinnamon sugar donut hole.

How to make your pet a star

With all of these viral animals as inspiration, surely you are ready to give your pet its big debut. Follow these steps and soon your furry friend will be on its way to virality.

1. Capture everything and anything your pet does. The more content you have to share, the better. Keep that smartphone ready or tap into indoor camera recordings.
2. Embrace your pet's personality. Create an Instagram bio that really shows who your pet is, whether they be grumpy, hyper, or simply cute.
3. Dress up (or down) your pet. If your pet is OK with it, dress them in cute costumes, or keep them au natural and set up a photoshoot with a background and props for them to play with and show their personality.
4. Take inspiration from current Instagram pets, and even collaborate with other users to meet new people and build your following! Two minds (or eight paws) are better than one!