The YouTube phenomenon known as 'Cat TV', which provides video content for feline viewers, is a highly competitive industry, according to an established creator in the field. This individual, who chose to remain anonymous, stated that the world of Cat TV is "probably more surprising and cut throat than you would ever imagine."
The business model for these videos is largely based on YouTube's algorithm, which prioritises content with high watch times. Adam Jones, co-founder of Trendy Grandad, a social-first video production company, explained that extended viewing signals a positive metric to the algorithm, making these videos good earners for advertising revenue. Creators use this strategy to build watch time and subscribers, which can then be used to monetise other content.
Paul Dinning, a Cornwall-based amateur wildlife photographer, is one of the genre's early content creators. His YouTube account, which now has 832,000 subscribers, gained popularity after he titled his bird videos as "Videos for Cats." Despite the success of some creators, Zoë Glatt, a digital ethnographer at LSE, noted that building a following and generating sustainable revenue in oversaturated content verticals with low barriers to entry is exceptionally difficult.
The majority of Cat TV videos currently feature real footage of animals, such as cats, mice, and squirrels, rather than AI-generated content.