Instagram/@michaeljackson
The main Michael Jackson Instagram account posted a quiz to mark National Cat Day, making the followers guess the cats in the King of Pop’s short films. The funny post instantly attracted the global fan base, combining nostalgia with playful cat fun.
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The estate through the social media kept the Michael Jackson legacy alive. For National Cat Day, the official account chose to showcase a cute and often disregarded part of Jackson’s visual narrative—his cat co-stars in his revolutionary music videos. The post simply asked: “Today is National Cat Day – which cat is in which of Michael Jackson short film? 🐈” together with a collection of the cats from various videos.
People’s response was huge and immediate, and they were already commenting fans were at it. The tabby from “Remember The Time,” the sleek black panther from “Black or White,” and the mysterious cat presence in “Billie Jean” were the top answers. One of the happy commenters even gave a very detailed breakdown, “celebrating all the beautiful blessed cats in #SmoothCriminal Black Cat #BlackorWhite Black Panther #RememberTheTime Tabby Cat #BillieJean Tiger Cat.” Such a detailed comment showed how deeply the fans have embedded even the smallest aspects of Jackson’s camerawork into their memories.
The reactions were not exclusively towards the quiz. There were multiple remarks that criticized or complimented the post’s technical aspects. “This post is awesome.. just wish it had better quality,” was one person’s comment, and another one wrote in Portuguese, “Even the GIFs in the comments have better quality than the publication.” This technical remark demonstrated the fans’ high expectations of quality for anything related to the perfectionist entertainer, however, their enthusiasm was not affected at all.
The timing of the post sparked a minor dispute among the fans. A person said, “um invincible was released on this day 24 years ago hello?” bringing others’ attention to the fact that October 30th is also the anniversary of the release of Jackson’s last album during his lifetime. The mention of the historical events made the holiday observance more vibrant and profound.
Laughter was another main contributor to the comment section. “Yall what is this 😭😭😭” was the answer of many who could not believe the surprise emphasis on cats, while another user almost in a funny way wrote in very formal Portuguese: “I find myself completely amazed! Never did I think about such beauty as this picture shows… I see the cats with such heavenly clarity that goes beyond the limits allowed to the poor perception of my eyes!” This over-the-top reaction highlighted that Jackson’s fans are still very much inclined to display his own style of dramatization in their replies.
The chat turned into people exposing their individual attachments. One of the Users gave her black cat’s name “Tommy,” immediately referring to Jackson’s famous pet—the chimp Anne. Another one went deeper into the cats symbolism discussion and said, “Remember the time…… cats were associated with goddesses and protectors of the evil eye or bad vibe,” which equated Jackson’s artistic choices with wider cultural practices.
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The Michael Jackson estate has been increasingly dependent on holidays and anniversaries as a means of keeping engagement with the younger fans alive while paying tribute to the star’s extensive catalog. This National Cat Day post was successful in creating a conversation that was equally welcoming to the casual viewers and deeply influential for the hardcore fans. The post was able to tell everyone that Michael Jackson’s genius was present in all dimensions of his art—even his animal co-stars. The fans’ responses indicate that even after several decades since the most famous clips were released, people still find new angles to enjoy and discuss the artist’s revolutionary creativity. La Toya Jackson has often shared memories of her brother, while Michael Jackson’s powerful life advice continues to inspire. Meanwhile, Prince Jackson also honors his father’s legacy through charitable work.