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‘My Muslim cat is confused’: Ramadan cats are sleepy, baffled, and have totally taken over TikTok

These cats just want to sleep. But it’s Ramadan, and their humans are eating.

Photo of Rebecca Leib

Rebecca Leib

Left: Screenshot of a cat with the caption 'POV: my Muslim cat confused why everyone's up eatting breakfast at 4:54AM [laughing crying face emoji]'; Center: Screenshot of a cat with the caption 'My muslim cat confused why everyone is suddenly awake eating a full meal at 4am'; Right: Screenshot of a cat with the caption 'POV: the [sun emoji] is out and your confused Ramadan cat is now confused why you [sparkle emoji] did not [sparkle emoji] wake up for suhoor.

Cat memes have long been a cornerstone of internet culture—and the new “Ramadan cats” TikTok trend is proving their staying power. The viral videos show sleepy, confused, or curious cats reacting to their owners’ early morning or late-night meals during Ramadan. The trend has quickly resonated with viewers, blending humor, cultural tradition, and, of course, the internet’s eternal love for cats.

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A search view of Ramadan Cats
TikTok

What is the ‘Ramadan cats’ Tiktok trend?

The ‘Ramadan cats’ trend has users recording their cats acting confused, sleepy, annoyed, or curious during their owners’ new mealtimes based on the month’s observance—often very early in the morning, or very late at night.

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These memes often begin with “my Muslim cat confused…” and show a video or still of the cat behaving differently than usual. The soundtrack to these videos is most often “originalton” by the Turkish-German singer Muhabbet.

@whutnut tidur balik lah mochi #ramadhan #muslimcats #suhoor #catsoftiktok ♬ tob tobi tob – wsszx.7

The trend began to gain traction at the end of the first week of Ramadan, in early March 2025.

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It was fun for TikTokers observing Ramadan to find humor and community within their shared traditions, in addition to cat lovers and those less familiar with the holiday to appreciate, become educated on, and enjoy a new trend based on an unexpectedly cute element of this holy month.

@brittcrisp Honestly my favorite videos rn #ramadan #ramadancat ♬ Originalton – Muhabbet

“She is so tired,” read one comment. “attendance is not mandatory, lil sis,” another comment joked.” “Muslim cats are my new favorite trend!” another comment proclaimed.

Reactions to Ramadan Cats
@themiraah/TikTok
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What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is considered by Muslims to be one of the holiest months of the year. It is a time to spiritually reconnect and recommit to faith, with a focus on study, self-control, and compassion.

To do this, during the month of Ramadan Muslims study the Qur’an—the central religious text of Islam. They also perform special prayers, and fast from food and drink during the sunlit hours.

Fasting is a hugely important part of Ramadan. Those practicing take suhoor (or sahur), the meal traditionally eaten before dawn, at extremely early times, depending on the time of year Ramadan takes place and the geographic location of those observing.

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A cat looking confused because owner is Muslim and getting up for Ramadan
@saratjem/TikTok

When is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the name of the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. This calendar is based on a 12-month lunar year comprised of approximately 354 days. Because the lunar year is 11 days shorter than the solar year (the traditional Western calendar based on Earth’s orbit around the sun) and begins and ends with the sighting of the new moon, Ramadan’s dates change every year.

In 2025, Ramadan began on the evening of Feb. 28, 2025, and ended on March 29, 2025. The trend was created by observers during the practice of this year’s Ramadan.

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@themiraah half asleep during suhoor when she normally wakes up at this time anyways #fyp #ragdoll #ramadan #catsoftiktok ♬ Originalton – Muhabbet

Ramadan cat examples

Many viral examples showcase cats wanting to be included in suhoor, or seeming exhausted by the meal’s early timing.

A cat looking exhausted during Ramadan
@confusedramadancat/TikTok
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Very tired Ramadan cat wondering why everyone's up
@confusedramadancat/TikTok
a cat getting up early to eat with a Ramadan-observing family
@confusedramadancat/TikTok

Other accounts showcased their cats wanting to be included in the meal.

Cat wanting food as if she's been fasting all day
@palileen/TikTok
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Cat wants Safoor, feels entitled to Safoor
@palileen/TikTok

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