Against the backdrop of the upcoming TikTok ban in the United States, a large number of TikTok Refugees are flocking to Red Note. Against the backdrop of different cultures, Chinese netizens have a clever and humorous way of welcoming TikTok Refugees to use Red Note to communicate with Chinese netizens: the Cat Tax.

“The “Cat Tax” refers to the fact that Chinese netizens demanded (as a joke) that TikTok Refugee share a photo of his cat in order to use Red Note. The “cat tax” has been extended to include “dog tax” and “bird tax”, and various other pet taxes. Netizens from all over the world began to communicate with each other on Red Note: American netizens helped Chinese students with their homework, and Chinese netizens helped the TikTok Refugee understand Chinese Internet terms. Through these exchanges, people began to break down information barriers.

But why “Cat Tax”?

1. Cat content resonates

The beauty of cats is that they appeal to almost everyone. Even for people of different countries, races and cultures, cat videos and pictures can easily break the circle. When TikTok users stray to other platforms due to platform issues, posting cat content becomes a “social ice-breaker” that shows humor and attracts a new fan base.

2. The playful expression of refugee culture

The term “TikTok refugees” is a self-deprecating expression used to describe a group of users who have to switch to other platforms due to platform policies or traffic problems. In this case, using “cat tax” as a starting point not only flirts with one's status as a “refugee” but also eases the awkwardness of entering a new social platform.

No matter which country we come from on the earth, no matter what experiences we have had in the past, at this moment our love for pets is the same, just as we hope that all kind people in the world can communicate better and help each other.