From Meme to Method: Rethinking Animal Adoption Platforms through the Cat Distribution System
Carl Angelo Angcana, Jamlech Iram Gojo Cruz
TLDR
This paper explores how the "Cat Distribution System" meme can inspire new, more intuitive animal adoption platforms, tested in the Philippines.
Key contributions
- Proposes using the "Cat Distribution System" meme as a cultural metaphor for rethinking animal adoption.
- Developed a prototype app with algorithmic matchmaking, community reporting, and proximity-based discovery.
- Initial user evaluation (n=35) showed positive reception and intuitive alignment with user expectations.
- Identified needs for improved matchmaking transparency and owner-adopter communication.
Why it matters
This paper offers a novel, culturally resonant approach to animal adoption, addressing overpopulation by making the process feel more natural and less transactional. It highlights how leveraging internet folklore can create more intuitive and user-friendly platforms.
Original Abstract
The internet folklore of the Cat Distribution System (CDS) humorously suggests that cats are "assigned" to people rather than intentionally sought. Beyond its playful origins, CDS reflects a culturally resonant way people perceive and engage in adoption, and this user context can guide the redesign and improvement of adoption systems. In the Philippines, where an estimated 13.11 million stray cats and dogs place the country sixth worldwide in overpopulation, this framing offers a novel way to rethink adoption platforms. We developed a prototype application inspired by CDS principles, focusing on features such as algorithmic matchmaking, community reporting, and proximity-based discovery. An initial evaluation with potential users (n=35) indicated that the system was positively received for its ease of use and its alignment with users' intuitive expectations, though participants highlighted areas for improvement in transparency of matchmaking and owner-adopter communication. The findings suggest that culturally embedded metaphors like CDS can shape mental models, making adoption processes feel more serendipitous and less transactional.
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