The Starecat image dates back to the mid-2000s, originally from breeder photos of a British Shorthair named Helia Peppercats. It first appeared online around 2004 to 2005 on Russian pet sites, but didn’t become a meme until 2010, when it spread on 4chan. For nearly two decades, this blank, judgmental cat has stared its way into internet history. The community has now rallied together and squeezed the supply to create an supply shock.