The basic setup is simple: a cat sits on top of a Roomba vacuum cleaner while it autonomously scoots across a floor. The humor comes from the cat's typically unbothered expression as it glides around like a tiny monarch on a motorized throne. Some versions show cats swatting at dogs or other pets while riding past, and others feature cats in costumes (shark suits being a popular choice). The videos tapped into the internet's deep love of cat content and the inherent comedy of animals interacting with household robots1.

The format sits within the larger "Cats Riding on X" meme family, which covers any video of a cat mounted on a moving object or animal1.

Cat on Roomba became one of the signature memes of the late 2000s YouTube era, when simple, unedited pet videos could rack up millions of views. The format helped establish the template for viral pet content that would later dominate platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

iRobot benefited from the free publicity, with Roomba cat videos essentially serving as organic marketing for their product line. The association between Roombas and cats became so strong that it influenced how people thought about robot vacuums in general.

The meme also contributed to the broader "Cats Riding on X" genre, which expanded to include cats on robot vacuums from competing brands, cats on turtles, dogs, skateboards, and virtually anything that moves1.