- Influencers don’t have to be human to accrue massive followings and garner incomes of millions of dollars.
- The world of pet influencers has boomed in recent years, spawning animal-specific influencer agencies, major brand campaigns and partnerships, and on-screen appearances.
- There have, unfortunately, been some deaths of popular pets this year: Boo, a Pomeranian dubbed the “cutest world’s cutest dog,” died in January. Hedgehog Mr. Pokee died in March. Grumpy Cat, known for her permanent frown, passed away in May.
- These are the 23 most popular pet influencers, ranked by their total followings across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
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23. Coby the Cat — 2 million
Instagram: 1.7 million
YouTube: 1,200
Facebook: 342,000
Coby is a British shorthair known for his pure white coat and piercing blue eyes. His owner, Rebecca Schefkind, said she made an Instagram account for Coby as a joke, but started to take it more seriously after the cat’s social media accounts garnered more than a million followers, as well as brand deals and sponsorships.
21. Esther the Wonder Pig — 2.1 million
Instagram: 533,000
YouTube: 26,000
Facebook: 1.5 million
When Esther was a baby, her current owners were told she was a micro pig: Now, she has since grown to weigh nearly 600 pounds. Living with a full-sized pig as a domestic pet in Canada is illegal, however, and Esther’s owners were able to move to a nearby 50-acre farm in 2014 with fans raising over $400,000. The farm is called the “Happily Ever Esther Fam Sanctuary,” and takes in rescued and neglected farm animals.
21. TurboRoo — 2.1 million
Instagram: 323,000
YouTube: 6,800
TikTok: 1.7 million
Facebook: 55,000
TurboRoo — who was named after the animated racing snail from a 2013 movie — was born without his two front legs. The two-legged Chihuahua’s story got a lot of attention early on, and he became the first puppy ever to get 3D-printed wheels to help him run around. TurboRoo’s owners have since gone on to help fundraise for other handicapped pets who need prosthetics and carts.
20. Loki the Wolfdog — 2.2 million
Instagram: 2 million
YouTube: 12,000
Facebook: 186,000
The part-husky, part-malamute Loki was a natural star when his owner, Kelly Lund, first started posting pictures of the dog to his Instagram account after getting him in 2012. Lund got into photography so he could take better pictures of Loki for Instagram, and was able to quit his job in 2016 to manage Loki’s social media presence full-time. Loki has since inked deals with Eddie Bauer and Google for its Android Wear smartwatch.
19. Harlow and Sage — 2.3 million
Instagram: 1.7 million
Facebook: 529,000
The Harlow and Sage Instagram account started as a documentation of the close friendship between Harlow, a Weimaraner, and Sage, a miniature dachshund. Sage sadly died in 2013, but Harlow has made new best friends: two miniature dachshunds named Indiana and Reese.
The dogs’ owners have since launched a secondary Instagram account to share photos of adoptable pets and raise money for animal shelters
17. Marnie the Dog — 2.4 million
Instagram: 1.9 million
YouTube: 36,000
Facebook: 421,000
Marnie is a 17-year-old Shih Tzu known for her permanent head tilt, which is likely due to a stint of Vestibular disease. The famed shelter dog now spends her days in Los Angeles and advocated for senior dog adoption.
17. Tuna — 2.4 million
Instagram: 2.1 million
Facebook: 306,000
Tuna, a Chihuahua-Dachshund mix, has a distinct overbite and wrinkly skin that has propelled the lovable dog to a book tour and millions of followers since his owner first launched his Instagram page, @tunameltsmyheart, in 2010. He’s been made into countless memes and garnered celebrity status for a face as recognizable as any human celebrity.
16. White Coffee Cat — 2.5 million
Instagram: 2 million
Facebook: 496,000
White Coffee Cat shares an owner with another famous cat on this list: Nala Cat, who has seven million followers across social media platforms. Coffee has a loyal fanbase who has seen her through a cancer diagnosis in 2016, and has followed her progress and recovery since. Coffee’s good looks have been used to launch a line of cat products and coffee-themed merchandise.
15. Smoothie the Cat — 2.7 million
Instagram: 2.1 million
YouTube: 122,000
TikTok: 287,000
Facebook: 216,000
Smoothie has been dubbed the “world’s most photogenic cat”, and her emerald eyes and golden fur have even inspired a mural in New Zealand. Smoothie also has an aptly-named brother named Milkshake, and the two are often featured together across social media platforms.
13. Manny the Frenchie — 2.8 million
Instagram: 1.1 million
YouTube: 7,600
Facebook: 1.7 million
Manny borrows his name from boxer Manny Pacquiao, but has since made a name for himself all on his own. He’s starred in ads for brands like American Apparel, Converse, and PetSmart. The fame hasn’t gotten to the French bulldog though; he’s known for easily dozing off during his many media appearances.
13. Maru Taro — 2.8 million
Instagram: 2.5 million
YouTube: 26,000
Facebook: 273,000
A Slate article from 2016 compared Maru Taro’s looks to “the pet in the stoner comedy who gets blazed off the fumes.” The Shiba Inu’s squinty-eyed smile, and sleeping positions next to his stuffed toy bear, have accrued him millions of followers from both his home country of Japan and abroad.
12. Waffles the Cat — 3.3 million
Instagram: 888,000
YouTube: 2,500
TikTok: 22,000
Facebook: 2.4 million
Waffles was, by his owners’ admittance, the runt of the litter, but he’s since captured the internet’s hearts with his big eyes, folded ears, and perfectly round face. He’s worked with companies like Intel, PBS, and Fresh Step cat litter.
Waffles was named a top pet influencer by Forbes in 2017, along with many others on this list, including Manny the Frenchie, Lil Bub, Nala, and Jiff Pom.
11. Cole and Marmalade — 3.9 million
Instagram: 618,000
YouTube: 1.2 million
Facebook: 2.1 million
Cole and Marmalade have been starring in videos since 2013, when the siblings were first introduced to each other. But since the two cats found fame, they have become the face of a website and YouTube channel that produce not only content showing their cute antics, put also news and educational videos about pets and animals.
10. Juniper Foxx — 4.1 million
Instagram: 2.9 million
YouTube: 64,000
TikTok: 101,000
Facebook: 986,000
While most the pets on this list are cats and dogs, Juniper is a domestic red fox who has gotten attention because of just how different she is from the norm, and also because of the many videos showing her tendency to pounce on anything she deems prey. Juniper shares a house with a nother fox named Fig and a dog named Moose, making for great social media content.
9. Swaggy Wolfdog — 4.2 million
Instagram: 1.2 million
TikTok: 3.0 million
Swaggy may be the first famous dog off of TikTok, the short-form video app. Swaggy’ style and pink-dyed ears make him unmistakable out in public, and — like any good Generation Z influencer — Swaggy has a squad of other famous influencers he’s frequently spotted with on the streets of Los Angeles.
Read more: Inside the rise of TikTok, the video-sharing app with 1 billion downloads that’s owned by a massive Chinese internet company
8. Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund — 4.4 million
Instagram: 755,000
YouTube: 756,000
TikTok: 793,000
Facebook: 3.1 million
Crusoe was nicknamed a “celebrity dachshund” by his owners at first as a joke, but the dog has since truly embraced the moniker. His media presence is filled with videos of Crusoe starring in adventures from going camping, to going to school, and also starring on a dog-studded version of “The Bachelor.”
7. Venus the Two Face Cat — 4.5 million
Instagram: 1.9 million
YouTube: 12,000
TikTok: 1.3 million
Facebook: 1.3 million
Venus’ distinctly “Phanton of the Opera”-like face first caught the internet’s attention in 2012 through a viral Reddit post. Venus’ owners say she owes her look to being a “chimera,” a cat whose cells contain two types of DNA, but the 50-50 split of her coloration makes her incredibly rare and easily recognizable.
6. Lil Bub — 5.6 million
Instagram: 2.3 million
YouTube: 295,000
Facebook: 3 million
Lil Bub is a genetic anomaly: She stopped growing at around four pounds, has no teeth, and her tongue hangs out of her mouth. But despite being the runt of her litter, she’s become a celebrity and has starred in a movie at the Tribeca Film Festival.
5. Maya Polar Bear — 6.9 million
Instagram: 1.8 million
YouTube: 1.2 million
TikTok: 2.8 million
Facebook: 1.1 million
Like many YouTubers, Maya records vlogs and participates in viral challenges. The Samoyed dog even has ventured into recording ASMR videos, mostly made up of sounds of her trying out different foods. Maya just recently passed the 1-million subscriber mark on YouTube, and received a customary gold play button plaque for the achievement.
4. Nala Cat — 7 million
Instagram: 4.2 million
YouTube: 28,000
TikTok: 148,000
Facebook: 2.6 million
Nala’s social media presence started in 2012, when her owners fully embraced the trend in its earliest days of creating Instagram captions from the pet’s point of view. Nala is the most famous out of her owners’ seven Insta-famous cats, including White Coffee Cat, who was featured earlier on the list.
3. Tucker Budzyn — 8.1 million
Instagram: 1.7 million
YouTube: 1.2 million
TikTok: 3.5 million
Facebook: 1.7 million
Tucker is simply an adorable golden retriever who has gained a strong following due to his frantic reactions to simple items like hair clips and balloons that have gone viral. It doesn’t hurt that his reactions are often captioned with beloved dog internet lingo and terms that are made for memes and virality.
2. Doug the Pug — 10.4 million
Instagram: 3.8 million
YouTube: 236,000
TikTok: 285,000
Doug the Pug: 6.1 million
Doug the Pug has rubbed paws with big-name celebs like Shakira, Ed Sheeran, and Cole Sprouse. He was tasked with recreating Taylor Swift’s Instagram photos in 2015. Whatever he does, Doug stays up-to-date with what’s going on, and his social media presence is filled with pop culture references: He recently recreated Lizzo’s VMAs look and posed with a Popeyes’ chicken sandwich.
1. Jiff Pom — 31.4 million
Instagram: 9.3 million
YouTube: 279,000
TikTok: 19.4 million
Facebook: 1.4 million
Jiff Pom is a tiny Pomeranian dog who holds two Guinness world records for his speed on only two of his four tiny legs. He’s often spotted in trendy outfits in his multiple celebrity appearances, including in the music video for Katy Perry’s song “Dark Horse.”
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