The internet is a grim and terrible place, full of angry people, harsh language, and cartoon ponies in compromising positions. It’s well known that the only respite from the darkness of the online world is cute animals, and especially the last bastion of internet adorability: cuddly little cats. But sometimes, you just don’t have the energy to hunt down a smile-inducing cat video for yourself, or perform a Google image search for “cats in hats.” Luckily for Chrome users, though, there’s a new extension that will serve up an infinite supply of cute new cats, right there in your browser.
Released earlier this year, Tabby Cat is very simple: Once you install it, it fills any new tab in Chrome with a pleasant pastel background, and a cute cartoon cat with a silly name. You get some toys to dress your new feline friend up with, but that’s pretty much it. It’s not a complicated concept: New tab, new tabby.
And yet, there’s something legitimately heartwarming about popping open a new page and seeing “Hungry Blip” or “Peachy Hufflepuff” purring away, before you banish them to the internet ether so you can Google pictures of people who are either murdered or nude. Plus, it’s surprisingly easy to forget you have it installed, only to hit “New Tab” and see Loopy Sparkles staring back at you, ready to play and inject some sunshine into your drab and dreary life.