A cat rests on the throne bed in the King Tut-themed cat playroom at the Oregon Humane Society in Portland. 

PORTLAND – Cats these days aren’t associated with deities the way they were in ancient Egypt, but the Internet has gotten them a little closer.

We adore Nora the piano-playing cat. We chuckle as a comical feline named Maru leaps into cardboard boxes. We revel in Grumpy Cat’s permanently sour expression. And with millions watching videos of other kitties getting tongue baths from horses and playing peekaboo with their owners, cats have become online stars.

For feline fans, it’s a sea change. In the affections of Americans, cats often get short shrift compared with dogs. Some see cats as aloof, poor companions and indifferent to attention that dogs enjoy.

But with cats’ celebrity expanding, experts say cyberspace is aiding their plight.

Tell the truth. Have you ever watched an Internet cat video?

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