Inspired by Sterling's Harry Potter cats in Morning ALE, here is an article about the new field of research on Internet memes (pronounced meems). The term refers to "goofy iconography" in mainstream culture - e.g. gambolling kittens with annotations in lolspeak.

Silly cat pictures or fundamental shift in human communication?

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/memes-take-a-look-at-miaow-2356797.html