The image shows a light-colored cat with a wrinkled face, seemingly in an expression of disgust or discomfort. The cat's eyes are closed, and its mouth is slightly open, as if it's reacting to an unpleasant taste or smell. The cat's paw is being held close to its mouth, suggesting that the paw is the source of the offending scent.
At the top of the image, there is a caption that reads, "When it stink a lil bit but you need the $40." This text is using colloquial language, implying the cat is enduring something unpleasant due to a need for money—a humorous anthropomorphism where the cat's behavior is being compared to human situations.
The humor in this image primarily stems from the human-like expression of the cat and the relatable concept of enduring a less-than-ideal situation for the sake of financial necessity. It's funny because it places the cat in a human context, making it seem as if the cat is begrudgingly tolerating its smelly paw because it is somehow being compensated for it.
People might find this image amusing because it taps into the common experience of having to do things we find disagreeable in exchange for money, such as working a job we don't particularly enjoy. The idea that even a cat understands this concept—and its facial expression so perfectly encapsulating that "grin and bear it" attitude—creates a comical juxtaposition between human economic activities and animal behavior.
Additionally, the image plays with the internet culture's affection for anthropomorphizing animals, especially cats, which are often depicted in memes as having human-like attitudes and experiences. There's a widespread enjoyment in imagining our pets in human scenarios, and this meme fits squarely into that beloved online tradition.
Finally, the expression of the cat, paired with the suggestively comical caption, can invoke a sense of schadenfreude, where viewers find humor in seeing others (in this case, an animal) in awkward or uncomfortable circumstances. Even without the caption, the cat's expression alone could be enough to elicit laughter, and the text only serves to heighten the comedic effect. When it stink a lil bit but you need the 40