Why The #CatsAgainstBrexit Hashtag Is Trending

Britain is about to vote on one of the most significant decisions in the country's history — and people are responding by tweeting about cats. On June 23, voters in the United Kingdom will decide whether or not to leave the European Union. Much like high-profile campaigns here in the United States, the "Brexit" fight is generating plenty of chatter on social media. And now, people against leaving the EU have found the purrfect way to express their views. Many are sharing images of their cats — along with the #CatsAgainstBrexit hashtag — to show their disapproval of the potential move.

A counter-campaign, #CatsForBrexit — has also emerged, along with a duo of hashtags featuring dogs barking their owners' opinions on both sides of the issue. But if you have a dog and want to express your opinion, your tweet might not get as much attention. When Jake Hershey, director of business intelligence at Refinery29, analyzed the Twitter data on Monday, #DogsForBrexit didn't even make the top 100 hashtags used in tweets mentioning the vote. Cat owners aren't the only ones weighing in on the Brexit, though. Donald Trump told the Sunday Times, "I would personally be more inclined to leave, for a lot of reasons like having a lot less bureaucracy." And J.K. Rowling wrote an essay about monsters to explain the Brexit. For a full rundown on the vote and what it could mean, check out Refinery29's Brexit explainer.