Pets

Smalltown Boy Cat Dance: Make the AI Pet Version

The Smalltown Boy dance went viral when two cats did it: one clutching its head and screaming at the camera, the other dancing behind, then swapping. Here is how that video was made, and how to make it with your own pets from two ordinary photos.

Updated · smalltownboydance.org

The two-cat video everyone saw

On October 2, 2026, the Instagram account Bellvtrix posted the dance with two cats — an orange-and-white one screaming up front, a grey one dancing behind. It passed 1.25M likes and 9K comments in a week, far more than the original by Elvira and mr_unvrs. Plenty of people met the cats first and only later found the humans; the original dancers even posted both side by side.

The post credits Higgsfield Genjutsu. Every cut in the cat version sits within a fifth of a second of the original — the human video drove the motion and the camera, and the two dancers were redrawn as cats standing on their hind legs.

What our pet version looks like

Same approach, with your pets: the original drives every shot, your two photos decide who is in it. These are short excerpts of a test render with two AI-generated cats (a tuxedo and a Maine Coon); the full video is 22 seconds.

Preview clipPreview clip: the tuxedo cat reaches for the lens, then the Maine Coon takes the front and screams. AI-generated cats.
Preview clipPreview clip: the last eight seconds, both cats standing upright and dancing side by side. AI-generated cats.

Which pet photos work

  • One pet per photo, face and body clearly visible
  • Two pets that look different are easiest to tell apart
  • Tested most with cats — they stand up and dance on their hind legs
  • Your own pets only
  • Sitting or lying down is fine — no need for an upright pose.

What to expect

  • Fur colour, markings and eye colour follow your photos; your pets keep their own faces.
  • They move like people — head-clutching with front paws, dancing upright. That is the joke, and it is not realistic animal behaviour.
  • Paws reaching at the lens can come out oversized or soft, like the wide-angle hands in the original.
  • The video is silent; add the Smalltown Boy sound when you post.

Make it with your pets from $9.99 ▸

FAQ

How was the Smalltown Boy cat video made?

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The viral version by Bellvtrix (October 2, 2026) credits Higgsfield Genjutsu. Its cuts land within a fifth of a second of the original human video, so the original was used as the motion reference and the two dancers were redrawn as cats.

Can I make the Smalltown Boy dance with my own cats?

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Yes. Switch to Pets on our homepage and add one photo of each cat: A screams first, B dances first. You get all 22 seconds, from $9.99.

Does it work with dogs?

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Dogs go through exactly the same process, but our published samples are cats, which is what we've tested most. If a render doesn't come out, the video is credited back automatically.

Do my cats need to be photographed standing up?

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No. A normal photo of your cat sitting or lying down works — our test cats were photographed on a sofa and on the floor. The AI stands them up for the dance.