The meme's roots trace back to , when a photo of a tuxedo cat was posted on Imgur with a sign that read "please do not bend." The cat's real name is reportedly Jess , owned by a user known as voidhawk42. The image's unique perspective—looking down at the cat's large, curious eyes—made it instantly shareable. The 3D Evolution
: At the University of Chester, a friendly campus cat also named Maxwell was playfully dubbed the "University PhD Feline" and became a beloved local mascot. maxwell_the_cat
: In 2020, a 3D model of the cat, originally named "Dingus," was created by developer Scott_Stargazer and added to the Steam Workshop for games like Garry's Mod . The meme's roots trace back to , when
: A separate viral trend features a real-life cat also named Maxwell who wears a GoPro. This Maxwell gained notoriety on TikTok (under the account "max2049") for his "double life" as a neighborhood instigator, often starting fights with other local cats . : In 2020, a 3D model of the
Because Maxwell is a community-driven meme, fans have created various "alternate" versions and fictional backstories: