<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div>Philadelphia basketball fans are now tweeting pictures to #RaiseTheCat of themselves holding their cats over their heads whenever the '76ers win. Please don't make kitty dizzy on Caturday.</div><div><br></div><div>Courtesy of <i>The Morning Call</i> (Allentown, Pennsylvania) at:</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/mc-raisethecat-hashtag-76ers-meaning-20170126-story.html?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark">http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/mc-raisethecat-hashtag-76ers-meaning-20170126-story.html?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark</a></div><div><br></div><div>---------------------------------</div><div><br></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Droid Serif', serif; font-size: 54px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">#RaiseTheCat: Why 76ers fans are raising cats in the air</span></div><div><br></div><div>#RaiseTheCat was hotter on Twitter late last night than a cat on a sizzling tin roof.</div><div><br></div><div>That's been happening for weeks, every time the Philadelphia 76ers pull off a victory.</div><div><br></div><div>What's with this strange new hashtag?</div><div><br></div><div>Sixers fans are posting photos of themselves lifting their cats — and sometimes even large dogs — over their heads to celebrate a victory.</div><div><br></div><div>Philly basketball fans deserve to celebrate, after years of their team essentially coughing up hairballs for years. Now the team is purring nicely, winning 10 of its last 13 games.</div><div><br></div><div>But why cats?</div><div><br></div><div>It ties to Sixers player Ben Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, who has two fascinating cats. They are Savannahs, a tall breed developed in the 1980s that looks a lot like a cheetah. Simmons has posted photos on Twitter and Instagram showing the cats climbing on his shoulders.</div><div><br></div><div>Sixers fan Dennis Grove of Philadelphia took it from there. He created #RaiseTheCat on Twitter and started the social media phenomenon.</div><div><br></div><div>On Saturday, Grove finally got the full attention of Simmons. The 6-foot-10-inch rookie posted a photo on Twitter of him holding his two Savannahs in the air, with the note: "Someone tell me how raise the cat started."</div><div><br></div><div>This made Grove (@GipperGrove on Twitter) quite giddy. He reacted to Simmons' photo with: "HE DID IT HE DID IT HE DID IT HE DID IT HE DID IT HE DID IT HE DID IT HE DID IT HE DID IT HE DID IT #RaiseTheCat."</div><div><br></div><div>When it comes to this hashtag, there's no doubt the cat is out of the bag.</div></div><div><br></div><div>--------------------</div><div><br></div><div>John Gonzalez of Santa Monica, Calif. and his wife Colleen Wolfe lift up their cat Rannie. They and other Philadelphia basketball fans are posting photos of their cats on Twitter to celebrate 76ers victories, using the hashtag RaiseTheCat.</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/Caturday/Caturday_012817.jpg">http://www.moscowcares.com/Caturday/Caturday_012817.jpg</a></div><div><br></div><div>--------------------</div><div><br></div><div>Video</div><div><a href="http://www.mcall.com/videos/92368106-132.html">http://www.mcall.com/videos/92368106-132.html</a></div><div><br></div><div>---------------------------------<br><br><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></body></html>