Cherish every stinky tuna breath, cherish every spilled water bowl, and cherish every meowment they wake you up in the middle of the night to snuggle up closer to you. Because before you know it, they'll be gone, and you'll miss them. Even the bad parts.

Cats are the one thing that makes life worth living. Every day we come home to them and they make us smile from the meowment we open the door to the second we close our eyes to fall asleep. They fill our lives with fluffy comfort, fuzzy chaos, and more heartwarming love than we could have ever imagined. There's only one problem, though: it never lasts long enough.

You will outlive most of your cats - it's a fact. You will raise many of them and give them the best life you can. You will also say goodbye to more of them than you wish. You will hug them for the last time and cry that it's not fair. You will grieve and feel the emptiness they left behind.

But after a while, that hole will become less filled with despair, and you'll find that, slowly, you have room to bring another cat into your heart and home. And thus, the cycle starts all over again. This is our role, as pawrents: to give our fur babies the best life they can have, until we can't anymore. As Alfred, Lord Tennyson once said, "Tis Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all".

So, as you scroll through these heartwarming Friday felines, may they be a reminder for you to cherish every meowment of joy with your cute cats at home. Cherish every chirp, every time they trip by weaving in between your legs, and every time they follow you to the bathroom. Time is purrecious, and so are your babies.

Some "mean" and "scary" stray cats are really just misunderstood softies. 

Cats have an aura around them that is very strong. It's impossible to ignore. They carry themselves regally, with confidence, and it is known to everyone that if you approach a cat who does not want to be approached, you might get smacked. Of course, some stray cats like humans more than others. They're willing to be petted, to be held, and then, they go on about their little cat business. Other cats though… some cats have a reputation in their neighborhood, and that reputation follows them around.

In my building, there are many cats. We feed them all. We do our best to TNR them, and so far, we have been really successful with all of them. Except for one. There is one adorable ginger in my building. He's new. I started seeing him only a few months back. And he is a mean one. Or at least, that is the reputation that he has gained. He doesn't let anyone approach him, and those who dare, are quickly scared away. You would think that he wants nothing to do with humanity, but I don't agree. Because he cries. A lot. When he sees you, as long as you are far enough, he will let out these heartbreaking yells, and I know, in my gut, that it's just a matter of time. 

Dusty, whose story was shared on r/Straycats, was exactly like that - scary but in need of love. It took three whole years for him to be caught for a TNR, then another multiple months for him to be caught again to have his teeth fixed. But he didn't even need that. Before the teeth appointment, he spent one night in his human's home, and all it took was that one night of warmth and love for him to turn into the squishy lovebug that he is. 

Cats can feel grief just as strongly as humans. 

We always talk about how losing our cats is our worst nightmare. We look at them every day, napping peacefully, dreaming, their paws twitching, and seeing it brings us so much joy that even the thought of that being gone one day breaks our hearts. But there is a worse thing than losing your cat, and that is your cat losing you. Cats can feel grief just like humans can. It's strong, it's painful, and unlike us, they don't understand what it means when, one day, we just disappear. For a cat to lose its owner, its bonded human who they rely on for love and peace, is one of the worst things that can happen to it. 

On r/cats, a person kindly shared the story of their cats' loss. Her 92-year-old grandfather had passed, leaving behind two cats who he absolutely adored. And his final wish, as would be ours as well, was that his granddaughter take his cats and love them like he did. Thankfully, she was more than happy to adopt these cats and give them a warm home. But after a loss like this, adoption doesn't always go smoothly.

One of the cats had an easier time adjusting, but Gary… she wasn't ready for any of it. It took weeks and weeks of hiding and coaxing for this cat to open up to its new human. The grief was so strong, and her new human couldn't blame her, because she was grieving as well. But then, a beautiful thing happened. One day, Gary came out of her shell and gave this new situation a chance. And just like that, a switch was flipped, and both the granddaughter and the heartbroken cat started the healing process together. 

True cat ladies are the best collectors of cat memes, and here is the proof. 

It's me. I'm the cat lady. And I do say, with complete confidence, that I have the authority to put together a good cat meme collection. Not only have I been a cat owner for many, many years, and not only do I feed stray cats and have become the person known for it in my building, but I have also been a writer for ICanHasCheezburger for over 5 years. If that is not a good resume for a cat lady, then I don't know what is. 

I wear this badge with pride, not shame. You can call me a crazy cat lady, and I will take it as a compliment, because that is what it is for me. I show adorable pictures of my cat to nearly every person I see. I bond with people over the stray cats in my neighborhood. And I talk about my job with pride, because who wouldn't think that it is pawesome to spend every day looking at pictures of cats on the internet, keeping up with every bit of cat news, and putting together collections of viral cat memes? No one. 

And so, I have decided to use my knowledge on the topic for good and put together a collection of cat memes that I absolutely love. Classics and new. Ones you've seen a million times and have never seen before. I'm a very particular cat lady, and my tastes are particular as well. You may agree with my collection, or you may not, but I'll say this… I would and have sent each and every one of these memes to multiple people - with pride - and have received many laughing emojis in return. And that's all the proof I need. 

Who needs an alarm clock when you have a cat?

I don't know about you, but I don't wake up to the beeping or buzzing of a phone, I wake up to my cat hopping on my bed, putting his paws on my face, nudging me with his head, and meowing in my ear. Some might call it unruly, but I call it adorable. And even though it may be hours before I need to wake up, it's the sentiment that he's so excited to be with me, get pets, and of course breakfast. 

Cats have a special way of ruling everything, especially the morning. Whether they're inconsiderately knocking over your mug or curling up on your laptop keyboard while you're trying to work, their capricious chaos feels oddly comforting. They remind us that life isn't meant to be rushed, or taken too seriously. How can you have a bad day, cry from a breakup, or study for an exam while your cat is purring next to you. From nap time together, to watching him jump high up in the air while we play with shoelaces, he's my special little guy. Here at I Can Has Cheezburger, we know how much your cat means to you. That's why we've carefully curated this silly list of morning cats instead of coffee. They can be seen sleeping, purring, cuddling, or having midnight zoomies. So before you do anything today, do us a favor and scroll some silly good morning meows of cat memes. 

This couple is bending over backwards to help this poor kitten in the streets of Turkey, and it's important to help if anyone can. 

It's not everyday that someone will stop everything they're doing for the sake of a stray kitten. When we're on vacation, our minds our elsewhere, as they should be. There's every reason to not want to deal with the inconvenient or heavy. People stop being themselves on vacation, which is the whole point of it. What's the point of the vacation if one can't fully let go and enjoy the moment? In Reddit's r/StrayCats, a couple on vacation in Kalkan, Turkey sees a cute, innocent little kitten. She doesn't have a mother, she doesn't have a home, and she's too small and ill-equipped to handle life alone on the streets of a busy city. Despite being on vacation and wanting to enjoy everything to the fullest, they work tirelessly to house the kitten before their vacation comes to an end. 

The kitten in question is 7-9 weeks old, friendly, and trusts humans, which is a huge plus. She was crying for days because her mother is missing. They've been feeding her and keeping her safe, but in a few days the will fly back to their home country and their vacation will come to an end. They're currently desperately looking for a local foster home, a rescue volunteer, or local shelter to take the kitten temporarily. They have already called a few places, but decided to make a post about the kitten in hopes of finding it what it needs. Everyone at I Can Has Cheezburger hopes this adorable little kitty finds at the very least a foster, and hopefully a furrever home. If you can do anything for the cause, please do. 

As the summer sun comes down on us harder and harder each and every day it is tougher than ever to keep your cat cool, especially if you weren't prepawed for the heat yourself. So assuming you do not have a nice AC unit keeping you cool we figured you might enjoy these simple suggestions to help your feline friend cool off.

Reddit's r/CatsUK subreddit is where we found these terrific tips to keep your cat cool, and while itis not the first place most of us would look for this kind of information, it was particularly important to UK residents of late as they saw temps rise past 100 degrees. So the concerned cat pawrents of Great Britain took to Reddit to share their best tips and tricks to ensure a cool and calm catto during the hottest days of the year. Now, we will say that this is a place with less than 5% of households having AC and most of them having carpets from wall to wall. So the heat factor is extra intense so your cat child might not need all of these tricks and might not need them all the time either. But it is always handy to have a few tricks up your sleeve when you are in a jam.

We would also like to take a moment to mention that cats, while full of fur, are not necessarily going to suffer in high heat. The original species of feline that we know today actually came from the middle east and cats who live in the region today are very well off and enjoy their lives outdoors without any issues. So before you go shaving any fur or even trying these techniques, try to take note of whether your cat is actually hot or if you think they are. Are they showing actual signs of overheating like panting or drinking excessively? If not you might just want to keep these tricks for a sweltering day.

 

The World Cup is coming to an end, and these kitties are serving diva energy more than most of us ever did. 

Oh, you thought you looked cute on your jersey? Cute, these pawdarable whiskers came to show us how it's really done. Get ready to be humiliated, hoomans. 

The special talent of cats is making ordinary days ten times better!

I've always thought cats have a way of improving a day without even trying. They don't need to perform tricks or demand attention every second to make an impact. Sometimes all it takes is seeing one stretched out in a sunny spot, completely at peace with the world, to feel a little calmer myself. Their ability to turn the simplest moments into something cozy is honestly impressive.

The best part about them? Is how unpredictable they are. One minute they're acting like tiny royalty who expect everyone to cater to them, and the next they're chasing a piece of dust across the floor like it's the most important mission of their lives. That balance between confidence, chaos, and pure sweetness is what makes them endlessly entertaining. 

Let me confess to you that I've never been a cat person. And that's only because my parents always preferred dogs, so I never got the chance to have one feline friend. I still never have. However, some of my closest friends are the craziest cat ladies and have always shown me the supremacy of cats. And, although I'm a dog person and I forever will be, I'm not lying when I say I adore how cats behave and how they interact with the world.

Because that's the main point: they are so different than dogs and other animals that you learn to love them both the same. Just like you do when you have more than one kid… okay… maybe this is getting out of hand. But you get my point. So, in honor of my very young love for cats, let's dive into this crazy meme collection you'll much adore.

There's always room for "one more cat". And if there isn't, then you can count on the big, open hearts of the cat community to help you find the space (and the money!).

Rescuing a cat or kitten isn't just finding them and then poof! Everything is meowgically solved. No sir, no mam, that couldn't be farther from the truth. Once you have the feline in your care, you have to pay for all of their vet visits, any necessary medical treatments they might need, food, extra litter, and, if they're really young, you need someone to feed them every couple of hours. Caring for rescues is a full-time job. It's easy to get confused and think otherwise because we so often see only the highlights on social media that are designed to make the process look easy and 100% entertaining. The reality is that it's stressful, it's hard, and it takes a lot of purrsonal commitment.

As someone who's rescued kittens before, I can relate to this rescuer's story from the r/oneorangebraincell subreddit. Working a full-time job and trying to start a cat rescue on the side sounds… exhausting, to say the least. She found a smol orange kitten crying in a construction site, and knew she couldn't leave him there, but also knew she didn't have the resources to foster and help with the recovery of another kitten. 

But where there's a will, there's a way. Even if it means asking for help.

After posting about her struggles, the caring online cat community rallied together to help fund her rescue and this kitten's recovery journey. So it turns out that there are still good people in this world (and honestly, most of them are cat lovers). That warms our hearts and gives us the confidence to know that asking for help really isn't that scary… and can save a cat's life in the prrrrocess.

It is not every day that you go to the bathroom and by the time you leave, your kitten rescue mission has begun. But that is the logic defying detail that sparked what turned out to be one of the more wholesome cat family rescues we have heard off.

The pages of Reddit's r/cats subreddit are full of feline rescue stories. Often telling the tale of a disheveled cat who is found roaming the streets and offered a warm and loving home to live in and leave behind the harm and horrors of the streets. The feline usually obliges and the pair of them live happily ever after. And do not get us wrong, these are wonderful stories, but they do not quite compare to the complexity and cuteness of the story we have lined up for you today. It is a tale of mysterious noises that turn into precious moments of peril and end in heartwarming harmony.

Unlike most cats who are rescued, this feline decided that getting as close as possible to the hooman she was destined to be with was the best way of making her Cat Distribution Delivery of herself work. But being a young kitten and not completely understanding the way that walls work she soon found herself mere inches from the hooman who would become her pawrent and love her, yet separated by a wall. For she herself had gotten in between the interior and exterior walls. And so an emotional and surprising rescue begins. Where kittens get caught, pawrents fall hopelessly in love and get far more than they might have bargained for.
 

To be a cat pawrent and not want to constantly spoil your feline fur baby is simply unheard off, especially when it comes to their birthday. But just because you want to spoil your special child does not mean you necessarily have the ideas to hand, and that is where this collection of cute cat birthday celebrations comes in.

Reddit's r/CatAdvice subreddit is a wildly useful place to pick up tricks and tips for caring and of course, spoiling your cat child. So it is no big surprise that we came upon this thread of pawrents sharing the sweet and silly things that they like to do when their cat child's birthday comes around. After all, it is the one day a year when cat rules do not exist and you as a pawrent can stop stopping yourself from giving them the super fancy food, toys and treats you have been saving for this very day. It is such a relief after a year of having to say no to them all year long.

So to help you figure out what you might like to do to make your little guy or girl's special day that much more special we collected some of the most impressive feats of feline pawrenthood for you to decide what might work for your cat. Whether it be fancy feline cakes made out of pate, churu and treats, special ornaments hung in honor of the birthday cat as an enrichment activity, or simply devoting each and every second of the day to cuddles and pets. There ought to be an idea or two in this list that will speak to you and warm your heart.
 

Summer is in full swing, and these cat memes need some attention! 

It's getting hotter each day, and the sun is staying up in the sky for longer. It hangs around until late, even 8 pm. Some people adore the summer months and others detest them. Whether you're into the summer heat and bright sun, or you're just eager for the weather to start cooling down, a healthy scroll through pawdorable cat memes will certainly make you feel better, and cool you from the inside. The sweat beating down your face, a cold drink in hand, and the soft glow of a screen waiting to transport you into a world of sunny happiness. These precious pawdorable cats are here to turn your chilly evening into a meowvelous, laughter filled cuddle fest without even leaving your bed. 

Scrolling hissterical cat memes feels like a warm hug on a summer's night, a hand held tight, and an ice cold drink to accompany your summer scroll. We all have our guilty pleasures, but here's something you don't need to feel guilty about. Cats are the purrfect thing for summer. They're cozy, cuddly, cute, and covered in fur. Before you say you've seen it all before, take a look at the classic cat memes that will have you hungry for more. Some of the classics include cats attempting yoga, or just being a mischievous feline. We all know how much cats love to bask in the sunshine, so what are you waiting for? Enjoy! 

Sometimes all we can do is appreciate the things we have, and that means not taking our furry friends for granted. 

It's easy to go about our day to day without gratitude. It's a pretty big buzz word in certain communities, but it's not bereft of meaning. We have the feeling that however things are right now will just remain that way. Sometimes, it's impossible to imagine how much things could change and in such a short time. But it's true, that in a split second our lives could flip upside down, and if there is something precious to you, all you can do is take some time to reflect on the love, care, and memories with said thing. In Reddit's r/SeniorCats, this man reflects on the beautiful years he's had with his soul cat Sunflower, and the years they still have together. 15 is senior cat age, and anyone who's seen their baby age knows that it's never easy. Health issues arise, and every day with them feels like a gift. 

Sunflower has had her ups and downs, and after a big health scare her cat dad thanks the universe for the time they've had and will have. He does this by posting all about their story together and all her favorite things, the idiosyncrasies that make her her. Starting with the adoption: he adopted her as a kitten from the humane society, and he knew she was purrfect. She had some health issues immediately, but it only bonded them. He took care of her for years before letting his parents take care of her for some time. He "rescued" her a second time from them, and then she had some dental issues. But she always remained happy and loved throughout everything. 

She was always cautious and respectful of other cats boundaries, showing how gentle her nature is. She became friends with their Maine coon after some tension. Her favorite toy is the colorful worm attached to a fishing pole toy. She also adores the scratching post and will snuggle it when its her nap time. When she sees someone, she has an adorable and loud meow, and loves beef liver. Enjoy this wholesome story of a connection between a cat dad and his daughter. 

Not every cat rescue story is neat and pretty, but even the most difficult rescues are ones worth fighting for.

We love reading simple stories about cats getting rescued. It's one of the best parts about our jobs as writers for ICHC - we get to read these stories all day long. These stories are simple, they are wholesome, they are filled with pure kindness from humans, and they simply help restore our faith in humanity at a time when it is so rattled. Good people are out there fighting for every cat in need of help. And it's nice when these stories are simple. It's nice to read about someone coming across a lone kitten who had lost its mom and siblings and taking that kitten home. But it's not always that simple. One thing that we know as writers for ICHC is that some cat rescue stories are more difficult to read about than others, but each and every one of these rescues is worth the effort. 

Broccoli Cheddar's story on r/Straycats was one of the more difficult stories. The way that he behaves now, you would never know what he went through. But the marks of his adventure will always be visible on him. His start in life was a cold one. Literally. His now-owners found him completely frozen on the side of the highway, barely moving and in desperate need of help. He let them pick him up without argument, and the second that he was in the warm car, he started purring. The consequences of his adventure included his tail and one of his legs having to be removed, and his little ears shriveled up from the frostbite. You will always see these things on him, but he doesn't seem to notice them at all, living his best life with his new family in his warm home. 

Vets can make mistakes sometimes. 

As worried cat owners who only want what is best for their cats at all times, we rely on our vets so, so much. We bring our cats in, no matter how much our cats hate the vet, over every little thing that spooks us, and we take the vet's words as gospel. Not because we don't remember that vets are human and can make mistakes too, but because we believe that they know better than we do how to help our cats. Still, it is true that vets can make mistakes. It's true that vets can give you advice that you, in your heart of hearts, don't necessarily believe in. We know that they are human. We want to forgive. All that matters to us is that the cost of these mistakes won't be too high. 

Sometimes, the mistakes that vets make can be costly, but thankfully, that was not the case for this story that we found on r/Feral_Cats. All that happened was that the vet thought that a stray cat had already been spayed when, in reality, she wasn't. What's the worst thing that could happen, right? A cat gets pregnant? Happens all the time. Except that's not true. If the person who had brought her in for the initial TNR didn't care about her further, if they didn't check up on her, then this cat would have continued getting pregnant for the rest of her life without anyone doing anything about it - because everyone would have seen her ear and thought that she was already spayed. Thankfully, she did have good humans looking out for her, and out of this small mistake, what ended up happening was 7 itty bitty kitties being born and another kitten - from a different litter - getting a pawsome foster mom. 

Simon says: "I'm adopted now!"

If Simon says anything, it must be done. These are just the rules; we didn't make them, but we follow them closely. Especially if Simon is a cat - because cats are here for us to serve them and heed their every meow. It's a known thing that we're here to serve our feline overlords, and we do it gladly. That's why when Simon who says is a cat, it's double the reason to do whatever he says. And that was exactly the case of Simon, the cat of u/BeesUnlimited. In one day, he went from being a nameless stray, abandoned and skinny, to Simon the great, adopted and loved. If that's not a classic Simon, we don't know what is.

So Simon said, "Love me, human." And the human loved him, from the very first second they saw him. Then, Simon said, "Go and fetch all you need to raise me right." And the human heard, listened, and went to bring all the cat adoption supplies they needed to make sure everything was right. After that, Simon said, "Take me home with you, forever." And the human took Simon home, forever. The entire family loves Simon, including their five dogs, who were already there. Good job, Simon.

With a face like that, it's not even worth asking if someone's home; clearly, all the feline brain cells are on hold.

The blep is silly. The blep is glorious. But what exactly is a blep? It's not just any time your cat decides to loll their tongue out. Your cat might have their tongue out to clean themselves, to lick a Churu, or to moisturize their nose. But all of these count as a mlem. Amlem is not like a blep. A mlem is when the cat uses the tongue quickly - out and in. Literally mleming. A blep occurs when the cat brain cells experience an error in the middle of a mlem, or just in general, and the tongue kind of just… stays out there.

The error of the blep can happen at any time, in any place. Is your cat standing on the counter? Error - blep. He'll be there for a while. Does your cat play with his favorite toy? Error - blep. Toy? What toy? Only staring into space. Is it 4 AM and your cat is having a serious case of the zoomies, parkouring on the walls and jumping on furniture? Error - blep. And probably right when he lands on your chest, waking you up, and now staring at you with a blank stare and a very apparent tongue lolling there. Bleps don't care about the time and place your cat is at - it just comes very suddenly.

But the thing is - it's not just a sudden error message that stops what your cat is doing. It also looks extremely silly, and honestly, very endearing. When the blep happens in never fails to put a smile on people's faces. It's legit one of the funniest expressions of a cat, arguably the funniest. So if it happens to your cat, it might mean their brain just halts for a second there, but it also provides you with a very amusing moment - and that's always great to have. Laughing is healthy - so technically speaking, blepping cats are healing us. 

Cats can enter the blep mode as quickly as they exit it. It's sudden, quick, and tends to disappear just when you finish laughing and thinking of bringing your phone to take a picture of the situation. But, alas, most bleps will have already been gone by then. That's why we're lucky to live in this day and age where it's easy and comfortable to share things online - hence, we can enjoy the lucky cat pawrents who caught their cat in the act. The act of blepping, that is.

He spent months convincing me to adopt him, and I'd say it worked.

Some cats show up once and disappear. Mr. T had a different plan. If Reddit's r/CatDistributionSystem subreddit has taught me anything, it's that the cats who keep coming back usually have something in mind. For the last four or five months, he'd wander over to my house, say hello, then head off again. He started out as this tiny little kitten, and before I knew it, seeing him had become part of my routine.

The whole time, I kept wondering if he belonged to someone. I asked everyone at the nearby apartment complex, knocked on doors around my block and the neighboring streets, and even posted on Nextdoor. The only lead came from someone who thought a family might have moved away and left him behind. Nobody else recognized him, and no one came forward looking for him.

I finally took him to the vet to see if he had a microchip. Nothing. They estimated he's around six months old, and he isn't neutered yet. I also had him tested for FIV, FeLV, and heartworm, and thankfully everything came back negative. He got his first round of vaccines, and he's already booked to get neutered and microchipped later this week.

After months of showing up at my door, I guess Mr. T got tired of waiting for me to figure it out. He's home now.

I'd like to think he knew exactly what he was doing the whole time. One visit turned into another, then another, until he stopped being the cat that came around and became my cat. Sometimes the Cat Distribution System doesn't rush things. It just keeps knocking until someone finally answers.

There are two kinds of people: cat owners and people who can still get up whenever they want.

A cat choosing your lap feels like winning the lottery. Out of every chair, blanket, windowsill, and cardboard box in the house, they decided you were the best place to spend the next hour. It's a pretty great compliment... until you realize your phone is across the room and your water bottle might as well be on another planet.

The Lap Rule is simple: once the cat gets comfortable, nobody moves. It doesn't matter if your foot falls asleep or you're suddenly starving. If a cat is peacefully snoozing, you're committed to the assignment. Breaking the rule usually earns a confused look that says, "Seriously? I was sleeping."

Some cats have a whole routine before settling in. They circle a few times, make biscuits like they're fluffing a pillow, spin around one last time, and finally curl into the tiniest little ball. Others have a much more direct approach. They see an empty lap and launch themselves onto it before anyone has a chance to object.

The real experts wait until the timing is absolutely terrible. Right before dinner is ready. Right as the doorbell rings. The second someone remembers they forgot to switch the laundry. It's almost impressive how often they pick the worst possible moment to become the sweetest little cuddle bugs on the planet.

Every cat owner has spent way too long sitting in an uncomfortable position because getting up simply wasn't an option anymore. Sure, the chores will still be waiting, but so will the dishes, the emails, and everything else. A cat deciding your lap is the safest, coziest place in the house doesn't happen on command. That's the kind of moment worth sitting still for, even if your legs completely lose feeling by the end of it.