Girls And Their Cats: A Project Showing The Relationship Between Women And Their Furry Companions (60 Pics)

New York photographer BriAnne Wills created a project to encourage the adoption of cats and to debunk the stereotype of "crazy cat ladies." She captures women and their adorable feline companions in a photographic series. Not only does she portray their beautiful relationship, but the photographer also tells us the story of how they met and how their lives changed after that. Some women share that cats helped them become happier and more emotionally stable; some even say that their companions saved their lives.

The series is called "Girls and their Cats" and it has over 45k followers on Instagram. What do you think of this series? If you have an adopted cat, share your story in the comments below, and don't forget to upvote your favorite photographs! If you want to see previous posts about BriAnne on Bored Panda, click here, here, here, and here.

More info: Instagram | girlsandtheircats.com | Facebook

#1 GG DeFiebre And Gizmo

"Gizmo is the more outgoing cat. He’s incredibly smart and food motivated. I have to hide their treats in the fridge because Gizmo will find a way to open the bag and eat them all. He is also a lap cat. Gizmo will spend almost all day on my lap if he can. He likes sitting on other people’s laps, but only if their lap has a pillow on it. Cosmo is much more easygoing and doesn’t like to sit on laps but will do anything for pets. He does a “dolphin dive” to reach your hand for pets if you put it above his head. He has the loudest purr and is always ready to be loved. He has had a few health scares including a urinary blockage, and once he accidentally ate ibuprofen (which is incredibly dangerous!) but was a giant sweetheart even during those stressful vet visits.

I work from home, so I very much appreciate having the boys with me as my cat coworkers. I imagine the work-from-home life would be very lonely without them. Even though that often involves having someone sleeping on my desk and trying to walk on my keyboard, I don't know what I would do without my giant 12-year-old gingermuffins."

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#2 Hollie And Beetle In Williamsburg

"I had a very serious fear of cats my entire life. Until one of my friend's cats changed my mind, and I became a full-on cat lady. I made the decision to adopt one and spent countless hours trying to find my perfect kitten. I finally found "the one" and my sister, and I drove 2.5 hours to a small town in Pennsylvania to get him. We pulled up to a dilapidated trailer in the woods and were greeted by a toothless woman who had her power shut off for not paying her bill.

She was harboring sick animals that she said she "bred" herself. Against our better judgment, we took a look at the perfect little kitten from the website who, as it turned out, was not the cat we saw sick and hiding in a cardboard box on the kitchen floor. She claimed that she was a certified breeder and that the kitten was bred from two "award-winning show cats," who were nowhere to be found. I wanted to get out of there, but I looked at this kitten and knew he would die if I left him.

After a few attempts and several scratches later, I picked up the feral kitten, and I gave the woman her money and left. I called animal control and informed them of the situation. We immediately bought and applied flea medication, and by the time we got home, there was a ring of dead fleas next to him. He was also treated for ringworm, tapeworms, and roundworms. He was extremely feral and wouldn't let anyone touch him. I was so upset about the whole situation, but I knew I had to take care of him.

After a few weeks of treatment, he started to get stronger and he was eating, and slowly I could start to pet him. I realized that I was the only mom he ever had, and I think he did too. From then on we were completely inseparable. He makes everyone fall in love with him the second they see him and he has the most amazing personality. He will be 7 in May. He is the most perfect and precious thing in the world to me, and he has made me so happy over the years. Beetle will always be my one and only."

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#3 Maggie Freleng, Daisy, And Bandit

“I went to the shelter looking for a kitten. I've never had a kitten because I always take in older rescues so it was time to treat myself. But when I went to the shelter I found Bandit, a 6-month-old blind cat, the shelter worker said had been there for months. No one wanted him. It broke my heart and even though I was looking for a kitten I took him. I couldn't imagine life without him. He melts my heart every day sometimes I cry I'm so happy we found each other and people passed him up because he's blind. He is the most special boy in the world. He can't see but he knows his mom. As soon as I pick him up he collapses in my arms purring, and always finds his way to nestle in my arms at night.

I got Daisy when she was about 4. I was living in a farm community in Massachusetts and she was a friend’s mom’s cat. The mom just got a divorce and she couldn’t keep Daisy, or her companion Scuter, anymore. So, I took them both to avoid them going to a shelter. It was just a few months after my childhood cat Lou died at 16. Daisy had a great life living outside hunting squirrels and birds in Massachusetts. She would literally swallow them whole! (it was sad and impressive) Eventually, she went to the vet where they informed me she has FIV. I was devastated. I didn’t know what this meant. I met with experts at the vet and joined community boards and it turns out that Daisy will live a fairly normal life, but she has to be an inside cat to avoid injury and transmission. It was a long hard adjustment for us. Every day she would cry and scratch at the window screens and try to sneak out.

Eventually, after moving back to NYC she has gotten used to her simple life playing with fake mice and laser pointers. She has been living with FIV for 7 years now and all her tests come back great. She is the best cat and my best friend. She has been through everything with me. 10 moves, multiple partners, breakups, deaths. I couldn’t imagine life without her. Although I am starting to think more about it because she is about 11 and I know the time will come sooner than later.”

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#4 Aisha Awadallah And Alexander The Great

"Alexander the Great (Alex) is a funny one. He's usually a gorgeous long-haired, black, furry fluffball—but he's recently been groomed for the summer heat and looks alternatively like an alien or a lion. Surprisingly I found him on the streets of Red Hook over a year ago hanging with some feral cats at an abandoned car lot. I would pass him on my way home from work over a few weeks and he was always unusually friendly and eager for attention and way too beautiful to have been on the streets for long.

A local feeder of the cat colony eventually told me that she saw his previous owner abandon him and encouraged me to take him home, which I promptly did. Alex is constantly a source of laughter and confusion. He has a long deep meow and the funniest awkward stride, he lets me pick him up and carry him like a baby which brings me much joy and is the most active of the cats and continually demands to be played with and does impressive backflips to catch his toys.

One moment you look into his eyes and it doesn't seem like much is there but the next he's surprising you with genius methods of getting into cabinets and choosing the heaviest books to knock off of the shelf to wake me up for breakfast time. His cat "siblings" have a love-hate relationship with him and seem to still not completely have a grasp on him. Alex is not one to always seek affection but doesn't mind when you force it upon him and likes to sleep right on top of my feet at night. I like to think of him as a "dog cat". I love this unique little man so much and am so grateful he came into my life."

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#5 Sammy Rat Rios And Rasmus

"Aside from his hilarious antics, this miniature version of the animatronic lion from Jumanji is a LOVER! He fills whatever negative space there is surrounding me, forehead to forehead, paws wrapped around my arms, snuggling as though he were being paid for it. Every night he’s under the covers, wedged in between us. He snores like a 62-year-old man and he’s constantly sneezing on me but I love him the same. He doesn’t have the attitude some cats possess; I can confidently rub my face into his belly and he adores it. I also find it endearing that in his old age, he still plays with his tail. Rasmus despises being alone and always craves the companionship of a human. He coexists with Munch but he doesn’t seek comfort from him. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

We recently moved from Dallas to Portland and as we were slowly packing up, Rasmus was losing his mind. I could read the expression on his face so clearly: “What! Is! Happening! Where is the order?!?” Also during that move, I could read Munch’s unamused expression of, “You mean to tell me this bozo is A) not a foster and B) coming with us?!” When I think of Rasmus and Munch as humans, I imagine Neil Simon’s Felix and Oscar, only these two are scrawny old men who have a set routine of reading the morning paper together, napping in the parlor together, and venturing out at night to a seedy jazz club together where one puffs his pipe and the other nurses a small glass of sherry, both too stubborn to engage in conversation with another, and yet an unspoken agreement exists between their bond. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

I love having senior cats and taking care of them in their golden years. Sure their individual dietary needs and supplement regimens have more steps than filing my taxes, but the companionship they have to offer is a feeling I can only describe as equivalent to seeing elderly folks interact with toddlers. They’re my babies and yet, they possess such wisdom to which I’m beholden. Together, my orange otter pup and my grey seal pup have brought so much joy to my life and I know my little baby Gidget is perpetually purring in all of our hearts."

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#6 Jen Hsieh Is A Production Manager Who Currently Resides In Astoria, Queens

“We first welcomed Bubba, our 12-year old, flat-faced, grandpa of a cat, into our lives after his first human passed away and then was bullied by other cats at his second home. He was too big to fit into a cat carrier, so when his second human’s car arrived to drop him off, Bubba was just curled up on the floor of the front seat. We ended up smuggling him into our apartment via a pillowcase. He spent the first two weeks hiding in the depths of our closet. When Bubba would make a rare appearance, my boyfriend and I would automatically freeze up at the sound of his paws and just followed his every move with our eyes (and our phones), trying not to scare him away while soaking in his little face.

Now Bubba is the biggest sweetheart who follows MY every move (especially into the bathroom) and is the expert cuddler. Jeff Goldblum, on the other hand, is just over a year old and is the playful baby of the family. Jeff was an orphan found in East Harlem who landed himself into a vet’s office, up for adoption. After a few months, all of his fellow orphans found new homes while people kept passing on Jeff. Luckily for him, my boyfriend and I paid him a visit with a few drinks in our system. We made the tipsy decision to adopt the little guy after many rounds of “OMG HE’S SO CUTE HE’S THE BEST YAS”. Now I can’t fall asleep unless he’s curled up inconveniently on my face for the night. As a child growing up, I never had the responsibility or companionship of pets (aside from fish, who I had to learn not to get emotionally attached to, due to their short lifespan).

So, providing much-needed homes to these furry nuggets has been such a game-changer. Not only have I learned to love more unconditionally and work on my patience – seriously though, how many plants can one cat knockdown – but it’s also given me and my boyfriend a way to strengthen our relationship by caring for Bubba and Jeff Goldblum together.”

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#7 Karen And Sansa

“I met Sansa at an adoption event on the Upper West Side in July 2016. At the time, I was working with children with special needs and was hoping to adopt a cat with special needs, although I didn’t know that Sansa would fall into that category at that time. Of all the cats at the event, my eyes were drawn to a seemingly empty cage with a sign explaining that the cat inside suffered from anxiety and had been neglected and thrown out by her previous owners.

Turns out the cage was not empty—she was simply hiding under the cat bed! I immediately knew that I wanted her, before I even saw her. When I told the volunteer that I was interested in adopting Sansa, she removed the cat bed and to my surprise, I found out that she had different colored eyes and extra toes! She was severely malnourished (5 lbs at 1.5 years old).

My husband and I signed the adoption papers and took her home two days later. When she came home, we realized that she exhibited really strange behaviors in which her back would “roll” uncontrollably, followed by her attacking her tail. She was eventually diagnosed with feline hyperesthesia syndrome, a seizure-like disorder that can also be considered an anxiety disorder. It’s been a long, challenging journey trying to find treatments to help her symptoms, but we were willing to try anything and everything to help her. We even consulted with a holistic pet guru in the East Village! Years of medications and many tears later, I am happy to announce that her episodes are now under control with daily CBD oil and she has been weaned off all medications!

Even though she still has anxiety, she has learnt to trust and love again. I cried the first time she decided she’d become a lap cat, the first time she let us carry her, and the first time she snuggled in bed with us. Caring for a special needs cat may not be easy, but I want everyone to know that it has been the most rewarding journey of my life!”

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#8 Ashley Jayne Meyers And Her Kitten

“One evening about a year ago I was walking with some friends in Brooklyn heading to some get-together when this little peanut ran up to us out of nowhere meowing purrrfusly while staring into my soul. I was apparently born with the gift of an aura that attracts kitty cats where ever I go. This little guy seemed ravenous with hunger. (Which I know now is just his personality) with no nearby homes in site and doors to knock on to see if he belonged to anyone, I decided it was best to just care for him until we figured something out.

He was social and friendly but seemed to be on the streets for a while, as he was dirty and had a little ear wound. I asked the others if they would mind if he came along and they were more than happy to include him. We stopped at an open market on the way and fed him a couple of cans. We proceeded to head to our destination with a new guest in our arms as if he had been our friend all along. I had just taken in my little furball, Isabella. (Not pictured because she is afraid of anyone but me and missed her opportunity to have amazing photos in her new little hat that her mommy made her).

Also, I wasn't allowed to have any pets in this apartment and my roommate at the time wouldn't have been happy with another cat. So, my compassionate friend who bonded with him that very evening, took him in for about a week while we figured it out. My friend kept him until he had to leave for tour with his band the Mystery Lights, so his gf, took him in until she wasn't able to keep him anymore either, despite falling in love with him as everyone did along the way. So, I took him and the rest was history."

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#9 Amy Mills And Walter

"My big 16-pound black kitty Walter found his way into my life when he was just 6 months old back in 2013. My bandmate Megan, who worked with rescue animals at the time, was on the subway and encountered a child with a cardboard box trying to get rid of a kitten. After she saw the tiny black ball of fur in the box she brought him back home with her until she could find him a forever home. He spent time there with her 3 other cats and a big lovely dog named Sarge. I stopped by to meet Walter and it was love at first sight! He was so small, but had such a mischievous personality and looked like a little vampire. He also did the strangest trick (which he still does now today): if you hold him on his back and rub his hips and his shoulders, he'll stretch out his legs all the way and let you rub his belly. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

Walter and I bonded very quickly. He was incredibly friendly and playful from the moment I brought him home. At the time, I was living with my girlfriend and she had another larger and older cat who wasn't thrilled about a new kitten in the house. Walter terrorized him (in a playful way!), but eventually they started to tolerate each other. After she and I broke up, she took the larger cat with her and Walter was able to spread out and enjoy the whole apartment. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

I never expected Walter to grow as large as he did, and honestly, I didn’t even realize how large he was until I’d go see other friends’ cats. As a very tall person I find his size to be just right—we’re both very big! He’s generally a very friendly, playful, and silly cat. He purrs extremely loudly and is very chatty, even when food isn’t involved! Throughout the years, he's proven to be a constant source of joy, love, and comfort. I think he loves to be the center of attention; he often meows just so I’ll pick him up or pet him or play with him. He also loves meeting new people. The minute a new person comes in, he immediately comes over and says hello and demands attention."

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#10 Lindsey And Franki

"In 2015 I was almost killed by a drunk driver after driving home from a concert. My PTSD was terrible and I was in a really, really dark place. I had always wanted a cat and thought maybe adopting one would give me something to smile about. So my boyfriend and I applied to rescue a cat.

The adoption process was long and frustrating. We were about to give up when we got an email about a cat who was two and just had been returned from her previous adopter. We agreed to give it one last shot and go meet this cat, Franki. We walk into the foster home where it was like Disneyland for kittens, and all I could see was this tiny tabby cat in a huge cage, too scared to come out. I walked over to pet her and fell in love instantly. She meowed at me, with this 90-year-old smoker meow, and began to give little excited hops into my hands for more pets. The deal was done and three days later she was home. I swear she did those little hops around my apartment for days—almost like she was thanking me for her new life. ⁠ ⁠

Franki loves to sleep on my chest under the covers. I’m definitely her favorite person. She’s a queen and makes sure everyone, including my three other cats, knows it. Her treats are to be brought and presented in front of her, same goes with her meals. She hates being held but will jump on your lap the second you sit down. Franki still does those little hops, and I swear she’s jumped high enough to hit my hip. Sometimes I joke that it literally hurts my soul to love her so much.⁠ ⁠ I like to think we saved each other. I know she saved me." ⁠

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#11 Kyla Burton And Her Kittens

"Growing up in South Florida, we had hamsters, rabbits, and dogs. Calvin is my first owned cat. While I learned how to care for kittens through orientation classes, in all honesty, firsthand experience, and mentoring from my fellow rescuers has been the greatest teacher. I love fostering and helping cats find their forever homes through my role as an adoptions counselor. I am also TNR (trap/neuter/return) certified and passionate about spaying and neutering community cats. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

I am grateful for Calvin, the catalyst and inspiration for my advocacy work. I encourage people to support their local rescue groups by donating, fostering, adopting, or volunteering."

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#12 Katelyn And Aja

"I adopted Aja from a foster home when I was 20. Someone had dumped her litter outside in the bitter Montana winter and they nearly froze to death. I almost took her brother home; he was outgoing, chubby and adorable. Aja was shy, hiding under the couch. I peeked underneath and I saw her tiny little pixie face, she puffed the tiniest hiss at me, eyes bright and wide, and I fell in love. Like me, Aja is fiercely independent, but affectionate. She is opinionated and is not afraid to voice her thoughts. ⠀ ⠀

When she was 2, we had a house fire. I lost everything, and I thought I had lost her, too. The firefighter saw her run out but we didn’t know if she had inhaled smoke or if she would ever come back. I went back to the burned down house every day and called to her and on the third day I saw her wide green eyes, and heard her tentative, hopeful meow from the basement. She hates to be picked up but she ran straight into my arms and I hugged her and sobbed while she dug her claws into my arm and purred.⠀ ⠀

While I was trying to find a new home, she couch surfed with me for months. She struggled with the new places, new people and general upheaval of our entire lives. One friend we stayed with would make his bed every morning and Aja would burrow under the covers until she was just a lump in the middle of this perfectly-made bed. She would stay there all day sometimes. ⠀ ⠀

My life was very unstable at that time and I was struggling miserably with my mental health. I couldn’t give her the structure and comfort she deserved, so she went to stay with my parents until I could get back on my feet. During that time, she and my dad bonded. She could somehow sense from anywhere in the house when he would lie down for a nap and climb onto his belly for their daily nap ritual. He insisted on putting her on the phone so she could hear my voice when I called. Aja is 13 now. She is still shy, still hates being picked up, but she still loves burrowing under the covers of our bed, and curling up for naps with me or my fiancé."

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#13 Emelia And Olive In Sunset Park

"I adopted Olive as a therapy cat. My dad was sick, and I knew having a pet would bring a lot of love and comfort to that stressful time in my life. Olive was abused as a kitten and was scared of everyone (except me!). We were instantly good together.

I couldn't decide on a name for my then shy kitten, and I called up my dad who rattled off a bunch of creative ideas. When he suggested "Olive" I knew right away it totally fit her cute personality. Now, though still temperamental, she is a sweetheart and is always curious and loving. My dad passed away a year later, and it brings me such comfort to know she carries a little bit of his memory with her name."

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#14 Breanna Mcgowan And Lago

"I didn't think I was ready to adopt my own cat, but when my sister tagged me in an Instagram post about Lago, a stunning 3-yo long-haired Siamese rescued from a hoarding situation, I knew she was meant for me. A few weeks later, I officially adopted her on Mother's Day, just as the relationship I was in was about to come to an end. Turned out I needed Lago as much as she needed me.⠀ ⠀

After a week of learning to trust me, Lago blossomed. She loves to yell at me for snacks, wiggle her butt as I toss her toy mice in the air for her to leap and flip for, and stretch out for belly rubs. She became my best friend in a time that I was feeling very alone. I thought she’d be happiest as a solo cat for life. That changed when she met Finn, my sister's cat. I moved in with them last summer between leases prior to my move from NJ to Atlanta. It was clear Lago loved having a friend and I dreaded separating them. The day before my move, I adopted a scruffy, haphazardly shaved black kitten rescued off the Poconos streets and named him Oli.⠀ ⠀

After a stressful 14-hour drive, I separated Lago & Oli, got them situated and tried to sleep. They rebuked this idea, crying out to each other incessantly. I figured it couldn't hurt to let them have a look at each other. They got along instantly. Lago took to nurturing him, bathing him every day and showing him the indoor cat way. Lago is still the sassy queen of the house and isn't afraid to put him in his place with a hiss and a swat when he tackles her koala-style every five seconds, but they are the sweetest during cuddle and bath time. As Oli bloomed, he’s become the cutest weirdo little monster. Some of his quirks include waking me up in the morning to play fetch with his toy spring, climbing on top of the water cooler to watch the bubbles, and batting at my hanging kitchen lights.⠀ ⠀

Lago and Oli have helped me cope with tough times and mental health issues, providing joy and comfort in times of fear and pain and making good times sweeter. I’m endlessly grateful to my sister and @happyhomesinc for bringing my babies into my life."⠀

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#15 Dana Boyer

“We have a ritual that we like to do when I get home - I'll lay on the couch and he'll jump on me and snuggle into my chest for pets and purrs like a madman. We'll stay like that until he's had enough and then I can carry on with my day. It’s the best end of a workday therapy I can think of and if we don't do "the thing" he follows me around until I make time for it.

I'm sure everyone says this but he's honestly my best companion- when I've had a rough day or I'm not feeling well or I'm going to bed- all I can think about is getting into bed with him. He's really taught me so much about showing up and having a pet, even when it's inconvenient or annoying. It's a very grounding experience and I'm kind of obsessed with him.”

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#16 Tea Leigh Is A Hand Poke Tattooer And Musician Living In Brooklyn

"Mush came into my life when I met my partner. He had had the cat for about 6 months before I met him. They were living in their bachelor pad in Philly where mush had free reign of kitten terror. When we first met, I have to admit I didn't care for him and he felt the same way. He would fuck with me while I slept and refused to interact with me during the day. The love crept in slowly over time and eventually, he won me over, which was his plan from the jump, I’m sure.

The thing about Mush is he doesn't really care about us at all, we are just here to serve his demands. Food, pets, and A LOT of alone time. He is very lucky that he is as cute as shit. He's the only cat I know that hates toys and treats and he really isn't that curious. In fact, he's kind of dumb but in that really charming and cute way that has you saying "aw bless his heart" a lot. Eventually, after being in his life for about six months, he started waking me up in the morning by sitting next to my head, looking me dead ass in my eyes, and purring at his loudest volume. He has one of those machine guns purrs that is impossible to ignore or to fall asleep to.

He's also blind in one eye which makes his stare even more intense for some reason, so when he looks at you, you listen. Eventually, once I fed him every morning, he became OBSESSED with me. I realized cats were really badass at that point because any time I was sad he would sit next to me until I felt better. He is picky about when he shares his love, but he always knows when to do it at just the right time. I am blessed he's in my life and I secretly (not so secretly) think he's starting to love me more than his dad. whoops! I'm pretty sure you can tell where he gets the name by these photos. Like a little ball of mush.”

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#17 Heather Newberger And Finn

"I met Finn when she was 4 weeks old and still had bright blue kitten eyes. I was a senior in college and she was abandoned by her mother, living in a horse stall upstate in Aurora, NY. There were other kittens up for adoption, but we immediately fell for one another.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀

She was too young to be by herself, so she quickly developed a suckling problem.⁣⠀ Whether my arm, my fingers or her favorite - my lips - it didn’t matter. Something about my skin must have felt like home.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀

Although she has grown out of most of this behavior, Finn has never stopped wanting to put her tongue in my mouth. I like to think it’s because she saw me kissing boys in college, and assumed that must be the way people show each other affection, but I don’t know. Maybe it’s just who she is.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀

Two years after we started living together, Finn developed a baseball-sized lump on her left leg. The vet diagnosed it as a fibrosarcoma, and because of the kind of cancer it was, the leg needed to be immediately removed. To help pay for her surgery, the team @PineBoxRockShop helped me run a BeneFINN where my friends played music and we raised over $1,200.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀

Unfortunately, the surgery ended up costing closer to $4k, which I’ve only recently paid off. Afterward, I had so many people asking me why I did it. “You’re such a good cat owner” they’d say. But there was never really a choice in my mind. When you live with someone you love and they need help, you help them. It always felt like a very simple decision to me."

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#18 Jas Anokye And Figgaro

“My role as a cat lady began when I was around 3 years old. My childhood was spent living in Ghana with my GrandMama. Mama, my first introduction to the power of women, had a cat named Josephine. Striped with orange, white and black, Josephine had three legs and bright green eyes. I loved Josephine! My earliest memories of her are of playing in Mama’s garden in Accra. I was always a small child, so Josephine and I were about the same size.

This was the first time I truly connected with feline energy. In 2014, my mother, Patience, passed away after a battle with Lupus. She was on the mend after undergoing surgery, so to lose her so suddenly was and still is very painful. Growing up, my mother wasn't too fond of cats because of a film she saw when she was younger. Although she grew up with them in Ghana, when she immigrated to the States at the age of 13 she watched a film about cats eating humans?! A year or so after my mother passed I began dreaming of her again. I dreamt I was in my childhood neighborhood, Cambria Heights, Queens, and was being followed by a black cat. When I finally turned around, I caught a glimpse of her features. Petite, big brown eyes — she reminded me of my mother. I turned to her and said "Mommy?" and she ran off, towards our house. It was then I decided, despite my mother's fear of them, I needed a cat companion.

The dream reassured me and offered a sign of my mother's approval. I adopted Figgaro in 2015, a few months after losing my mother. At the time, I had reached an artistic block and was finding difficulty getting back into my art practice. I had also recently moved to Flatbush and felt a sense of independence, curiosity, and anxiety. I needed a companion. Fortunately, one of my favorite jewelry boutiques @catbirdnyc held an adoption event with @aspca. I don’t consider myself to be a publically emotional person #thugtears, but when Figgaro and I locked eyes for the first time I lost it. He’s so handsome. Long whiskers, baby pink nose, thick white eyelashes, and bright green eyes. Such a pure connection. It was love at first sight.”

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#19 Jessa Jordan And Gambit

“When I answered a re-homing message in an all-womxn stoner group on Facebook in 2017, I didn’t know what I was in for. I’d never actually had my own pet for more than a few months at a time and I never had cats. With a grey coat and bright-eyes, he came to me a confused stray called “Zucchini.” I spent a couple days getting to know him and thinking up a new name before I settled on “Gambit”—yes, after the X-Men character because he too was a clever and charming brat.

I quickly learned that as a rescued cat with a feral past, Gambit is very skittish and doesn’t like to change his routine but loves making friends with people, though not so much new cats or kittens. He loves live audiences but is super camera shy! He’s extremely vocal and very happy to dip out according to his boundaries when he’s done being petted and scratched or your belly rubs are too abundant. His favorite pastimes include sitting on our pillows and digging his claws into our scalps in exchange for breakfast; shredding the corners of the couch and snacking on the yellow tufts of foam as they fall out; slumping into any unsuspecting empty box and zooming across the room to chase anything from a ball of paper to a belt or tassel that hangs low enough for him to swat at it on your way up or down the stairs.

Even though his resting bitch face is unparalleled, he’s also the most affectionate boy and loves a good snuggle on the bed or couch. Last spring, I found out that he’d survived a really gnarly UTI and as a result is extremely particular about his litter box—if it isn’t pristine, he will pee in the most obnoxious places (no lie, the right back burner on the stove was his favorite revenge pee spot for a bit). We’ve lived in 2 basements, a house with 3 other humans and 2 dogs, and are now happily housed in a spot with my partner. I would do it all again to choose my bratty, handsome greyboy.”

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#20 Allie Kw And Claude

"I had been wanting to adopt a cat for a long time, taking several trips to shelters. One night I was checking Craigslist to see if there were any adoption events in my area coming up. I saw a listing for a tiny, long-haired kitten who needed a new home because he didn’t get along with the owner’s other cat. I contacted the owner around 9 pm, thinking maybe I would go over the weekend to meet the kitten.

After learning both the cat and the kitten were incredibly distressed—they really didn’t get along—I ended up going to the woman’s home that same night. When I arrived, it was around 10 pm and the kitten was loudly crying and hiding under the bathroom sink. The owner scooped him up and placed him into my arms. I couldn’t believe it, but he immediately began purring. He was underweight but had the longest fur, it was like holding a little fluff ball. I knew immediately that he was the kitten I was looking for. I named him Claude because he was like a little fluffy cloud. I’m happy to say that these two cats that didn’t get along are now both living happily in their respective homes. Claude’s previous owner said it was meant to be.”

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#21 Baby Sarah

"I have absolutely adored cats for as long as I can remember. I’m not sure where the infatuation started, but I definitely had an imaginary band when I was a kid called “The Egyptian Kitty Cat Sundaes.” My dream was to become a famous rock star and build a mansion filled with homeless cats. I’d welcome all my friends whose family wouldn’t allow cats to visit and pet them. This is still the dream though, but perhaps I missed the boat on becoming a famous rock star...⠀⠀ ⠀⠀

Years ago, I was battling terrible depression. PTSD from past trauma was taking a toll on me to a point where I lost all desire to live. In an effort to take back control of my life, I started fostering as therapy. I knew that when I was depressed, my cat Princess was the reason for living. She loved me and needed me. Fostering gave me a purpose I desperately needed, helping animals and my community. I knew that if I wasn’t there for them then no one would be there to feed them, give them their medicine, or take care of them, and I could never abandon a cat in need. After seeing how much rescuing animals helped me, I figured that for every cat I saved, another sad little girl like me would adopt one of my former fosters, who would give her a reason to live too. It sounds cheesy but I love the slogan “Who rescued who?” because I don’t believe I’ve rescued a single cat, they have all rescued me.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀

My absolute favorite part of fostering is getting to meet such a variety of personalities and watching the progress they make. I worked with a lot of young neonatal kittens that needed round-the-clock care, and feral kittens that required a lot of special one-on-one socializing. It’s incredibly exhausting work, repeatedly putting yourself out there to a scared cat who probably thinks you're trying to kill and eat them lashing back with a fury of howls and scratches. It takes a lot of persistence to keep working with them until they understand you're there to love and help them. I cannot think of a single thing more rewarding than cuddling with a happy, healthy cat who six weeks ago was on their death bed or in constant fear for their life."

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#22 Tiffanie Mccullough And Steen

"While working one day at a pet food specialty store, I get a call from a coworker, whose husband found a tiny white kitten in the headlight of his truck. She was frantic and panicked and asked if she could bring it to me. At first I thought, how can I take care of a kitten while working? Then she sent me a picture and I knew I had to help him. I set up a nursery area using a milk crate and some clean warm towels. My coworker graciously purchased a kitten bottle kit and kitten milk replacement so I was able to feed him every 2 hours.

Over the next few days we had a trap set to see if we could catch the momma cat. Unfortunately no other cats appeared in this area. Once I got the kitten home and in a proper foster set up. I just went into full kitten care mode. I even took the kitten to work everyday so that I could feed on schedule. One night while in bottle baby bliss. Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing In The Dark came on. I promise you this kitten’s wiggle ears were moving in tune with the song. So I decided to name him Steen. Bruce Trenton Springsteen to be exact (I know it’s pretty awesome lol) Not exactly sure if he was a boy but nonetheless this kitten was a rock star. ⁠ ⁠

As time went on and Steen grew, I introduced him to my main cat Lenny, an all-black domestic shorthair, and also a former feral. Lenny was absolutely smitten with this kitten! They bonded so quickly and so fast. I truly believe their love for each other helped them both to grow in different ways. Once Steen’s eye color officially set in. I noticed he had one blue and one green eye. Heterochromia is the term for it and not uncommon in white cats. Fortunately, he isn't deaf which can also be a factor in white cats. Steen is a ball of comedic and inquisitive happiness. His way to communicate is to chirp in different pitches depending on what he needs. I never imagined something so small and fragile, would change my life in such a monumental way."

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#23 Anna Is An Artist Who Lives In Park Slope With Her Husband And Three Cats

“I have three cats, which I realize is dangerously close to being an animal hoarder. Fluffy, my first cat, had been owned by a homeless man and the social worker who checked on him promised she would find Fluffy a home. Fluffy has a big personality. He’s bossy, always hungry, and very very social. He’s even been a movie star, featured in my husband Alex’s film Listen Up Philip. Two years ago Fluffy was diagnosed with cancer. We crowdfunded his treatment, and after many rounds of chemo, Fluffy rallied. He’s a true hero. Smokey, my second cat, was acquired at a street fair. I wasn’t in the market for another animal, but when I saw him in a wire cage that he couldn’t stand in very well, with his huge, sad eyes, I had to have him. Smokey is one of the most affectionate animals I’ve ever met.

We call him “the hugging cat” because when you pick him up, he immediately flings his paws around your neck, kind of like a koala. We’re also certain he comes from outer space. Smokey and Fluffy are a real dream team, they’re both giant lazy lumps who get along like true brothers. Last September I started looking at Petfinder, which only has one outcome, right? The listing for Raffles (originally named Papa Bear, which makes no sense because he’s quite small) had a single pathetic photo, in which he seemed bedraggled and stressed out. When I asked if I could see him, I was told he “didn’t show well” and that they would just drop him off at my apartment. This seemed ominous, but I said yes because I like to tempt fate. And he was a wreck, emaciated and dirty and averse to being touched.

After a bath, and two weeks of food, however, he transformed into a happy white cloud of a cat. Raffles has a hilarious personality, very alert and curious. He challenges Smokey and Fluffy to be less set in their ways. The baby of the household, we call him “little jumpy” because he has lightning-fast reflexes (when he’s not napping). Most recently we discovered he has a passion for nature documentaries and will sit for hours on high alert watching foxes, or penguins, or lions on TV.”

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#24 Rose Smith And Lola

“Lola is a beautiful weirdo who is obsessed with water. She needs to be on you at all times with undivided attention, with her paws in your hand. Lola apparently has a great sense of humor too. I had a call with a cat psychic who told me Lola said 'I am very beautiful, so it is my job to keep things looking good around here.'

She also told the psychic she loves when I play happy music because it makes me happy, and she would like it if I took more pictures of her because she is very beautiful – and I truly believe she said that.”

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#25 Sibba Hartunian And Huxley

"I decided to adopt a cat soon after I moved to New York in 2013. I had always wanted a big, lazy cat to cuddle and watch movies with. I was in for a rude awakening when I brought Huxley home from @nycacc. At almost 19 pounds, he may be considered big but he’s definitely not lazy. He’s part Maine Coon which is why he’s on the larger side. Everyone’s surprised by his size when they see him. I never really thought that Hux was particularly large until the Optimum guy came over to install the internet, who was actually really big himself (at least 6'2"), which is why I laughed when he walked in and literally squealed and said "that's a big cat!" I felt bad and offered to keep Hux in my room while he worked because he was clearly nervous around him.⠀

When I went to adopt him, my friends had warned that he might be scared and hide under the bed for a while, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. After opening his carrier, I turned around for a second and had already lost him. Within a minute of bringing him home, he was already exploring the top of the fridge. I think that the first encounter really set the stage for the rest of our relationship.⠀

He’s definitely more dog than a cat. I’ve caught him drinking out of the toilet many a time. And once came home to a trail of chips (I had left out) from the kitchen to his bed… with a container of hummus at the end. He also has a taste for paper, which I discovered the time he ate my illustration work up before I even had a chance to scan it."

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#26 Jessica Matlin And Janetta

"We welcomed Janetta home when she was 8 years old. It was pretty scary the first few months because she was overdue for a tune-up at the vets. She needed a lot of dental work, and she was so scared that she initially stopped grooming her beautiful coat—she matted up badly. The vet recommended a lion cut to get back to basics. Of course, we couldn’t take her to a standard-issue groomer. Janetta was too fussy for that sort of thing, and instead, she required a couture styling service at the vet’s, complete with a soothing medicated bath.

Feeling refreshed, she became more comfortable with every step. Ever a little lady, Janetta was born in Moscow and carries herself like a proud and regal character, but at the same time, she lets these moments of silliness slip. One moment she’s perfectly poised—paws together, head upright, waiting for a handful of Friskies Wild West Party Mix—but other times she acts like a little kid in the way she paws for attention. I work from home, and she’s always padding around the desk, lounging across my keyboard, and nuzzling the monitor. Eventually, she settles in and enjoys the tap of the keys and the heat from the laptop.

We say Janetta is a cat of many looks. I say she’s like Madonna in that way. Sometimes she looks like a baby with huge eyes, chasing toys and enjoying a long paw massage, and then other times she is unknowable: She sits at the top of her cat tower with one leg outstretched, her fluffy tail swinging, and her eyes looking somewhere far away. I think she’s thinking about Russia. Janetta and I have our own secret language. When I sneeze, she does the strangest thing: She opens her mouth and lets out this odd staccato, crackling sound that lasts for a good five seconds. She only does it when I sneeze, not when anyone else does. I think she’s worried about me. I’ve Googled this countless times—using every combination of words—but I’ve never heard of this phenomenon. Guess it’s just our thing.”

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#27 Cat Willett And Edgar

“10 years ago I was helping a friend shop for a coat in my hometown mall. I've admittedly always been more of a dog person, but as we passed by the ASPCA storefront, something caught my eye. Sprawled out on a shelf in the window was a little fox-like, orange creature with bright green eyes.

He had super long whiskers that touched the floor as he slept, and tufted cheeks with red eyeliner markings. Was it a little fox? A fluffy alien? I had to find out. We made eye contact, and the next thing I knew, the staff were giving me the scoop about this new friend. "We call him Ogre because he's so mean..." "He just attacked a little boy who touched his tail..." "We've had a lot of issues with him, we just have to warn you..." "We think he's the runt of the litter because he's so tiny and scrawny..." "He's been a stray for a while so he has ear mites and is on medication..."

So, I signed the paperwork, named him Edgar after Edgar Degas (there was something quite French about his style), and took him home with me. Within a month or two, he grew to the size he is now to my utter surprise. He must be part Maine Coon because he weighs over 20lbs and is quite large.”

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#28 Sabina Mamedova And Clementine

“I call Clementine a trash cat. She was rescued during an awful snowstorm that hit the East Coast five years ago. There were over three feet of snow on the ground and blistering winds. For a few days I watched neighbors feed a small cat hiding between garbage cans right outside of our apartment building, And I grew increasingly worried as the snow kept falling and temperatures dropped.

No one seemed to want to bring the cat inside. Brooklyn strays and I go way back. I grew up in south Brooklyn and a running theme of my childhood was stray cats. I'd bring home at least one kitten each spring, or at least tried to. I have a soft spot for cats, and in quintessential Sabina, behavior ran out to bring the trash cat inside to ardent protest from my then-boyfriend.”

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#29 Jessica And Slipper

“I found Slipper through the powers of the internet. I was tagged several times in a post featuring 3 street kittens in need of a home. I never really considered myself a cat person, but when I saw this little ginger baby I felt him calling for me. So, I did some research and reached out about the post. After spending time with the woman who found him, she felt comfortable leaving Slipz with me.

I had just recently moved off campus and was in the middle of my senior year. So, acute companion made hours of studio work more bearable. And he wasn’t just mine. When I knew I had a long night ahead I would sneak him past the guards into the studio building. I would hide away in an empty classroom and friends would take breaks from their work to pet and play with Slips. He was like a therapy cat for stressed and overworked students.”

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#30 Courtney Gavula And Pinky

“When I first moved to New York my building did not allow pets and I was missing animal interaction, so I started volunteering with a cat rescue group once a week. A year later I moved into a new apartment and brought my 14-year-old cat from home up to live out her retirement in NYC. Sadly, one year later she passed away from heart failure and I was devastated. One evening about three months later I was volunteering and towards the end of my shift, I saw these yellow eyes peering out at me from a top cage. I have always been partial to black cats; to me, they are so special and often overlooked. Without even meeting her, I spoke to one of the adoption representatives and told them I was interested in adopting her. Something in her eyes told me we were just meant to be. I went home that night and discussed it with my roommates and the next day I went back to proceed with the adoption process.⠀ ⠀

A few days later I got the call that I had been approved. When I met Pinky’s rescuer she told me the little she knew about her past. She was estimated to be about a year and a half and had been left behind in the apartment when her former family moved out. The landlord found her two weeks later and she was taken to the city shelter where she eventually ended up on the euthanasia list. Pinky’s rescuer pulled her and fostered her until she was ready to move into the adoption center. It broke my heart when I heard what she had been through and promised to spoil her for the rest of her life."

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#31 Vero Romero And Choi

“My partner Jeff and I had just moved in together and were fantasizing about adopting a cat, but we didn’t feel quite ready yet as we were still getting acquainted with our new space and living together. While browsing adoption sites and craigslist purely out of curiosity, we stumbled onto a post about Choi and just couldn’t resist wanting to meet him! Not only is he so handsome, but the description of his personality sounded incredibly lovely. He was about 3-4 years old and looking for a new permanent home. In a bizarre coincidence, the owners actually knew us through my work at @Refinery29 and Jeff’s work in film. They were happy to introduce us to Choi, and if we all clicked then we could adopt him. We set up a time to meet after we returned from visiting Jeff’s family (and their cats) over Thanksgiving.

However, things got stranger and more complicated from there. While visiting Jeff’s family I discovered—much to my chagrin—that I was actually allergic to cats. I had never spent that much time with them but had always loved them from afar. Looking back though, it all made sense: the irritated nose, the itchy eyes. But it was never consistent and it only happened with some cats. We told Choi’s owners about my recently discovered allergies, but they still wanted us to meet him since he is a Maine Coon and they typically produce less dander than other cats. So a few days later, we met Choi. He rolled over to expose his velveteen belly, and it was love at first sight—with very few sneezes. We’ve lived with Choi for almost two years and I feel incredibly lucky to have him in my life. He is a wonderful cat with a really sassy and sweet personality.

To my surprise, he acts more like a dog than a cat sometimes: playing fetch, wagging his tail, and breaking EVERYTHING. He comes when you call his name and he’s obsessed with chest rubs. When we get home, he literally rolls over and presents his belly and taunts you (with his eyes) to try and resist petting him. However, if you touch his ponch, he will be quick to let you know he’s not into that.”

Image credits: girlsandtheircats

#32 Camille Valdes And Audrey Cake Cat Hamburger III

“I was born in the Philippines, and in Tagalog, there’s a concept called “gigil” which is when someone is so cute that you’re overcome with the irresistible urge to squeeze or pinch or mush or devour them.

This rears its head whether she's melted into a little cuddle pile in my lap on the couch, or performing one of her adorable tricks (sit! up! spin! paw! pow!), or just, you know, sitting and staring and being CAT. With Audrey, I constantly have to be reminded to bite my cheeks and keep my gigil in line.”

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#33 Bethany Watson And Loki

"Loki is my little soft-hearted boy. If he was a high school student, he’d be the Goth poet who sits alone at lunch and writes sad songs with a quill pen while listening to Modest Mouse.

He just wants to be held against my chest all the time and is definitely the kitten who soothes my heart after a long day. I can’t imagine life without either one of them now, and I’m so grateful we all found each other."

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#34 Sophi Reaptress And Poggo

"My partner, Jeremy, got Pogo for me as a surprise. We had just adopted our dog, Rocket, but Jeremy knew that I also wanted a cat. When some of his friends who live in Pittsburgh were passing through Philly, they secretly dropped off Pogo with him. I was working in my studio downstairs, where I do all my sewing, and Jeremy asked me to come upstairs. I saw a cat crate and some cat food but didn’t suspect anything—I was convinced that we were not going to get a cat since we already had Rocket. I didn’t even see the kitten inside the crate at first. Jeremy told me to look again, and I saw the cutest tiny kitten all the way in the back, looking a little scared. I couldn’t believe it. I was so happy I cried. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

My favorite thing about Pogo is his tail. It has a defect that makes it bend at a 90-degree angle. At first we thought it was broken and needed surgery, but we learned that he was born that way. His brother Foxbat, who still lives with his foster mom in Pittsburgh, has a zigzag tail too. My other two favorite things about Pogo: Even though his fur is mostly black, he has a little heart-shaped white spot on his belly, and he lets me teach him tricks. A friend of mine taught Pogo how to high five, and I was so stoked that I thought up more. Now he knows how to high five, sit, lie down, and roll over."

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#35 Devin And Her Kittens

"I first started fostering in June 2017. A friend who fosters dogs reached out to me because the rescue she was working with was going to be rescuing cats for the first time and they were in desperate need of fosters. I took two calico sisters and had them for a couple of weeks until I eventually found them homes with my co-workers. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀

Not too long after that, my mother unexpectedly passed away. It was life-altering for me. I stopped eating, lost a lot of weight, stopped participating in things that I really enjoyed. I was a wreck, emotionally, and physically. My therapist and I began talking about ways to get my life back on track and make my life feel meaningful again, and one of the things she suggested was volunteering with animals again since she knew how much joy and comfort they brought me.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀

Five months after my first fostering experience, I decided to try again. Since I had met the @brooklynbridgeanimals foster parent who I adopted my cat Salsa from and had previously volunteered at @catcafebk while it was still a pop-up location, I felt good about fostering with them.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀

After filling out a foster application, a couple of weeks later someone came to perform a home visit to make sure my home was kitten-safe and to drop off a couple of six-week-old kittens for me to take care of for the next couple of weeks. Fostering helped pull me out of the deep, dark hole that I was in after my mother passed away, and gave me something to be responsible for. It gave me a sense of purpose. These little helpless balls of fluff were depending on me to keep them healthy, fed, and safe.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀

So far, I have been the foster mom of 14 beautiful kittens. My current fosters are three tabby siblings named Lather, Rinse, and Repeat. It’s so rewarding to see them grow up from little roly-poly balls covered in kitten food and dirt, into healthy, spunky young cats. And it’s even more amazing when you get to see them grow and thrive in their new permanent homes. In my life, there have been few experiences as rewarding as fostering."

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#36 Daphni And Chai

"I have the sweetest mini dachshund named Chakka who now lives with my mom in South Carolina. Since becoming a flight attendant 5 years ago, I couldn’t properly care for her with my hectic schedule and constant traveling. Although I visit Chakka and bring her to NY from time to time, I desperately missed having a furry friend to come home to.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

I tried to fill that void by walking dogs at BARC shelter whenever I could. I follow BARC on Instagram, and this past summer they posted about the ACC being slammed with animals, urging people to help clear the shelters and consider adopting. Since cats are pretty low maintenance (compared to dogs), I had been toying around with the idea of adopting one for the past year or so, and I took the post as a sign. I mean, there was no harm in looking, right?⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

It started off as “just browsing”. But when I finally saw Chai, formerly known as Luna, on the ACC’s website, I fell hard. She was so pretty to me and very unique looking, and she stared curiously into the camera- almost as if she were posing. Under her pictures, a volunteer had written a blurb about how lovely and social she was, which was the icing on the cake. I took the bait and inquired.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

She was found as a stray in some random building, super underweight and covered in fleas. They put Chai in their foster program until she was healthy enough for adoption. The foster let me visit and I was immediately smitten. She was so tiny and adorable, and very friendly! She even gave me a little smooch when I picked her up, which obviously sealed the deal for me."

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#37 Meghan Farrell Is A Jewelry Designer And Photographer Based In The East Village

“Blue and I found each other last September. Every day I’d take the subway at Union Square, and almost every day I’d see her playing in her cage. She was with a woman who was offering cats for adoption. The kittens in other cages slept peacefully. Blue, however, was a pistol. She would try to catch my eye- and she always did. Though I wasn’t a cat person, I visited her every day for a month, until I asked the woman what this little kitten’s name was. 'Her name is Blue,' the woman stated proudly. I laughed for the first time in months. How could this cute, happy, and playful kitten embody the antithesis of her name?

The fact of the matter was, living alone, and feeling discouraged, I myself was the blue one. I looked into her eyes, and she actually winked at me. It was love at first purr. Meant to be. I adopted her within a week after that. I soon learned that Blue was a 'special cat.' Aside from being a 'polydactyl cat,' or 'Hemingway cat,' and having an extra digit (she actually looks like she is wearing mittens!), I noticed that the wink she had given me was actually a problem: her face was different on one side and it didn’t move at all! After bringing her to the Vet, she was diagnosed with Horner’s Syndrome, which is paralysis of the face on one side, caused by a chronic ear infection. After three months of treatment, two different doctors, and one surgery, doctors tell me I saved her. Today she is completely healthy. Still lazy on one side, but no infection. She is the perfect, most loving, and playful little thing.

Adopting and saving Blue saved me. It taught me resilience. Throughout the entire process of her treatment, you’d have never known she was ever in pain. She was never 'blue.' And every time she winks at me, it’s always a reminder of the most important lesson throughout this process that everyone- men and women- need to hear nowadays: 'Your imperfections make you purrfect,' I tell her. Your imperfections make you purrfect.”

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#38 April Kae And Meowcus Garvey

"I’m allergic to cats but love how sassy and snuggly they are, kind of like me. Because of my allergies, I was woefully resigned to never having a kitten baby of my own, doomed to live the life of a cat auntie, and never a cat mom.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀

Then, a couple of years ago when I was living with my sister and another roommate in the same apartment I’m in now, we got rats. Not just casual rats in the walls—which the apartment still has today—but big ol’ subway-style rats that left droppings in the living room and chewed through oatmeal packets. Yeah, we called an exterminator, but the reality is the best way to scare rats away is to solicit the services of a guard-kitten. Within days of the rats’ appearance, my sister adopted two-spotted calico sisters named Oprah and Queen Latifah @queenandoprahthecats. They not only held down the fort, but also won our hearts with their relaxed but assertive demeanors, and sisterly bond.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀

My sister moved out about a year later and took Oprah and Queenie with her. (She didn’t move out because of any conflict between us. Actually, we wanted to try to have “boundaries,” which is pretty ironic considering how often she’s at my place.)⁣⠀ ⁣⠀

With the three sisters gone, I was faced with a pretty easy choice: Do I want uninvited pet rats, or do I want to add another cat to the family? A few days after Oprah and Queenie moved out, my new roommate and I were on the Brooklyn Animal Action site. We instantly fell in love with a tiny black cat with big eyes and a spunky personality who was found on her then foster family’s porch in a cardboard box. My roommate rushed to Brooklyn to adopt her. I wanted to name her Meowcus Garvey because she’s a feisty little black panther, but my roommate was justifiably opposed to naming black cats after Black people. (If you’re in the mood to feel unnerved, go on any cat adoption website and notice the number of black cats that white people name after Black people.) So, we agreed on Lumpy Space Princess after the Adventure Time character that has the same cute, cuddly, lumpy, powerful presence she does."

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#39 Gabrielle Lamontagne And Fievel

"Fievel and I met at the Aspca on 92nd street in June 2016. He was barely 2 months old and had tested positive for FIV (which eventually cleared) so he couldn’t share a space with other kittens. He was so playful and not shy at all. I’ve always had cats around me, but Fievel has been a different experience.

He’s overly energetic and started to show signs of play aggression early on, and I had to find ways to temper down his outbursts. My vet was really helpful and supportive and put me in touch with a behaviorist and a cat trainer. I started to implement shaping techniques to teach him tricks, I guess they use those more for dogs and dolphins. So now Fievel knows how to sit, stand, and give the paw and high five.”

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#40 Sophie And Rabbit

"I was traveling for work in Mexico when I got a text from my boyfriend – he sent me a picture of a black cat and wrote “uh oh.” My boyfriend, Marty, had grown up with cats, and he always told me stories about his beloved little black cat Bison who passed before I could ever meet her. I never had a pet before, apart from a fish I accidentally froze one winter by leaving the window open, so when I received the photo, I may have been a little apprehensive.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀

This cat had had enough of the harsh winter conditions, so during a memorable snowstorm, a neighbor let him into our building in Bushwick. He hung out in the hallway until Marty came home and felt bad for the little bugger. Marty offered him some warmth and food (we later discovered, he’s a big fan of cheese and ice cream). After that, Rabbit seemed to drop his suitcase, it was an upgrade from the street, and he was home.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀

When I came back a week later and met him (not yet named Rabbit) I was intimidated by his size, he was a little larger than the photo suggested, and sometimes he’d run around the house like a mad man, jump in the bath and roll around on his back, or attack our feet as we walked by. But also, I was charmed. He was incredibly friendly, always greeted me at the door, and wasn’t afraid to cuddle.⁣⠀ ⁣⠀

To be good people, and since he was such a charm, Marty and I decided to plaster signs around the neighborhood asking “ANYONE MISSING BLACK FRIENDLY CAT?” Luckily, nobody called. I guess that was it – we had a new roommate, and haven’t regretted one moment of it since."

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#41 Latrice And Hamlet

"In 2010, I was living in Brooklyn, but I would visit my mom in Harlem on occasion after work. My mom lived on the first floor and always had her window open without a screen. Sometimes random stray cats would jump through and enter her apartment. We would put them back out since my mom already had two cats of her own. One day I found Hamlet, a Birman Ragdoll mix, in my mom's closet. We thought someone was missing this beautiful cat because he looked lost and confused. My sister and I first went to the ASPCA to surrender him, but they said they couldn't take him and we should go to Animal Care and Control (ACC). ACC was the one that picked Hamlet’s name. When they receive an animal, they look in a baby name book and choose a name based on the letter in the alphabet they’re on.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

The lady at the front desk said, "Well we're up to the letter H....hmm, let's name him Hamlet." We were like, Oh ok. We were hoping someone would claim him, but 48 hours passed and no one did. ACC said I could adopt him if I wanted. I had three days to decide if I wanted to take him. I already had a cat and I wasn’t sure if I wanted two. Adoptions opened that following Monday at 10 am. I took the day off from work to travel from Brooklyn to Harlem, where ACC is located, and got there at 9 am to sign the adoption papers. He’s been with me ever since.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

As years passed and I started to travel more, I felt terrible leaving Hamlet alone in the apartment. My sister and friends would care for him while I was away, but I felt like he needed a companion. In 2017, I adopted Mozzie, a Nebelung, from a rescue in Petsmart. Grey is my favorite color, so seeing Mozzie was love at first sight. His long luxurious grey silky coat is such a sight to behold. They have two totally different personalities, but I can see a difference in Hamlet's attitude when I come home from vacation. He doesn't look sad anymore now that he has company."

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#42 Christina Lundy And Bean

"My little best friend's name is Bean. I've lived in NY my whole life except for 1.5 years I spent in New Orleans. My boyfriend, Michael, and I lived in this cute little apartment in the French quarter that opened out into a garden. I've always been super into cats but never had one because I moved so much. While living in this apartment I claimed a little calico kitten stray as my own. I called her (who I thought was a he at the time) Mr.Kitten. I would feed her and let her in my apartment during the day and then back out at night.

One day she came to my door and was pregnant! Then a good amount of time went by and I hadn't seen her at all. I got pretty upset about this, but my boyfriend tried to assure me that she was off having her kittens somewhere safe. I didn't buy it and would stress over it. A few weeks later, I found out some woman around the corner from us had the kittens. I flipped and immediately got in contact with her. I really believe she was an animal hoarder, but she would never allow me in her apartment. She said she had lots of dogs and cats and a rabbit already and couldn't keep the kittens. She was always going back and forth changing her mind by the hour telling me to help find homes for the kittens and other times she would insist on keeping all of them (which I wasn't going to let happen).

Eventually, I convinced her to give me the kittens and I made sure they all got their vaccinations and checkups. I found homes for them and kept little Bean for myself. I fell in love with him the minute I saw him. He was the cutest little bean of a cat with a huge personality. A few months later I moved back to NY, taking Bean with me. One brother is still in NOLA, one lives in Philly and another sadly passed away when he was taken in to get neutered. Bean has lived in 5 different apartments and had 4 different cat roommates in his 6 years in this world."

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#43 Erica Prince And Boofy

“I grew up with cats- our somewhat socially inept cat named Camouflage chose me to be her human when I was 5 years old- she lived in my room exclusively and I fell asleep with her on top of me every night throughout my childhood. As a young woman, I was always waiting until my life was “together” enough to get a cat. I had a long-term boyfriend who was a hoarder and we had planned to get a cat together. We talked about it for years but the environment just didn't feel right, and this was one of the warning signs that eventually led to us splitting. As a reaction to that messy breakup, I decided I was ready to be a single cat mom.

There were so many cats at the shelter but Boofy stood out- he commanded space with his wide stance, big head, and cartoon eyes. He was incorrectly marked as a girl and he had a really horrible name which I shall never speak aloud, but I held him and he just melted into my arms. I knew my life was forever changed. Apparently, he had been dumped on a farm in NJ that had a lot of outdoor cats. He would climb a tree next to the kitchen window and cry until they let him in the house. He knew he wasn't cut out for the outdoorsy lifestyle and so they put him up for adoption because he made it very clear that he was seeking that cushy indoor life."

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#44 Nomi Leasure And Atticus

“Atticus (see also: Fatticus; Fatty-Cakes) walked–literally–into my life spring of 2013. On the invitation of a can of tuna served on the front stoop, the bold little thing, just under a year I’d have guessed by weight and length, waltzed into my apartment, at the time shared with three other girls (all confessed “dog people”) and, as can obviously be assumed, never left. It wasn’t unusual to see strays on the streets of North Philly.

Among many other things (few cheerful, positive, or cuddly) North Philly was known for its abundance of stray cats. Atticus was one of their lots wholeheartedly; took no shit, feared no dogs, ate straight-up anything. He was the sort of cat that people who said they hated cats came to love. You could wrestle with him like a pup, cuddle with him like an old, raggedy stuffed animal, and share a midnight munchie–his favorite being 35 cent Oodles n’ Noodles. Food, it would turn out, was something Atticus really, really enjoyed. Perhaps it was those formative months spent scrounging the unforgiving and un-bountiful city streets that instilled in him the dire desire to dine. Or maybe he’s on, still, a lifelong culinary quest to satisfy those original cravings that only back alley bodega dumpster diving can sate. In any case, he quickly became a sizable companion whom I lugged–lifting from the legs, not the back–from city to city. Together, we moved back home to Pittsburgh and converted my deathly allergic childhood best friend into a roomie and, after not too long, willing cat-cuddle-buddy.

He was an outdoor cat and it wasn’t long before our backyard filled with the small femurs, skulls, and shoulder girdles of unidentifiable rodents. Atticus grew a rap on the street. Neighbors greeted him by name, invited him in for dinner, walked with him to the bus stop in the morning. One woman mentioned casually that she came home one night to find him already inside of her apartment, waiting to warmly greet her. My sister, also a roomie at the time, the road up the main drag of the neighborhood and saw him, too, strutting his way up the street, apparently headed for the Crazy Mocha.”

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#45 Temujin And Arya And Their Owner

“Temujin and Arya are really my step kids. My husband rescued them from his ex-girlfriend. Spending over $10,000 in Chinese bribes to get them out of Asia and into the United States during his tumultuous repatriation, he crash-landed in New York City and into my life.

The first time I met these babies I knew immediately my husband was the one. I just had to be their mom! Right after my husband and I got married, I found out my brother, a mynah bird I’ve had since I was 10, passed away and my parents had kept it a secret from me. It was a very depressing time and the kitties did everything to comfort me.

They knew what was happening to me without a word ( a lot can be said through bunting). Day after day they cuddled with me, bathed me, and licked my tears away. I wouldn’t know how to get out of my depression without their warm bellies and fluffy butts. Thanks to them, I’m now a full-on cat lady. While thanks to me, they have never been more spoiled.”

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#46 Beth Ryan With Fez, Grendel And Inkling

“Three cats are a lot of cats. But I couldn’t live without these little furballs. Fez was born and raised in Williamsburg. My brother and sister-in-law and I found him as we were walking through McCarren park one summer evening. This little smudge of a kitten ran up to us with his tail held high and climbed into our arms when we reached down to pet him. Fez is the friendliest cat I’ve ever met. He’s a feline ambassador. He’s also a little miracle. He fell four floors off our old balcony and we thought we had lost him.

Three days and thousands of signs later we found him in the bushes near our old house. He still climbs to the tippy top of everything so he certainly hasn’t learned his lesson. I have, however. Grendel and Inkling are Singaporean. I worked at an ad agency there and was homesick for Oregon. Then 14 years ago, during a monsoon, I heard the most pitiful kitten miaows coming from the alley behind my flat. Two tiny kittens huddled together in a soggy cardboard box, both of them drenched and scared and hungry. I scooped them up, cursed humanity for abandoning them to starve, and adopted them.

They proceeded to terrorize the geckos in my apartment until we flew to New York. They both have passports. I am the Angelina Jolie of Cat moms, I guess. When they don’t listen to me I assume it’s because I don’t speak Mandarin.”

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#47 Gatsby, Rae, And Lola With Their Owner

“I have three amazing cats Gatsby, Rae, and Lola. All three of them have insanely different personalities while meshing with each other purrfectly. Having three cats is better than having one. I'm never bored and I have a special relationship with each of them.

They really balance each other out. When I’m playing with all of them at once or when we’re all just hanging out, it really feels like a little family. They also have such a strong bond with each other, and sometimes it feels like they work together to get what they want- like loads of treats. I’d say the only downside to having three cats is the mess. They are crazy messy.”

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#48 Ryan Norville And Theo

"The bond I have with Theo is so special to me. He is talkative and extremely affectionate. When one of us leaves the house, Theo cries, and when either of us returns, he will actually start meowing when we are still about a block away. When he starts meowing and running to the door that is what lets me know my husband is still about 5 minutes away, it's absolutely incredible. Theo has truly taught me the meaning of innocence, true unconditional love, and persistence. He also reminds me of my childhood.

The other night Theo came to my side of the bed in the middle of the night asking to cuddle with me (he always asks first before jumping in the bed) and I cried, because in that moment I had a flashback, and saw my best friend Socks, and realized more than anything, Theo taught me I have a best friend in him as well."

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#49 Silvia Orozco And Hayley

"Hayley is tiny but mighty. She is a little orange lady (only 5.5lbs) with ears that tower above her little head and huge eyes that only add to her charm. Although she’s such a tiny cat, she is the boss. Every day, Hayley makes her rounds through the apartment as she constantly meows. Just like her mom, she loves to chat. Hayley has been with me for the past five years and she’s around six years old. Before moving to Brooklyn, both of us lived with my parents and our two other cats. Hayley—obviously the smallest— somehow still seemed to run the house. I often say, “its Hayley’s house, we’re just living in it.”⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

I saw Hayley at an adoption event in Union Square when I was just passing through, and something about her really caught my eye. She was very thin, quite scared of everything, and her paws were covered in litter. I knew then that she needed to be mine. Hayley was rescued from the ACC’s euthanasia list by Social Tees Animal Rescue. At that point, she was at the tail end of an upper respiratory infection and was just gaining back her strength. We don’t exactly know what her life was like before she was rescued, but since then, she has really blossomed from a timid, scared and shy cat to a very talkative and affectionate cat. She came into my life when she was battling a lot and in need of a very loving home.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

I didn’t know it, but I needed her too. I have been battling Major Depressive Disorder for over a decade and was more recently diagnosed with PTSD. Having and caring for Hayley has been extremely instrumental in my recovery process. When I adopted her in 2014, I had just graduated from college and was struggling to find a permanent job. I was exhausted, broke and depressed, but I had Hayley. She has been a constant friend throughout my toughest years."

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#50 Bridget Badore And Thomas O'malley

"I've been obsessed with cats since I was really young—I would only allow "kitty" stuffed animals in my toy arsenal. I used to doodle cats all the time and when I was around 6 or 7 my mom finally got me a cat of my own. He was a cute little orange tabby that we named Thomas O'Malley (weirdly enough, my boyfriend's name is also Thomas and he has red hair). In college, my roommates and I took in a pregnant cat from the street, so at one point we had 5 cats. I have this photo of me dressed as a cat posing with the kittens for Halloween. It was on Facebook, and a girl I went to school with reached out to see if the magazine she was interning for could use it. I didn’t ask what it was for (oops). It ended up being in Cosmo mag in an article perpetuating female stereotypes based on their Facebook profile pictures. I was the cat ladyboys should stay away from.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

In 2015, my boyfriend and I moved in together and we wanted to get a cat. We found this adorable little fluffy orange female cat on Petfinder, and we applied to adopt her. She was in Puerto Rico with @TheSatoProject, who primarily rescues dogs. There wasn't a lot of information about her, aside from one picture and a story about how she was such a good cat and had been hanging out with all these dogs. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

After applying, we hadn't heard back right away, and the laundry list of anxieties started kicking in. We assumed she had been adopted already and went a couple of weeks without giving it much thought. Then, one night I just started crying in bed. I was thinking about that cat and how perfect she seemed for us; I was so sad that we had lost our chance to bring her into our life. We decided that the next morning I would email the organization to see if she was still around. AND SHE WAS! She was flown to NYC from Puerto Rico the following week! She was a little timid around me but took to my boyfriend right away. I think she likes him more because he has orange hair like her. She will literally groom his beard sometimes like it’s her kitten."

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#51 Sanjida And Puma

"I grew up with bunnies when I was a child and was never a fan of cats. I had a bunny for 14 years and thought when he crosses the rainbow bridge I would either adopt another bunny or get a dog. A cat was never in consideration but, the cat gods had other plans. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

One evening about a week before Halloween in 2016, I came across a five-week-old black kitten in the parking lot of a mall after I heard his cries. The initial plan was to bring him home, feed him, and give him to a shelter. Two days later though, I ended up keeping him. I named him Puma. My hubby never grew up with pets but he became attached to my bunny after we married and was intrigued by Puma. We knew kittens/cats could be entertaining but we didn’t know how much personality they had. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

My bunny passed away five months after we adopted Puma and I kid you not, Puma’s existence helped me recover from the pain of losing my bunny. I still remember leaving my bunny at the morgue and coming home. I just laid on the couch and stared at the wall. Puma immediately came to me and laid up against me…he felt my pain, I felt better. I believe things do happen for a reason. I felt like Puma was meant for me. I did not rescue him, he rescued me. My hubby is obsessed with him. Puma has changed how I see cats. He is going to be four years old this year and not only that, we now have six cats! Can you believe it? I also volunteer at cat shelters and donate to cat shelters in the DC Metro Area, NYC Area, and Indonesia (I try to cover medical costs for cats there).⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for over 10 years but I always tell myself if that does not happen, God has other plans for me and it’s pretty obvious what they are. As we are still trying to have a child, we were 'delivered' another kitten at our porch a couple weeks ago at 2 A.M (6th cat)."

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#52 Ariana Kraft And Simon

“In 2017 I rescued Simon. He was three months old. I felt as though he picked me. I held him in my arms and he was so content, he didn't move. He just happily sat there. It felt right so from that day forward we got closer and closer. I never had a cat before, but we became inseparable. I feel like he’s my little shadow. We both really love each other's attention. He loves fetch and catching bugs outside on the porch. Friends who “don’t like cats” can’t seem to help but fall in love with his sweet demeanor and playful personality. He is so goofy and can be quite unpredictable. He loves jumping and running around, especially when he gets his nighttime zoomies. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀

Living alone, especially during the COVID19 pandemic, can be hard. Simon never fails to make me smile or calm me down just by lying near me while I work. Each night Simon cuddles close to me until I fall asleep. I feel so lucky to have such a great cat in my life. Simon has been there for me during some really pivotal moments in my life. Like moving from Chicago to North Carolina. I know reporting will take me to a lot more new places and it’s comforting to know I’ll have Simon right there with me.”⁠

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#53 Emily And Sullivan In Williamsburg

"Sully was born in northern New Jersey, abandoned in a tiny well on a farm. He was 4 weeks old and I had to bottle feed him goats milk - now he's so huge - people are so shocked when they see him but I always think of him as a teeny Lil spotted belly guy. Cats were always a constant in my life.

My mom had a cat follow her home from a bar when she was young...she named the cat Gypsy and she lived for 20 years. My whole family has the word "gypsy" tattooed on us somewhere - she symbolized our family and how my parents always held us close but set us free - now all together our family has 4 cats. It would feel weird and unnatural not to have one around - it just makes sense to us. Where there's a home, there's a cat."

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#54 Phoebe And Her Owner

“Growing up, my siblings and I enjoyed the company of geckos, turtles, a DIY backyard pond- never anything furry or snuggly. So not long into my newly independent young adult life, I decided it was time to go in on the real thing and adopt a puppy. Eleven humiliating and angsty days later, I called it quits and rehomed her. While I had determined that puppies are definitely cuter when I didn’t bring them home with me, I was still yearning for a fuzzy friend. About a year later, I volunteered at BARC in Williamsburg to see how I would do with cats. The truth is, I walked right by Phoebe that day.

She was about 12 weeks old at the time and I was really hoping to bring home something that could maybe fit into a coffee mug, so I marched straight to the teeny guys in the back. When I returned to BARC 2 weeks later, the littlest ones were being adopted, but a sweet, curious faced little girl was pointed out to me. I scooped Phoebe up like a baby, she reached up and patted my cheek with her paw, and my whole world lit up. Five years later, I still get cheek pats if she’s in the right mood."

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#55 Jen Murphy And Basil

"Basil and I found each other when he was only 5 weeks old. A friend posted him on Facebook because his mom and siblings had been hit by a car and he needed a home fast. I offered to foster him and when he was dropped off at my place I learned he had way more medical issues than I was prepared to deal with. He had seizures and his back legs didn't really work, and once I took him to the vet I found out his liver levels were low. It was really one thing after the other.

I spent so many nights just nuzzling him, holding him under my chin, and telling him that he was going to be ok. After six intense months of vet visits, he was finally awarded a clean bill of health. I’d be lying if I said there weren’t moments I didn’t think he was going to make it. When I found out he would be fine, I was so happy that I sobbed on my car ride home."

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#56 Jade Taylor And Fredrick

“I adopted Fredrick when I was 17 and he was 2. I had just moved to New York City and I found him via Craigslist because his former owner was moving out of state and couldn't bring him with her, so I'd like to think the universe brought us together! We were all either of us had when we met. Fast forward 9 years later: I'm almost 26, and he's 11. We've really grown up together in so many ways.

He's my best friend, my son, my entire world. He's one of the most lovable cats I've ever met in my life—he's a gigantic ham and has such a great cat personality. I know this is going to sound crazy (but whatever), we're kind of telepathic with each other. He can always sense when I don't feel good and vice versa. I think the longer you bond with your cat, the more you begin to open up this really beautiful portal to understanding one another.”

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#57 Kate Bean And Brisco

“About a month after this photoshoot Brisco passed away. His diabetes took a turn for the worse and he was no longer responsive to insulin. It has been really hard to adjust to life without him since he was a constant companion for so long, making my apartment never feel lonely no matter what I was going through (new jobs, new cities, a divorce).

He went through a lot of life transitions with me and now I’m transitioning to life without him. I’m taking some time to honor his memory, but I eventually plan to get another cat or two so my apartment won’t feel so lonely forever.”

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#58 Neymark And Koda

"I can validate the saying that being an addict and loving an addict are simply different zip codes in hell. My relationship with a heroin addict was a no-win situation: the more I tried to help Alex (a pseudonym), the more I lost my balance. Between his relapses, which would occur every 3 months, I walked on eggshells. Supported by a wonderful Al-Anon community, members of a 12-step program for friends and family of addicts, I gradually gained clarity on how unmanageable life had become and, eventually, left the relationship...but not before adopting a cat.

Alex had grown up with cats. Shortly after he moved in, he expressed disappointment that he was never greeted at the door by a slinky feline, weaving between his legs. Wanting to please him so that he’d stay off the drugs, we adopted Koda. She was the first cat we saw, a scruffy, black, 6-month-old, long-haired kitten, hiding in the corner of a crate at PS9 Pets in Williamsburg. Alex grabbed her, gave her a few soulful pets, and announced “this girl is ready to come home with us.” Koda was skittish around me but took to her dad right away.

In the process of nursing her back to health from ringworm and a terrible upper respiratory infection, I was finally able to get on her good side. In addition, I got some perspective on my own troubled relationship. I found caring for this new living creature both interesting and important. My focus shifted from my boyfriend’s fragile sobriety to Koda.

Over time she became “The Mayor” of my apartment. Koda inspected everything, was extremely independent and silly and had fur smelling like the air after a thunderstorm. Things seemed to be going well until I returned home after several months to find Alex nodding off on the couch. He had relapsed. I glanced at Koda and noticed a panicked look on her face. She had sensed that something was horribly wrong. While I was not yet ready to protect myself, Koda’s distress brought out the resolve of which I was previously incapable: This would be the last time anyone would betray my trust. I asked Alex to leave and haven’t spoken to him since."

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#59 Sydney And Pepper

"When I was 19 I moved into my first apartment on my own. I knew I would benefit from getting an animal companion but was very hesitant about cats. I grew up mostly around big rottweilers and a miniature dachshund, with a few ill-behaved cats in between. Mostly only getting along with the barn cats that lived nearby.⁠ ⁠ After meeting a new friend’s long-haired black cat seemingly straight from heaven, shortly after moving to Minneapolis, I decided cats weren't that bad after all and visited my local humane society. Penny, a white cat with two different colored eyes, was unnamed and dirty at the bottom row of kennels. She was shy and nervous but I could tell she was a sweetheart. The person who was with me tried to get me to adopt a more active cat who even had a warning on their kennel, which was just not what I was looking for; as a child of 2 Taurus' I am quite lazy and like it that way.

Eventually I was in a situation where I found myself homeless and couch hopping until I found a studio for Penny and me, which lasted about 3 months. This was a very emotional time, and Penny knew exactly when to comfort me by rubbing her mouth on my nose and purring nonstop on my chest. I eventually started dreaming of another cat, but wasn’t sure when the right time to adopt another would be.⁠ ⁠ At the beginning of 2020, I adopted Pepper from the same shelter but she showcased a much different personality than Penny. She was antsy and more athletic and curious. I was pretty scared of these attributes in a cat as I'm not a cat parent who allows access to every countertop and cubby, but as time goes by, Pepper is learning where she can explore and what is off limits. Penny and Pepper have different temperaments and it’s been a journey trying to navigate play time, but I can tell that they love each other. I love them both so much and value their differences as well as their similar ability to be sweethearts."

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#60 Amber And Chilli

"I adopted Chilli in my hometown of Essex on my Birthday May 8th 2018. Chilli had three ginger sisters and two brothers but when I locked eyes on Chilli, I knew he was the one for me as he hid behind the DVD stand. I love movies! ⁠ ⁠

Chilli is my whole entire world. I suffer with forms of anxiety and have so for many years now. Since Chilli has been in my life I have been able to cope with my ‘issues’ and I'm able to see life as a beautiful gift rather than a struggle and a fight. ⁠ ⁠

Chilli turned two on March 5th, 2020. Together we have a magical bond. He's my first ever animal though I have always been a ‘Cat Lady’. Everyday I thank him for rescuing me. Growing up, my favourite movie was always ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ and I always idolised Audrey Hepburn and her Ginger Cat ‘Cat’. I was certain as a young girl that I would become Holly Golightly and my future would be with a ginger soul wrapped around me.⁠ ⁠

Chilli is not just a cat, he is my precious stone that I keep staying alive for and the only thing that makes me truly content."

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