I admit that at first, I was all like, "What the heck is this Vine thing? How do I make it work? What's the point?" But then I posted my first Vine and experienced how easy it was, and suddenly I was addicted. Believe it or not, I have a film degree, so when I first interacted with Vine, I was all, "How do I make edits? Or roll credits?" and I was frustrated with its simplicity. But then I realized that its simplicity is its strength. It forces you to spontaneously create, and if there's one thing I know you Catsters are, it's creative.

I was delighted to see people participating in my request to tag their Mothers Day Vines #CatsterCatMom! As promised, here are five of my favorite Mothers Day Vines:

1. Kittens being kittens

How can you feel upset looking at these two kittens romping?

2. This is one hard-working mama

Eee! Little cow kittens nursing! We hope Mama Cat got four little gifts of gratitude this Mothers Day!

3. Being a cat mom means you can never leave your mug unattended

"Why yes, I'll help myself to whatever you're drinking. Mind a sprinkling of kitty litter with your tea?"

4. This little kitten already knows how to sit on command!

We're really impressed!

5. We hope all the mothers out there got a chance to stretch and relax

Take it from cats: Nothing beats a good stretch and air knead.

What do you think of Vine? Are you on it? What's your username?

Check out these other posts on cat autobiographies, Vine, and training:

• If Cats Wrote Autobiographies, We'd Get Chapters Like This …
• Our 5 Favorite Cat Videos on Vine Right Now
• Have You Had Any Luck Training Your Cat? I Sure Haven't

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Behold!

Remember when we talked about how fabulous cats are? So fabulous that we think drag queens should take a long, hard look at their sense of style, poise, and charisma? Those cats were pretty good, but no one is as good as Princess Monster Truck -- she has "Princess" in her name, after all.

Princess Monster Tuck is actually an angel. She fell from heaven. OK, the truth is she tumbled out of a bush at the feet of artists Tracy Timmons and Joseph Bryce, but that's close enough.

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Princess Monster Truck lounges where she pleases.

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Seriously -- don't mess with her.

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SHE WILL BLAST YOU!

At first, the humans (who would become Monster Truck's human servant-friends) were like, "What the heck?" Then Princess Monster Truck let out a howl, which translated to, "Bow before me." And they did. OK, actually the human friends sort of just took pity on the cat because she was all mangled and matted, but that's close enough.

The human servant-friends took Monster Truck to the vet. "Was her face always that way?" they wondered. The vet said, "Yes, a lot of Persian cats are like that." And the human servant-friends were like, "Awesome." OK, not really, but that's close enough.

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"All of this will be mine."

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The look of intention.

If there was ever a queen fit for Colonel Meow, it's Princess Monster Truck. Imagine the kittens they could make if only they weren't fixed! (That's probably to our benefit, for they would quickly take over the world.)

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Colonel Meow photo via his Facebook page

Thanks to BuzzFeed for this story; photos via Princess Monster Truck's Instagram  

I know you’re not really bad. You’re food-obsessed, you’re chatty, you have very specific annoyances -- a lot like me, actually. When I was just 17 and had no idea how to train you, you would pee in my mom’s potted plants every day. Remember the time in the kitchen when I saw you squatting and I yelled at you for probably the 10th time “BAD CAT!” Your tiny fuzzy face looked up at me and I thought, “Oh dear, she thinks that’s her name,” and it stuck. I think you’re actually the best cat I’ve ever owned.

When I was away from home for a year at school, every time I called my family I would ask, “Where is BadCat? When is the last time anyone saw her?” because they were not responsible pet owners and they would let you outside, where you would stretch out on the warm road. Oh how I’d scold you when I saw you relaxing there!

Do you remember that time when I took some black-and-white pictures of you for my photography class? I knew, even then, that life and love are fleeting. You’re 14 now, and getting sick, and I can’t even bring myself to look at those photos because you’re still here with me. I have only one photo of you as a kitten. I wish I had more of them from when you were just a little ball of fluff.

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Do you remember when we found each other? The first love of my life given me the first heartbreak of my life. It was mid-December and I was talking with two other students who were also skipping school. A light snow was falling. A man came down the concrete steps of the overpass and you, a small as you were, must have jumped the steps one by one along with him, looking for someone to bring you in from the cold, someone to pick you up, hold you, love you, and feed you.

The man asked, “Does this kitten belong to one of you?” Three of us stood there, but you made a beeline for my feet. I don’t remember what I said, or if you were cold or skinny; I just remember how darn fluffy and cute you were, that you were probably more fur than flesh, and that my parents might not let me keep you. But I tucked you into my jacket and brought you home. I worried you might wiggle or try to get away from me, but you didn’t. You purred a lot, the deal, sealed, at least for the two of us.

I didn’t even have food for you, or a litter box, but you didn’t seem to care. You fell asleep on my chest and I was cat-paralyzed. Then my father came into my room and I begged and pleaded with him to keep you, all cute, fuzzy, and asleep. We decided that mother should see you for herself so that she would say yes as well. They weren’t great parents, but maybe they could tell I needed you, that you would mend my broken heart.

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And you did, many times over. When my mother died and I cried alone in the apartment, you came to make sure I was okay. Even now, when I am laughing, you always check to see if I’m crying; it must sound similar, to a cat. Now that you’re going deaf you don’t hear my crying as much, and when I cry over losing you, I try to shield you from it.

Do you remember when my wife spent the night for the first time? You brought us a mouse. In the three or four years you and I had been together, you had never done that before! You brought the mouse up into the attic, and with it dangling in your mouth, yowled loudly until we awoke and turned on the light -- then, of course, you let it loose. We laughed and went back to sleep. And then you did it again! That was the best thing: You caught it a second time. I took it from you and let it go outside, unharmed. Since then you’ve been an indoor cat, and we no longer live in places with mice. I wonder if you miss catching them.

Do you remember when my mom was sick and you tripped her? You didn’t really trip her, I know that, but boy did she make a thud when she fell. You helped me be more compassionate because of that, because despite the sort of mother she was, she was my mother, and everyone only gets one, so I helped her up and made sure she was okay.

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Do you remember the first time I took you to the nursing home? I don’t remember that, but man, we’ve been so many times since. I know you meant a lot to many different people. It’s kind of nice to think that when the time comes you’ll see a lot of familiar faces that will keep you company until I meet you at that legendary Rainbow Bridge.

I hope you live long enough to go to some more 5k walks with me this year. Last year, I took you to my first one because I thought I would be bored. I walked you in that cute pet stroller that you love; I got to show you off and tell everyone how old you are and how you love to go in the stroller and how I taught you how to sit even at the age of 13! Now I want to take you to every track that allows for a stroller.

Last night I said to my wife, “I’m going to go get BadCat. Now she’s on borrowed time, I really just want to soak up this time with her.”

“But aren’t they all?” she replied.

My wife and her darn existentialism. Yes, BadCat, we are all dying, but I am pretty sure you will be the first of our family to go. I have no plans to get another cat after you; the four we have now are one too many. But you were my first cat. I paid for your spaying, the treatment for your ear mites (and the resulting painful and ugly yet adorable hematoma), and your bladder infection from the stress of our first move. Now you’re less expensive, because the doctor doesn’t know how to help you. The ectopic thyroid growth is too covered in blood vessels and nerves, and very close to the jugular. We want to keep you comfortable, and I won’t watch you suffer. We might see a specialist, but there is no cure for old age.

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I’m sorry I don’t know how to make you better. I want you to be with me forever, but I know that’s not possible. I have to follow the advice I have given many pet owners, as a shelter worker and as a vet tech: I have to watch you closely and determine when your good days are outnumbered by bad. It’s harder this time, because I’ve never had to do it myself. But until that day, I will do what I can for you: pick you up and put you on the bed, do homework with you on my lap, take you with me whenever I can, treasure this time with you -- but I have piles and piles of homework and housework, and soon I will have an internship that will take me away from you during the day. I love you. Take that with you always.

When the day and time comes, and I have peanut butter for you because you’ll swear off all bets for peanut butter, and I am holding you and crying, I will whisper in your ear the same thing I have told some of the people at the nursing home: “When you get there, tell my mother I love her and miss her.” Just promise me you won’t trip her.

Love, Mom

------------

After many years working in animal shelters and a veterinary hospital, Janelle D is pursuing her education to become a veterinary technician and go back to working in an animal shelter as an animal control officer or humane society police officer. She shares her home with her supportive wife and their four cats, BadCat, Smitty, Orbit, and October.

Other stories of inspirational cats:

• A Love Letter to My Cat, Thomas
• 5 Ways My Cats Keep Me Sober
• You've Probably Adopted a Cat; Has a Cat Ever Adopted You?

Got a Cathouse Confessional to share?
We're looking for purrsonal stories from our readers about life with their cats. E-mail confess@catster.com, and you might become a published Catster Magazine author!

I'm just kidding! I don't have a yard! And I've successfully killed every plant that's come into my care -- including a pot of ivy.

Vine is this cute little app (currently available only on iPhone -- bummer) that allows you to record and post six second video snippets. Its limitations allow creativity to flourish. Now everyone can be an experimental filmmaker!

And now we can get even more cat videos!

To start you off, we've collected five of our favorite cat Vines to share with you. Once you've got the hang of it, find Catster on Vine and shoot some Vines of you and your kitties celebrating Mother's Day this weekend. Then, hashtag them #CatsterCatMom, and we'll share them next week!

1. Here's a cat playing with a sock

Because cats looove stinky socks, here's six seconds of it on loop!

2. "Pet me, pet me, let me lick you, let me lick you. OK -- BITE"

Ah yes, the classic bait and switch ... and bait. CHOMP.

3. Toby the cat showing off

This clip makes us glad that Vine is limited to only six seconds because we're sure Toby could do this for hours.

4. A tale of unrequited love

This clip manages to tell a story of jilted affections all in less than a minute.

5. KITTENS!!!

Kittens, kittens, kittens!

And now, our our first Catster Vine!

We decided to entertain you with a little fortune teller. How does it work? Click on the video to receive your fortune for the day.

Wasn't that fun? Join the party by searching for "Catster" in your Vine app or find us via our Twitter. Record and share your Mother's Day Vines and tag them with #CatsterCatMom, and maybe you'll see your kitty on Catster!

Photo: Cat taking a very important call on her cellphone by Shutterstock.com

Did we mention Pretzel is also blind? It's no biggie, though -- this special kitty's disabilities don't slow her down one bit. Pretzel's mama Carmen Bernard found her on the side of the road in Jacksonville, FL, and brought her home, where she has charmed Bernard's family and her two dogs, one of whom is also blind.

"Mom said she imagines that having two blind animals in the same house must be comparable to having two tiny ninjas that like to try and trip you and make you break a toe at three in the morning," Bernard writes on Pretzel's Facebook page.

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Pretzel rocking out with a tiny guitar.

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Pretzel is lucky to have Carmen Bernard.

When Catster last spoke to Bernard at the beginning of March, Pretzel was recovering from her first surgery to repair her twisted rear limbs, as walking was both painful and difficult for the cat. Only a few days post-surgery, Pretzel was rocking an adorable cast. She was already standing on her new leg and seemed to be healing well.

Unfortunately, complications arose. According to Facebook updates, Pretzel suffered loss of blood flow and nerve damage in her limb, and her leg had to be amputated in mid-April. This has been challenging for Pretzel and her family, and her subsequent surgeries have been put on hold.

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Pretzel shows off her yoga skills post-amputation.

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Pretzel lounges with her fan mail.

"As many of you know, the reason we decided to try to correct the right leg as opposed to just doing the amputation to begin with is that her left knee joint is also abnormal," Bernard writes on Facebook. "As she grows it isn't going to be strong enough to support her body, and needs reconstructing as well. The doctor said this morning that is more important now to get her 'good' leg fixed, but he's not going to do it just yet."

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Pretzel inspires thousands of people around the world.

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One of Pretzel's kitty friends lounges with a smattering of Pretzel Smiles.

The good news: Plucky Pretzel is already on the mend. She's adjusting to life as a tripod -- and she has excellent role models like Anakin the Two-Legged Miracle Cat to look to for advice. On April 26, Pretzel's more than 18,000 Facebook fans even celebrated National Pretzel Day to show their support for this little kitty rockstar.

Want to offer Pretzel your support and love -- and maybe get some Pretzel smiles in return? Follow her journey on Facebook.

Read more about kitties who've lost legs:

• Meet Caffrey, a Two-Legged Cat Who Will Steal Your Heart
• Two-Legged Cat Finds His Forever Home
• A Story of Hope: Anakin, the Two-Legged Kitten
• My Tripod Would Be the Alpha Cat If It Weren't For Her Missing Leg

"How can that even be a thing?" one of them cried. "I mean, it's just cats."

"Oh, they are not just cats," I replied, "They are the Internet. The Internet moves the universe, and cats move the Internet. The catnip must flow."

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"Bow down before me, dog."

In reality, it wasn't that dramatic, but it should have been. Cats are serious business. Look no further than And My Cat. 

And My Cat is simple yet elegant in its execution: It delivers photos of cats daily. That's it. That's all. And it's sublimely wonderful.

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This is just adorable.

But beside the fact that duh, cats are awesome, the proof is in the wet cat food: And My Cat's Facebook page has more than 1 million members. That's a lot of fans. We're impressed and a little smug, because that simply confirms what we've always known, which is that cats are totally cool and everyone loves them.

Here are 10 reasons why you should love cats, featuring the cats of And My Cat:

1. Cats are pretty

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2. Look at all these cool cat-themed lifestyle accessories you can buy!

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3. Cats teach us that we should always make time for ourselves to sunbathe in a sun puddle on the porch -- and to promptly dismiss those who interrupt our "me time" 

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4. Cats remind us that we shouldn't work too hard

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5. They know how to wear many festive hats

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6. They teach us to settle conflict directly and openly -- and if that's not possible, you have every right to squash your opponent under the door mat

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7. Cats defy physics, logic, and time and space, which means that anything is possible

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8. Everything looks more artistic in black and white ... even if you just finished licking your butt

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9. A cup of hot chocolate can cure any ailing of the soul -- especially if it's someone else's hot chocolate and you've stolen it

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10. Cats love Dr. Who!

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All photos via And My Cat

Want more humor and cats? Check out these links:

• 7 Sounds That Make My Cats Run Like They've Lost Their Minds
• The Zen of Bub: 5 Life Lessons I Learned from the Lil Bub Movie
• Cats Already Own the Internet; Next Up Is the Jumbotron

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Bub is a star because she is from outer space.

As part of the film fest, online access to the films was granted to a limited number of people. As soon as Bub tweeted to jump on that, I did. (By the way, I totally believe that Bub is indeed the one behind the tweets, because she has six toes on each paw and also telekinetic powers and I mean, just look at her! Bub proves that anything is possible.) 

The Bub movie is amazing and moving. I don't want to give anything away, but I did learn that Bub's presence on this planet is limited, because hers is a mission of love, and part of learning about love is learning about loss. I came to the conclusion that if I do not get to meet Bub in this lifetime, I will simply expire into sad space dust. That's why I had to ignore my Twitter -- people were meeting Bub left and right, and I was having a quiet meltdown of wistful envy.

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Lil Bub fan art I totally agree with.

But you know what? Whatever. If I really feel that upset about other people getting to meet this miraculous space cat, then obviously I have not taken the message of Bub to heart. Because Bub is all about peace and acceptance and living in harmony with the world.

So let's take a deep breath, shall we? And contemplate the Zen of Bub. Here are five life lessons I learned from Lil Bub and Friendz.

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Bub in a magical field of clover because: Duh, Bub.

1. When life gives you troubles, fold your hands and close your eyes, and think of soft things

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Serenity now.

This is Bub's signature pose for a reason -- Bub dwells in a permanent state of peace. Doesn't she look so peaceful? And don't her paws look so soft? At the risk of sounding creepy, I want to feel her paws against my cheek. I bet they feel like the softest, finest silk.

2. Just be yourself and the world will celebrate you for it

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Wink!

Bub is no ordinary cat. She has, like, a million toes, and yet she has not one tooth. Her lower jaw decided to up and leave her, her eyes are really, really big, and the bones of her limbs are dense and bowed, which means she can't really move with all the grace and agility of other cats. Bub could have taken her strangeness and shamefully hidden it away in a bell tower, but she didn't! She made it incredibly cute!

Her Dude calls her a "perma-kitten," which is the most adorable thing ever. And the world loves her for it. There's this scene in the movie where she arrives at the Internet Cat Video Film Festival and within seconds a crowd gathers around her, their faces bright with adoration. People send her fan art. She has her own merchandise line. Her movie won Best Feature Film in the Tribeca Online Festival. Bub, you're a star!

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I'd say that Bub is saintly … wouldn't you?

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Classical Bub.

3. Take chances because life is full of miracles and magic, and you just never know

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Beach Bub.

Bub was rescued from a barn in Indiana. A woman heard her crying in the darkness, and upon investigation, she found a litter of kittens. Bub was the obvious runt. I say "runt," but what I really mean is her spaceship landed on Earth, and in order not to alarm anyone, Bub cuddled up with a litter of barn cats to keep her alien identity a secret. In her infancy, Bub shared a home with a girl whose birth was a miracle as well. The Dude was a struggling recording engineer prior to Bub, but her fame helped him recover. What if no one had answered those helpless mewings? Explore your interests, reach out to others, and never give up -- you just never know what opportunities are around the corner.

4. Life is short, so live with authenticity and robustness

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When you can't think of a good reason to say, "No," say, "Yes."

There's all this weird stigma attached to guys who are into cats, but if The Dude hadn't followed through on his fondness for felines, he would have never met Lil Bub, and maybe his recording studio would have gone under and he'd be totally bummed. But The Dude was true to himself, and when he fell in love with Bub, he didn't hesitate -- he just went for it. He loved her so much he proudly posted a photo of her online, and the Internet went nuts. While it's true that Bub's time on this planet is limited, that doesn't stop her or her Dude from appearances on talk shows, making an awesome movie, and traveling all around meeting cool people.

5. Love is the most powerful thing in the universe

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It's so true.

I'm not sure about this, but I'd wager Bub's spaceship is powered almost exclusively by love and cuteness. Don't quote me on this, but I am pretty darn sure about it. The love between Bub and her Dude is palpable throughout the movie, especially in a moment of panic when Dude comes home to find Lil Bub sick and rushes her to the vet. I found myself crying as the credits rolled, uplifted by the magic of this little, adorable, accidental creature. It made me want to run out and hug everyone. It made me feel optimistic. Look, in my own ways, I am a perma-kitten too. I'm really short. It sometimes frustrates me when I can't find clothes that fit right at all. But Bub has taught me to love myself as I am, and my world is a lot brighter for it.

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The baby Bub Dude fell in love with.

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Bub in the arms of her Dude.

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This is me doing my best Lil Bub impression. Ne-meow-ste.

All photos via the Lil Bub website

Read more about precious Lil Bub on Catster:

• We Talk to Famed Internet Cat Lil Bub and Her Humble Owner
• Lil Bub Braves a Big Bear in a New Photo Series
• More Lil Bub, Because There's Never Enough Lil Bub

It's kind of like when kids are calmly making mud pies and then hear the jingly tune of the ice-cream truck heading down their street. All semblance of sanity flies right out the window and they become possessed little people, racing into their houses, begging for money, and shaking like a 12-year-old girl at a Bieber concert. They'll even chase the truck down the street. All for some ice cream on a stick -- the same kind that's probably sitting in their freezer at home. 

Cats are not immune to the nutso behavior that comes along with particular sounds. Here are seven sounds that make my cats go completely bonkers.

1. Printer warming up

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"You need to pick up a magenta ink cartridge."

Phoebe can be anywhere in the house, but when she hears the buzz of the printer getting ready to spit out paper, she races to the office at record speed. When she was a kitten, she'd actually make off with any paper that emerged from the magical machine. I can't tell you how many important documents had kitty chew marks on the corners. Nowadays, she still comes tearing through the house, but only watches the printing process. But as you can see from the photo, she watches it very, very closely.

2. Tape dispensing

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"I thought I heard tape." Cat Sitting in Box by Shutterstock

Phoebe loves tape, especially packing tape. Just yesterday I was working at the desk and heard chewing sounds. I looked over to see her gnawing on some loose packing tape that was hanging off a shipping box. She'll go as far as digging through wastebaskets looking for the sticky stuff. Needless to say, when she hears the telltale sound of tape coming off the roll or being peeled from a box, she's all over it.

3. Ice machine rumbling

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"Mmm ... frozen water." Photo by scott*eric

My cats are huge fans of ice. When we used to have an ice machine on the front of our refrigerator, they would go crazy when someone pushed the button to add ice to their cup. Our ice maker was a little funky and usually spit stray cube pieces on the floor, missing the cup altogether. The kitties knew this and stood in a little line facing the fridge whenever anyone was getting ice. They looked like they were waiting for a piñata to pop. 

4. Hair dryer howling

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Phoebe can't get enough of the hot air treatment.

Cosmo and Saffy can't disappear fast enough when a hair dryer or vacuum cleaner makes the scene. Phoebe, however, is absolutely fascinated by both appliances. When she hears me drying my hair, she immediately appears in the bathroom. She even enjoys having warm air blown in her direction. As if I needed another reason for a cat to join me in the bathroom.

5. Bag crinkling

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"Whatever it is, we want some."

My cats think every crinkly bag that lives in our kitchen is filled with treats for them. As you can see in the above photo, Saffy and Cosmo are over-the-moon excited for a bag of Archer Farms Mesquite Barbeque kettle chips. They are certain the bag must be brimming with something liver or chicken-flavored. Sorry, kitties. Rest assured, I did give them real cat treats after they realized they weren't getting any kettle chips. I'm not mean.

6. Bath and shower splashing

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"I like to watch." Cat on Edge of Tub by Shutterstock

What is it about cats and baths and showers? As soon as I turn on the bathtub faucet, Cosmo comes a-runnin'. And heaven forbid the door is closed. He'll desperately paw and pound on the door like he's for certain going to die if he doesn't get in the bathroom right that second. That's why I try to remember to bring him in from the get-go. If I'm showering, he likes to sit between the curtain and liner and bat at my legs. If I'm relaxing in a bath, he loafs on the edge of the tub and lets his tail drag in the water. Oh, and he'll lap at the warm bath water, which is gross to me. But hey, he licks his own butt.

7. Can lid popping

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"Music to my pointy little ears." Cat Eating Food From Can by Shutterstock

You know that sound that happens when a can lid is opened? Even though my cats may have blatantly ignored my affections just minutes prior to that moment, suddenly I am the most exciting person they've ever met -- they can't get enough of me. Now ask me what happens when they discover that pop originated from a can of niblet corn. Fame is so fleeting. 

What sounds make your excited cat come running? Tell us about it in the comments!

Read more posts by Angie Bailey:

• 10 Cats Who Will Literally Sleep Anywhere
• The 6 Ways Cats Will Photobomb You
• And now, even MORE Haiku Poems Written By Cats

Don't these photos just look like caffeinated heaven?

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Cats just hang out with customers at the cafe.

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The cats have plenty of furniture of their own to climb on.

If you're in Budapest, it's not a dream -- it's reality.

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Even kids dig it.

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Even the menu offerings are cat-themed!

Cat Cafe Budapest is home to 13 cats as well as delicious coffee. The cats roam the cafe freely, interacting with customers and probably occasionally drinking out of unsupervised glasses of water. Do you think they provide special lids to prevent curious cats from taking a sip?

This video captures the cool vibe of sitting at a hip cafe with a dark cup of coffee and hanging out with some cool cats. We can't think of any animal more appropriate for seeing and being seen at a cafe than a cat. They've got their paws on the pulse.

So, who's going to come with us to Hungary? Would you ever hang out at a cafe with cats?

Via Laughing Squid, photos via the Cat Cafe Budapest Facebook page

OK, it's not really scandalous. It's just a sloth cuddling with a cat for like, four minutes straight. Which leads us to a Catster HQ debate, if you will: Is this cute? Or is it really creepy?

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If you were to ask Kristen Bell, she would cry with happiness. Same with our Community Manager, Lori Malm, who gives the video a resolute CUTE approval. However, your Once Official Cuteness Correspondent (me) raises an eyebrow at the video, especially since, at times, the cat seems like she is not as into it as the sloth is. Janine Kahn, our Editor-In-Chief, thinks the video is also a little CREEPY.

Since we can't decide, we thought we'd put the question to you, faithful Catsters. Is this video cute? Or creepy?

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Prince and another cat -- scandal!

Rest assured that no adorable animals were harmed in the making of this video. Apparently the sloth is named Prince and the cat is Prince's best friend Daisy. We're not going to make an assumptions on the status of their relationship, although Prince seems to have a thing for cats and has been pictured snuggling up to other felines. So not only is Prince a little confused, he's a womanizer, too! Cute? Creepy?

Video via le Huffington Post 

I found only one cat-related photo from when I was really young. It's of little me sharing a bench with my grandmother's Siamese cat, Inga. I have very few memories of this cat, except that she was mean. I maintained a good distance from her. In this photo, I look a little worried. 

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"You stay on your end of the bench and I'll stay on mine."

The photos jumped ahead 10 years or so. There's so much 1980s goodness in the one below. I'm on the left wearing a Duran Duran concert shirt -- Seven and the Ragged Tiger, if I'm not mistaken -- and I'll take this moment to mention I had a Tiger Beat photo of John Taylor inside the plastic cover of my seventh-grade Trapper Keeper with the kittens on the front. Remember that one? I found one online, and they're calling it "vintage." Oy. Also, we subjected our black male cat Sidney to the humiliation of wearing my adoption doll's clothing. Poor cat. My sister and her friend were accomplices and, with me as a role model, my sibling had no chance of normalcy. None, whatsoever.

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"The shame."

Bounce ahead a few years to Christmas of my ninth-grade year. In the next photo, my sister holds Skippy, whom we called Sheepie because he was as soft as a lambie. I hold our tiny tuxedo girl, Bobbi.

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Nearly all our family photos included a cat or two.

My mother found Bobbi when the kitten was just 6 weeks old. She'd been abandoned and Mom fed her with a dropper until she was old and strong enough to feed herself. Mom is still a good egg -- and my cat lady role model.

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Mom holding Bobbi as a kitten.

Here I am with Sheepie. He was floppy, awesome, and put up with my crap like nobody else. Please note the heavily tinseled tree. That was back in the day when we loaded the silver stuff on the branches 'til they drooped and then spent a month pulling strands of it out of cat butts. We've come a long way since then. Tinsel = bad.

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Floppy cats = good. Tinsel = bad.

Here's proof of Sheepie putting up with my crap. Also proof of my sweet asymmetrical haircut. 

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Babushka kitty is not amused.

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"Yay!"

Now that I've properly demonstrated by love of all things cats, let's step back a couple of years to my Christmas as
a giddy eighth-grader. It was a making-cat-ears-with-my-fingers kind of exciting day. Note to my sister: You're welcome for cutting most of your candy-striped bottom out of the photo on the left.

That was the year Santa brought me my first typewriter, as pictured in the below photo. It was my Red Ryder BB gun of Christmas gifts. I mean, look at it! It was ridiculously cool, and I'd give anything to still have it. The color was fabulous and probably matched the eye shadow I wore at the time. And it was electric ... and came with correction tape! At the time, I was the news editor of my middle-school paper, so this typewriter would go on to produce many an important article about school lunches and student council elections. Glory, glory, hallelujah! My life would never be the same.

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It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen!

These photos and stories explain how I turned out the way I did. It's funny -- back then, I never would have imagined that my penchant for pussycat humor and love of writing would turn into a source of income. But I also thought I'd probably marry John Taylor, so there's that. Oh, and I've never, ever been afraid to express myself. 

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Belly time!

Read more posts by Angie Bailey:

• 5 Ways My Cats Show Me Who's Really In Charge
•8 Fortune Cookies For Cats
•5 Things I Do With My Cats That I'm Glad No One Sees

For Russian photographer Andy Prokh, love looks like the relationship between his daughter and a cat, hence his creative efforts to capture and immortalize that relationship. Prokh began photographing his daughter Katherine and his cat (known simply as Cat, so they are Kat and Cat) when his daughter was born.

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Katherine's birth took a little getting used to.

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The result is a series of elegantly simple photos capturing tender moments between Katherine and Cat. Through Prokh's lens, a mundane, everyday scene becomes an exploration of the language between children and animals. Katherine, now four, still lives suspended in a world of primal reason, not yet governed by the absurd rules of adult society. She can still communicate with Cat in his own wild words, and their understanding is present in Prokh's images.

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Prokh plans to continue photographing the girl and the cat, and it will be interesting to watch how their relationship changes as Katherine grows up and Cat grows old. What will it be like for Katherine as she steps to the threshold of her future while Cat succumbs to old age and eventually passes away?

In a way, Cat is Prokh, communicating in a special language with his daughter. One day she'll learn new words and new worlds, perhaps leaving her father behind as she takes off on her own wings.

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What does love look like?

See more of Prokh's work here and here, and keep up to date on his work via his Facebook page.

All photos by Andy Prokh, used with permission 

The only un-magical thing about the Lil Bub movie is that it isn't screening anywhere near Catster HQ, which is why my heart is breaking right now and a little rain cloud is hanging over my head and I am frowning like Colonel Meow. Lil Bub, if you're out there, please, please, please come to San Francisco. I am your biggest fan.

Just look at these posters! Aren't they exciting?

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Get out of the water.

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Bub in space!

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Pretty in pink.

Because it doesn't look like I'll get to the see the Lil Bub movie anytime soon, I'll just have to be content with this video of her, in which the tiny cat alien from another planet speaks. It's three minutes and three seconds of heartbreaking cuteness, with Bub dispensing little nuggets of wisdom and insight into her adorable life.

For example, Lil Bub is not good with money (because she is a cat).

Not to sound vain or anything, but Lil Bub believes there ought to be a statue of her (we'd have to agree).

And her favorite game is chasing bugs (she likes to call it "bugsketball").

Bonus! Here are some recent photos of the feline fairy princess doing what she does best -- being utterly squee-worthy.

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Lil Bub as a kitten -- OH MY GOSH.

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Have you ordered your pack of AmazeCats playing cards yet? Portions of the proceeds benefit the Stray Cat Alliance -- WIN!

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What?! Lil Bub was in a music video with Kimya Dawson?! The lucky stars of cuteness aligned!

Photos via Lil Bub's website 

And forget about getting the perfect photo the the first time around. Not only will kitty make us work for that pic, she'll jump in and sabotage any other non-her photo we're attempting to snap.

Each feline photobomb comes with its own intention. Some are more in-your-face than others, but they all have one thing in common: They wreck our efforts at capturing that flawless photo. Here are six types of cat photobombs.

1. The subtle photobomb of disapproval

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"This is weird, right?" Photo by Bitch Cakes

This type of photobomb is a great way to convey sarcasm: "I want you to see my disapproval, but I also want you to notice I don't care enough to fully place myself inside your silly little frame. In fact, you're lucky you get to see me at all -- I'm pretty busy." This move sends a strong signal of both criticism and arrogance, both of which come naturally to felines. Despite their aloof facade, the cat will return for more of these photobombs, proving that cats can never find enough opportunities to bask in the splendor of superiority.

2. The obvious photobomb of disapproval

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"No." Photo by Sentience

In this more brazen brand of photobomb, the cat clearly desires to send a strong message of repugnance. She places her perfectly focused, disapproving face well within the frame and maintains a position that will undoubtedly ruin the special moment to be captured in the pic. She wants no misunderstandings -- she's irritated and she wants the world to see her annoyance. This is the equivalent of a cat unapologetically flipping off a human. 

3. The subtle photobomb of narcissism

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"Meeee?" Photo by MaryLouiseEklund

This maneuver is mostly the result of a cat trying to make herself the center of attention, but not moving quickly enough to finish the effect. The instigator is oftentimes a newbie to this play and, unfortunately, the sloppiness of the amateur move makes the photobomber look more desperate and less self-centered. In fact, she's not centered at all.

4. The obvious photobomb of narcissism 

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"Meee!"Photo by MaryEllenCG

The cat who uses this one knows how to work a photobomb. She pokes her entire head into the frame just before the photographer notices her presence, hijacking the snapshot. When we remove her from the area, she creeps back in and pops up in each subsequent shot. She's like a tiny, conceited, photobombing ninja. She cannot be contained. 

5. The subtle photobomb of tomfoolery

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The tail-end of a photobomb. Photo by Ced

This photobomb has the word "shenanigan" written all over it. The kitty disrupts the photo only slightly, just enough to ruin its perfection. The cat who fancies this tactic is an intelligent trickster. She knows the art of stealth and is skilled in pushing a prank just far enough to make mischief, but not far enough to get caught. 

6. The obvious photobomb of tomfoolery

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"Don't mind me."

Jokesters who throw this curveball like to cause scenes and don't care who sees them. They're the streakers of the feline photobombing crowd. Their main objective is to effectively destroy the entire photograph (and then show not an ounce of remorse). The more they can wreck the shot, the better. A cat proficient in this play considers each photobomb opportunity a challenge to see just how much of the frame she can commandeer and how creatively she can block the subject being photographed.  

Do you cats use any of these photobomb tactics? Tell us about it in the comments!

Read more posts by Angie Bailey:

• We Decode the Facial Expressions of These 10 Cats
• 6 Ways Cats Are WAY Cooler Than Me
• 6 College Degrees For Cats

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When one of Cindy Chambers' students found a malnourished, sickly cat who appeared to be missing his nose wandering the streets of her neighborhood, the student contacted her big-hearted professor. Chambers is a special education faculty member at East Tennessee State University, and she is dedicated to helping people with disabilities.

"She thought, 'He has a disability, so why don’t I call my professor who focuses on disabilities in her field and also does some animal rescue work?'" Cindy says.

Cindy has a soft spot for animals in need. For about five years, she and several other faculty members at East Tennessee State have fostered animals either abandoned or taken from the homes of individuals who can no longer care for them. They have found homes for numerous puppies and kittens.

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Despite his cleft palate, Lazarus is just like any other kitty.

Cindy also considers her own home a "rescue house." She started with only one cat, but she now has four cats and four dogs -- "and I don't need any more," she laughs. But when her student introduced her to Lazarus, she couldn't say no.

"As soon as I got him, I looked in the carrier, and I thought, oh my goodness, this poor little kitten," she says. "I was really scared that when I took him to the vet, they were going to say I’d need to put him down."

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The tiny, gray kitten was not in good shape. Cindy's student had asked around the neighborhood to see whether Lazarus belonged to anyone -- "but we were kind of hoping she didn't find who Lazarus belonged to, because he was malnourished, he had fleas, and his mouth was in really poor condition," Cindy says. He had a cleft palate, a congenital deformity that left him without an upper lip or the soft padding of his nose. This type of deformity is not very common in cats. With his lower fangs protruding, he looked a bit like a bulldog -- or perhaps an adorable vampire.

According to the vet, his mouth was also severely infected. He had bone exposure on the roof of his mouth, and the infection had spread into his nasal passages. There was good news, though: At 10 weeks old, Lazarus was a survivor.

"The vet said he’s made it this long -- he’s a trooper," Cindy says. "He said if we can get his infection under control, he’ll probably make it. That was awesome to hear."

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Lazarus loves to play.

The vet started Lazarus on antibiotics, and his infection improved. But the moment he went off the antibiotics, his infection returned. This pattern persisted for several months -- Lazarus would start taking antibiotics and seem to be getting healthy, only to have a resurgence of his old symptoms the moment the antibiotics stopped. Cindy finally discovered the possible reason for his health problems when she went out of town for a couple of days. She returned home to discover a startling surprise.

"One of his canine teeth on the top came in in two days," she says. "I left town and left him with my roommate, and when I came back he had this gigantic tooth sticking out of his mouth. And I thought maybe the infection was coming from an abscessed tooth."

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Lazarus loves playing with -- and occasionally harassing -- his feline siblings.

She was onto something. The vet removed Lazarus' canine teeth and cleaned out all of the infection from his mouth and nasal passages. The result? Lazarus had a new lease on life as a healthy kitty. Today, at seven months old, his only remaining concern is the occasional bloody nose, which Cindy manages by running a humidifier beside his bed each night.

"He had that surgery, and he has not had a single health problem since," Cindy says. "Day to day, he’s just like any other cat. He’s rambunctious, he plays, he cuddles -- he does all the things every other cat does, but at night he sleeps with a humidifier."

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Because of his unique look, Lazarus is well known among Cindy's colleagues. In fact, a number of professors even talk about him in their classes -- particularly in the speech and language pathology center.

"When they talk about cleft palates, they talk about Lazarus as well," she says.

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Cindy's ultimate goal for Lazarus is to train him as a therapy pet. In this role, she hopes he will change people's perceptions about individuals and animals with disabilities and help deliver the message that they can contribute positively to society. Follow Lazarus on Facebook here.

"My hope is that through meeting Lazarus and hearing a little bit about the other work I do, people can apply those beliefs to people with disabilities," Cindy says. "You immediately feel some kind of connection with Lazarus because he has such a great personality and he’s just so loving. His disability really isn’t a focus. He’s just a really awesome cat."

Read about more special-needs kitties on Catster:

• Pretzel the Kitten is Blind, Deformed and Inspiring People on Facebook
• Deformed Legs Can't Hold Back Little Bear the Rescue Kitten
• Deformed Front Legs Can't Stop Triumph the Kitty
• Meet D'Artagnan, a Paraplegic Kitty Living Life to the Fullest 

Do you know of a rescue hero — cat, human, or group — we should profile on Catster? Write us at catsterheroes@catster.com.

All we do know is that when a cat gets a door in his face it might as well be the end of the world for him. And because cats have no concept of time (apart from the growling in their bellies), what might be only five minutes is, like, forever to a cat. It's like you've simply disappeared. And that's when they go through the five stages of grief.

1. Denial

"The door is not closed. In fact, there is no door. That's right -- there is no door. A door can't be closed if it doesn't actually exist. I feel fine. There is no door."

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Photo by Crackers93

2. Anger

"Whyyy don't I have opposable thumbs? Open that door. Do you hear me? Open that door! Or I swear by the mane of Mufasa I'll scratch the fluff out of this particle board! Open the door -- open it!"

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Photo by Chris Erwin

3. Bargaining

"Please oh please open the door. I won't terrorize the dog anymore if you open the door -- I promise! Come on, just a crack. If you open the door, I promise I'll wake you at a more decent hour to feed me -- instead of 4 a.m. I'll make it 4:30 a.m. Please just open the door. I'm dying over here. I swear I'm dying."

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Photo by Vagabond Shutterbug

4. Depression

"Human friend, you're harshing my catnip mellow. Come on, man, I'm sorry about peeing on the sofa. I'm sorry about pooping outside the litter box that one time I was mad at you. I think I'm just going to throw myself on the floor here and never get up again. I don't even care that there's a sun puddle over there, it doesn't make me happy anymore."

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Photo by kodomut

5. Acceptance

"I accept this. I am not happy about this, but I accept it."

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Photo by | El Caganer

The moment you open the door, however, you'll never see a happier cat, which is the final stage of grief:

6. Euphoria!

"By the mane of Mufasa I'm so glad to see you! If something happens to you, who will feed me? I'll have to eat the dog! And oh, that thing about not peeing on your suede ottoman anymore? Yeah, I didn't mean it."

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Photo by balanced.crafts

If you thought that was funny, check out this video of a cat curling up by the commode or Angie Bailey's hilarious Yelp-like reviews from cats. We also wonder what would happen if Colonel Meow and Lil Bub went to war.

You could at least hire the cat in this video, who promises clients to return their children to them "clean, free of hairballs, and smelling deliciously of fish breath."

Hey, remember that article that went around talking about how early exposure to allergens might reduce babies' sensitivity to them? This kid will never sneeze at a cat again. In fact, we wouldn't be surprised if this kid grows up with an inexplicable affinity for saucers of milk and fresh tuna, as well as a propensity for chasing after flashes of light. We wouldn't be surprised if people with cat allergies find themselves mysteriously sneezing and developing hives in this kid's presence.

So if you're worried about the cat getting jealous of your new kid or what will become of the love life between you and your partner after the arrival of a human cub, fear not. As this video proves, the cat will not only welcome the baby -- the cat may very well adopt her as her own.

Sponsored by the Litter Genie® system, the Cat Litter Disposal Sensation

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We agree: This is very, very strange. But also, somehow, very, very cute?

Because, as you've shared, a kitty accomplice to the bathroom is just One Of Those Things that happens when you live with a cat. We don't know why cats do that -- after all, most cats prefer a protective enclave to do their business -- but they do it and it's weird yet somehow endearing? 

Are they afraid that we might, as we joke, fall in? Sucked down into a whirlpool to another dimension? Do they not trust us to conduct our business properly? Are they jealous? Do they think we abandon them for five to 30 minutes at a time just so we can throw parties in secret in the Magic Water Room? ("Open up in there! I know you're having a party without me!")

No matter how often cats accompany us to the restroom, they always seem to forget the flushing part, which usually sends them bolting for cover under the bed.

Photo: A cat in a toilet by Shutterstock.com

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"As soon as I saw his face, that was the end of it," she says. "I fell in love. I had to find him."

But finding him was no easy task. She'd stumbled across Magoo's distinctive, grinning mug while browsing the Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary's Facebook page. It was a courtesy post for another shelter, so she wasn't sure where or how to locate her new love. She enlisted the help of a co-worker and started making phone calls and sending emails to every rescue she could find in the Philadelphia area. Four days later, she got a response from the Pennsylvania SPCA.

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Mr. Magoo grins at the camera.

Colleen drove across state lines to retrieve Mr. Magoo, but he had fallen extremely ill. He had a severe upper respiratory infection that left his eyes crusted shut and his nose bloody. He could not see or smell his food, so he was not eating unless someone fed him by hand -- and even then, eating was painful, because his mouth was full of ulcers. He was on intravenous drugs, but he didn't seem to be responding. Colleen would not be able to take him home just yet. 

While Mr. Magoo was in intensive care, Colleen called every day to check on his condition. After about two weeks, the vet suggested Colleen try caring for Magoo at home. What Magoo needed, the vet said, was someone with enough time and patience to give him the care he needed -- something shelter staff members, though knowledgeable, caring, and helpful, were unable to provide, because of the sheer volume of cats in their care.

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It's easy to see why Colleen Kelly-Angstadt fell in love with Mr. Magoo the moment she saw him.

Bringing Magoo home ended up being best for everyone. Amazingly, even though he had spent the first two years of his life living blind on the streets, he warmed up quickly to Colleen and her husband, Scott.

"From the moment we brought him home, he was a sweetheart," she says. "Within three days, he was a completely different cat. He was eating, he was responding -- he was amazing."

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According to Colleen, Mr. Magoo was born blind; his eyes and eyelids are not fully formed. He has extremely limited peripheral vision, however, and he responds to flashes and bright lights. This is perhaps why he is so photogenic, almost seeming to grin in his many Facebook snapshots. 

"He can't see anything dead-on, but on the sides he can see lights and shadows," Colleen says. "He turns his head all the time to get a glimpse of something. He's very partial to light, like flashes of the camera. As soon as we do that, he looks right at you -- like, oh, there it is!"

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Proceeds from the sales of "Gooey Wear" t-shirts go to animal shelters that rescue special-needs pets.

Despite Mr. Magoo's blindness, Colleen learned that her cat's so-called disability made no difference to him. He was just like any other cat, except he perhaps ran into walls and fell off of shelves a bit more often than others. Colleen's six other cats are all rescues, but Magoo was her first special-needs adoption. She had been considering bringing a special-needs pet into her home since getting to know several people with special-needs pets on Facebook and following their stories. After adopting Magoo, she realized that when it comes to special-needs pets, you always get more than you give.

"They just need a little extra attention and a little more love," she says. "If you have the time and the patience, what they give you back is so much more than what you're giving them."

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She has also enjoyed the special bond she and Magoo share, which is different than her bond with her other cats.

"[Special-needs cats] respond differently than other cats," Colleen says. "It's almost like they're more grateful. They trust you to take care of them. I notice when [Mr. Magoo] gets stressed and he's not sure, he'll look up at me, and I'll cup his face with both of my hands, and I can instantly see him relax. He knows that mom's here; it's OK."

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Because Colleen decided to give her special-needs kitty a chance after following others on Facebook, she is paying it forward by sharing Mr. Magoo’s journey -- follow along here. She has also created “Gooey Wear,” a line of T-shirts, mugs, and totes bearing her special kitty’s adorable face. She donates the proceeds to shelters that care for special-needs pets and helps them find forever homes.

“My whole goal for his page is if I can get somebody else to open up their heart and home to a special-needs pet so it doesn't have to be put down, then I've succeeded,” she says.

Read about more special-needs kitties on Catster:

• Pretzel the Kitten is Blind, Deformed and Inspiring People on Facebook
• Deformed Legs Can't Hold Back Little Bear the Rescue Kitten
• Deformed Front Legs Can't Stop Triumph the Kitty
• Meet D'Artagnan, a Paraplegic Kitty Living Life to the Fullest 

Do you know of a rescue hero — cat, human, or group — we should profile on Catster? Write us at catsterheroes@catster.com.

What if your cat was actually a dog?

Little Kodi cat (who showed us how to walk a human as well as how to intimidate humans with fine feline dance moves) is either having an identity crisis or he really is a dog trapped in a cat's body. In this video, Kodi's human friend lists all the reasons why the young cat might actually be a canine.

Among Kodi's un-feline behavior, Kodi demonstrations a penchant for playing fetch, growling, and walking around on a leash.

Or maybe this is species-ism in action? Like, why can't a cat act like a dog? Can only dogs act like dogs? Are the joys of fetch reserved for canines only? What if a cat really loves playing fetch? Shouldn't that cat be able to play fetch if he likes?

So watch the video and let us know: Is Kodi really a dog trapped in a cat's body? Or is he just a cat that likes to break down traditional species conventions?

Dog or cat, there's one thing we know for sure about Kodi: He's totally adorable.

In what ways does your cat act like a dog?

Speaking of weird cats, here are some strange cat-breed folktales, as well as some head-scratching stock photos of cats and seven funny cats who use Twitter.