There’s no question that cats are one of the most beloved animals in the world. There are countless cute videos of them online, and almost every cat owner has a gallery full of their fur baby on their phone. According to the Scientific American, about one third of households in the United States have a kitty. And AZ Animals estimates that there are 220 million pet cats all over the globe.

Meanwhile, there are about 480 million stray cats roaming the planet. And although dogs are still more popular than cats amongst Americans, cats are the most popular pets in Europe. In fact, Romania seems to be the country that loves cats the most, as nearly half of all households own at least one. Poland and Latvia aren’t too far behind though, with 41% and 37% of households respectively owning cats.   

So what makes us love these curious little creatures so much? If you have one (or several) of your own, it’s not hard to answer this question. But for the vast majority of my life, I had only ever had dogs, and I’ll admit that I didn’t understand the appeal of kitties. So let’s break it down.

MedicalNewsToday reports that the bond between cats and humans has been around for thousands of years. In fact, over 9,500 years ago, people and their feline friends had such a strong connection that some were even buried together in Cyprus. Long ago, humans domesticated cats to keep rodents away from their farms. But it didn’t take long for people to realize that they could form genuine friendships with these little furry creatures as well.    

Nowadays, however, most of us don’t have grain stores that we need to keep mice away from. We simply keep our cats around because we love them. According to Dr. Patricia Pendry of Washington State University, part of the reason why people can’t resist cats is because they make us feel incredibly special when they do choose to interact with us. “I also believe that because the response tends to take a little bit more time to emerge, we are captivated by a desire to know what the cat will do,” she told MedicalNewsToday.

You also might find cats to be adorable because of the cute features they share with human babies. My cat in particular has gigantic eyes and ears, and he loves to be cradled like a little baby. My heart just melts when I see him like that, and I can’t resist kissing his little head. Plus, similarly to human kids, cats are absolutely hilarious if you observe their behavior. They’re extremely curious but tend to be scared easily, which is a combination that often leads to bizarre movements and hilarious facial expressions. 

If you’re considering adopting one of these adorable creatures for the first time, there are a few things you should know. Cats Protection in the UK urges new cat owners to understand that they need time to settle in. Keep them indoors for the first few weeks, and don’t be upset if their behavior seems particularly odd. Plus, cats can be picky eaters, even after they’ve gotten used to their new home. It might take time to figure out what exactly they like to eat (and can hold down). 

Cats are also often early risers. They might get zoomies at 5 a.m. and unintentionally wake you up. If you need to sleep in earplugs, you might want to invest in decent ones! And before you get a cat, get a scratching post. Your little guy or gal will need a safe place to scratch, or they might start going after your furniture. 

On the same note, cats need entertainment. Toys, climbing posts, things to scratch, tunnels to run through, etc. can be necessary to keep your kitty happy and healthy. And don’t forget that they want to play with you! Dedicate time to playing with them, and you’ll build a bond that will last a lifetime. 

Are you enjoying this adorable list of cat memes, pandas? Keep upvoting all of your favorites, and let us know in the comments below what you love most about your own kitties. Then, if you’re looking for even more cute pics that might melt your heart, you can find another Bored Panda list featuring cat memes right here!