There are not a lot of communities on the internet that you can just leave to self-govern and come back a few years later only to see it as wholesome as it was in the beginning.
But animal lovers seem to be one of the few. For example, there's a Facebook group called 'Cat Memes.'
It originally started in 2019 because of a competition during a Ferrum College women's soccer team's scavenger hunt but has grown into a 1.6-million-member online space, maintaining its positive and vibrant atmosphere.
More info: Facebook
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It's not just the wholesome Facebook group that has seen rapid growth. For example, pet ownership in the U.S. has jumped significantly over the past three decades. As of 2023, 66% of American households (86.9 million homes) own a pet. That's up from 56% in 1988!
From companionship to emotional support, animals have become a vital part of our lives. In fact, 85% of dog owners and 76% of cat owners see their pets as a member of the family.
At least she found a kitten. Mine adopted a baby dwarf lop-eared rabbit!
Load More Replies...You think you made the decision, human? Well, I'm the ruler in this house.
Stronk momma vibes in this lady! Mine has none. My cat is a snowflake and even if she is not happy most of the time she just let it go (let any cat invade her space and eat her food, she is a basic victim) But she was P!$$ED when I fostered a litter of five 3 weeks old. Mostly avoiding the gremlins, just trying to get some of their food and hissing at them. Until the day the bio mom attacked one of the kitties on the deck. My little victim jumped on the other cat and scared the $h!t out of her, all hissing and teeth and claws 😲 It was not about territory since she never defend hers, but maybe about "ownership" 😂 [litter of strays, all the 5 little ladies found their forever home and were spayed, 2 of them are together and one (the one that was attacked) is at my moms and she is now friend with the little lady of mine
My Mini Doxi snuck into room where momma kitty was having her babies and while momma kitty was given birth to another kitty, doggy snuck in oh, so quiet and stealthy and picked up the kitten momma had already licked clean and tried to sneak it into my room so she could have one all to herself. I caught her, put it back with momma and up went the doggie gate!
Hooman, I need you to make a growsy store run. Babe Bean needs soft foods an. Kitteh milk. .zan a toy. An a blanky. I need catnip gummies.
You can have have her spayed but the maternal instinct is forever. Way to go Mama Cat!
Good for you having her fixed, though. There are far too many stray and feral cats out there.
Her last fling...his lucky day. Nature still rules..although my now passed 23-year-old Bijou who was a breeding British Shorthair queen hated any other than her own age kittens after she was spayed aged 6 until her passing. We had other kittens in her , lifetime too she was never the only cat.
we had a neutered male cat that brought home a kitten...wanted a son i guess. and yes, we let him keep it
Had a spayed female who'd never had kittens, but she didn't bring found kittens home, she returned from her jaunts with full-grown cats. And yes, they became part of our ever-growing cat family once we verified they were on their own.
This is what I call, strong motherly instincts, wow, she made it clear to you !!!
Moms gonna Mom, babe. The itty bitty is totally f*ucking cute though, for reals. You just gotta _ AWWWWWWE.
Well, you won't get me boots and spurs, so get over here and push this thing!
Currently, Millennials make up the largest percentage of pet owners (33%), followed by Gen X (25%) and Baby Boomers (24%).
However, Gen Z pet owners are far more likely than other age groups to have a variety of pets.
But the roots for our feline frenzy go way back. The ancient Egyptians are generally thought to have been the first to domesticate cats, breeding them to produce a distinct new species around 4,000 to 3,900 years ago.
Although researchers have long suspected that humans began taming wild cats much earlier, for a long time they had limited evidence supporting this idea.
But scientists have discovered a site on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus from around 9,500 years ago with the remains of a human and a cat, as well as a rich variety of offerings, and it is now believed to be the oldest known evidence of our special friendship.
Dr. Patricia Pendry of Washington State University, who studies human-animal interactions, speculates that it might be the felines' discriminating behavior that's so irresistible to humans.
"The subtle and somewhat unpredictable responses cats give us, give us the perception that we are chosen — or perceived as 'special' when a response from a cat does occur," she said. "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."
No one answered the ad he put up on Craigslist for a servant, so he has to go and scout for one.
It is also possible, according to some research, that we cannot help but find felines to be cute due to the features they share with human babies. We instinctively respond to the large eyes and playful behavior, an evolutionarily beneficial response that has helped ensure we care for our young.
The Facebook group 'Cat Memes' captures this beautifully. Whether it's a kitty curled up in a cozy spot, batting at a dangling toy, or donning a quirky expression, each image showcases the charming antics that make our feline friends so lovable.
The little hairnet whilst he has fur all over 😂 very cute though
Especially if you can get the motor going - nice, warm, vibrating kitty massager!
We're beautiful from any angle, particularly our butts.
*facepalm* I can practically hear my dad fighting to come back to life just to tell this dad joke.
Note: this post originally had 77 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.