For as long as I can remember, cats have been a constant presence in mine and my family’s lives. Don’t get me wrong, I love dogs as much as the next person, but cats will always hold a special place in my heart.

Each cat that has come into my life has shown me a love so indescribable that it would only make sense if you actually owned a cat. I love and adore my cats with all of my heart and when the time came for some of them to pass on, it took a long time to heal.

Even though those cats are gone, the memories I have made with them will always live on. For the ones that are currently with us, they definitely keep my family and I on our toes but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The reason why I love my cats so much is because they have all played such an important role in mine and my family's lives. I want others to know not only how special my cats were but in general just how amazing cats truly are and how much they can change your life.

1. Harley

When I was just born and brought home from the hospital, my first interaction with cats were my first loves, Harley and Casey.

These two were my very first cats and will always hold a special place in mine and my family’s hearts. Harley was the oldest of the two. She was very laid back and just went with the flow.

She was an avid bug catcher and played hockey the bug carcasses (she would rather play with her food than eat it). Harley loved jumping onto refrigerators and driving my parents insane.

She also was a little bit of a princess who hated to share, especially when my Dad decided she needed a playmate and brought her younger adopted sister Casey into the picture.

Harley tormented Casey whenever she got too close and would chase her all over the house. She may have been a bit of a diva but she was out first baby and you will always hold a special place for your first cat.

What I remember the most about Harley was that whenever she curled into a ball, she has a grey spot on her side that would look like a heart when she would curl up.

2. Casey (Yes this picture is real)

Casey had been with us the longest, 1996 to 2009. Casey was our big, lazy girl who had limp in her one leg.

You would’ve never even noticed the limp when she ran from either the horrifying thunder or running away from going to her vet appointments.

When she wasn’t biting a vet or sitting herself up like a human to lick herself, you could always find her lounging in the living room on the green checkered chair, or sitting on anyone of us to get some warmth.

Casey had been there for mine and my sister’s entire childhood, she was almost like an older sister in a way. She would look at my sister and I at us sometimes with a look of annoyance like any older sister would.

Casey was very weary of new people that came into the house and NEVER let anyone pet her besides myself and my family.

I always liked to think it was her way of protecting us. We loved her, fat, diabetes and all. She was our Mt. Casey and was just a big bundle of joy.

We miss her all the time but we can always look back at her notorious Mt. Casey picture to make us laugh and appreciate the time and love she gave to us.

2. Snuggles

Our lovely calico Snuggles came a year later after Casey passed away. At first I was very excited that we were bringing a cat back into our lives after almost a year of not having one.

My worries soon came in when we got her because I was worried how she would be and fit in with us, almost comparing her to Casey because we had had Casey for so long.

Snuggles quickly proved eased my worries by showing her playful, loving, and especially cuddly side. One of Snugs’ favorite things to do was to climb on the back of a chair and try to catch her own tail!

She would do it multiple times a day, always trying to catch it but never really coming close to succeeding. Snuggles name also fit her just because she was the biggest lover who would always cuddle with anyone.

She even loved to sleep on my Mom’s head whenever she could. Whoever was sitting down, she would come over and sit right on you and give you so much love and attention.

She was very much a people cat who just loved to share her love with anyone. Snuggles and I also had a very close bond.

Whenever myself or anyone else was upset or sad she always seemed to pick up on that and would just come over and lay with us.

Our favorite thing to do together was to just chill out in my room and watch TV late into the night.

Snuggles filled a hole in our hearts that I thought couldn’t be filled after the death of Casey. Since we all loved Snuggles so much, it was heartbreaking when she became very sick and we knew that the best thing we could do for her was to end her suffering.

Snuggles showed us that we could love another cat after Casey and that her love for us was unconditional. I will always miss my cuddle and TV buddy.

4. Gracie

Gracie came into our home a year before the end of Snuggles’ life. We thought that Snuggles needed a buddy to play with, but we were sadly mistaken.

Snuggles did not take this new addition to the family very well. Gracie was a very skittish cat who took a while to warm up and show her wild side.

After Snuggles passed away, Gracie began to show more of her personality. She is still somewhat shy and timid, but once she gets very comfortable, she is so affectionate and loves to cuddle.

The one thing that she absolutely can’t resist is a good butt scratch! Once you give her a nice scratch on the butt, she instantly flops over and lets you rub her belly.

It’s almost like she is reverting back to a kitten. Gracie also like to play with her tail, but unfortunately it wasn’t like how Snuggles would do it.

Gracie bit her tail so much that she caused it to bleed, leaving a blood trail behind and making our house look like a murder scene.

We then had no choice and had to have almost half of her tail amputated. Despite having only half a tail (sometimes I call her Stubs), she is still the cutest and frankly the softest cat that I have ever known.

5. Phoebe

Our spunky firecracker Phoebe would be the next one to join our clan. Unlike Gracie, Phoebe was bouncing off the walls, being super energetic and always ready to play.

She is very different from all of the other cats because she is not as cuddly and affectionate as the others are/were.

The sweetest thing you will ever see her do is when she cuddles with her older sister Gracie and just. But despite that, she finds a way to make us laugh and sometimes even questioning her species.

Sometimes I think Phoebe is actually a dog born into a cat’s body, because she seems more like a hyper active dog, then a chill and mellow cat.

One of Phoebe’s favorite things to do is play fetch with zip ties! Yes, you heard me, I have a cat that loves to play fetch.

She is our oddball, but I can’t get enough of her. I can always count on her to perk up when my Dad puts the phone to her ear and look around when she hears my voice, or when she gets excited when I come home from school. She is and will always be my puppy cat.

6. Waffles

Last, but definitely not least is the baby of the family, our Waffles. Waffles was a total surprise and we decided to bring her into our crazy clan after seeing a picture of her on Facebook.

It was almost as if we knew that this little one needed to come home and become a part of our family. This is the first time my family and I ever had more than two cats, so we were a little nervous about how this was going to go down.

Just as we thought, the two older ones (Gracie and Phoebe) did not take to her very well. Whenever she got too close, she would be hissed at or bopped on the head.

However, that did not discourage Waffles from presiding on playing with the older ones. Waffles is the instigator in many of the catfights (pun intended), but has shown that she can handle whatever the other two throw at her.

She is also a huge attention seeker and loves to be loved, and is in competition with Gracie on who is the softest. Fun fact, she is also the most photogenic of all of the cats.

So all together, I have had six cats. Yes, I know, I have definitely earned my crazy cat lady badge.

But honestly, I would wear that badge with pride! Each one of these amazing cats have brought so much joy and happiness to mine and my family’s lives.

They all have shown me that love is unconditional. These six amazing felines have taught me patience, companionship, and compassion.

I love all of my cats and I am proud to say I am a cat owner. To the ones I have lost, I miss them always but the memories and love I have for them will always live on.

To the others that are still with me, despite your craziness, I still love and adore each one of you.

Cats are not just these cold, unfriendly, and downright nasty animals that TV and other forms of social media depict them to be. Instead, they are one of the most loyal, affectionate, playful, and loving animals you will ever know.

My cats are a prime example of that and so are the thousands of other cats out there that need a good home. A quick little PSA, all of my cats are rescues and there are many more cats out there that need good homes.

So if you read this article and are moved to adopt a cat, please take home a rescue and save a life. Rescuing my cats was such a rewarding and happy feeling knowing that my family and I saved them from a possible bad outcome.

I know how much my cats have changed my life, I hope you will find a cat that does the same for you.