slightly left of center

The CDS has some funny ways of delivering its fluffy packages sometimes. 

Every once in a while, we encounter a "normal" cat adoption story. You know, the kind where a person walks into a shelter, carefully looks around and chooses the one kitty who feels right to them. This happens. But it's actually not normal at all. The most common way that people adopt cats is not by walking into a shelter and choosing one. No, it's actually the complete opposite. It's the cats who choose their humans, not the humans who choose the cats. Seriously. Ask a cat owner. Chances are that the story they will tell you will be a lot sillier. 

My cat followed me home randomly on Independence Day. My husband's cat randomly walked into his apartment on his 25th birthday. My best friend's two cats are ones that she found on the streets near her apartment, alone, sick, and in desperate need of help. For most of us… It just kind of happens. One day, we don't have a cat. The next day, our lives are completely changed. 

For the person who posted their story on r/CatDistributionSystem, it was exactly the same. They have thought about getting a cat in the past, but they never quite got around to doing it. Of course, they didn't need to. Their kitty ended up finding them, just like the rest of us. And the way he found them, we promise, was way more chaotic than they ever expected it to be. For four hours, this tiny ginger menace was loose in this person's store, wreaking havoc everywhere until he finally allowed himself to be caught. It was his final hurrah before becoming a house kitty. He did it because he thought there was a rush. He doesn't know yet that you can cause just as much chaos in someone's house as outside of it. 

Divorces are hard for cats too, but normally, they at least get to stay with one human. For both partners to abandon their cat is just… cruel. 

Adopting a cat as a couple is an amazing experience. The cat is something that you both love, that you bond over, that makes you stronger together, that maybe even prepares you for other itty bitty creatures you will grow together. But it also comes with a risk. If the relationship ends, what do you do? Where does the cat go? Who gets to keep the cat? We've heard of custody battles over cats before. They're terrible, but they do happen, and they do end, and the kitty gets to go home with at least one of its humans. We have never heard of both sides of the divorce abandoning their cat. 

The kitty in this video wasn't just abandoned by her owners in their divorce. She was old, sick, and in need of help and love. In retrospect, looking at the state she was in, it's almost easy to say that them giving her away was better for her. She was neglected at home, dehydrated and unloved. It was pure luck that she was brought to this shelter - to a human who actually cared about he, because the couple who gave her away simply put her up for free on Facebook Marketplace. Any adopter would have done - just to take her off their hands. Honestly, they didn't deserve her. 

When this senior cat got to the shelter, hungry and thirsty, you would think that the first thing she would run to would be food and water, but it wasn't. More than anything, she wanted human contact. She wanted pets, and she wanted love. Maybe in the past, things were better for her at home. Before the divorce and the toxicity at home, maybe they actually showed her love. Because she clearly knew what it was like to be loved by a human. That was what she wanted more than anything. And now, in the hands of the shelter employee who is turning her whole life around, helping her get healthy again, she has an actual chance at living the rest of her life happily. 

Of course she was distressed, she was in labor!

Summer is a difficult time for stray cats. The relentless heat and lack of access to shade and fresh water make each day an effort to simply survive. Some cats are taken care of by neighbors, but others aren't so lucky. If you see a cat outside in the current heat and have room to spare in your garage or a small bathroom, please consider taking them inside, or at least giving them some fresh, cold water.

Thankfully, our stray from Reddit's r/catadvice subreddit found a heartwarming hooman to save her during the inescapable 100-degree heatwave. For the first few days, she was calm, even enjoying her newly found indoor life, until all of a sudden, she started meowing like crazy. Meowing so much that it started disturbing her new hooman's other pets. Unable to get her to a vet, and knowing she couldn't release her back outside, the two just had to wait it out, until it became purrfectly obvious why she was in distress: she was about to give birth to six kittens.

The kittens were delivered healthily, and if it hadn't been for this kind hooman, she and her baby kittens might not have survived. It just goes to show that one small deed can truly make a big change. This hooman didn't just save one life today, she saved seven. And now, these kitty cuties are looking for their furrever homes, and we can all breathe a little easier.

You thought your hat collection was good? Welcome to cat's hat supremacy.

These cats are here to humble your average hat collection and show you how it's done. No boring colors, no basic shape. Enjoy, and take notes. 

Growing up was a trap, wasn't it?

Becoming an adult seemed a lot more exciting before it actually happened. Somewhere along the way, weekends stopped being about sleeping in and started becoming the only time to catch up on laundry, grocery shopping, and all the little jobs that somehow piled up during the week. There are always dishes in the sink, something running low in the pantry, and at least one appointment you keep telling yourself you'll schedule tomorrow.

Nobody mentions how much time gets spent thinking about dinner, either. You finally figure out what to make, only to realize you forgot one ingredient. You stand in front of the fridge hoping inspiration will magically appear. Five minutes later, you're back in front of the same fridge with the exact same ingredients, convinced something must have changed.

The to-do list has a way of keeping itself alive. You answer one email and two more arrive. You put away the clean laundry, then notice the hamper is somehow filling up again. You finally remember to water the plants, pay the bill, return the package, and take the trash out, and for a brief moment you feel like you've completely figured life out. Then you remember you still need to make that phone call you've been putting off for three weeks.

The victories get smaller, but they somehow feel bigger. Finding twenty dollars in an old jacket pocket. Remembering to defrost dinner before leaving for work. Making it through the grocery store without forgetting the one thing you actually needed. Getting into bed and realizing you don't have to set an alarm for tomorrow.

Life has a way of making even the smallest responsibilities feel like a full-time job. That's why it's nice to press paws every once in a while and laugh at the parts everyone else is quietly dealing with too. If today's been one long checklist, you're definitely not the only one trying to keep up.

The heart doesn't always stick to the plan.

Anyone who spends time scrolling through Reddit's r/CatDistributionSystem subreddit knows unexpected cats have a funny way of showing up at just the right moment. The only catch is that the "right moment" doesn't always feel convenient. Sometimes life gets complicated, and an unexpected little visitor arrives with a decision that's much harder than it first appears.

A quiet evening took an unexpected turn after two boys relaxing in a backyard hammock heard faint meows coming from across the street. A flashlight search into the woods led to a tiny 10- to 12-week-old kitten, who came running the moment she heard someone calling. Instead of hiding, she ran straight into welcoming arms as if she'd already decided she'd found the right person.

The little kitten settled in almost immediately. She happily ate, found the resident black cat's litter box, and quickly made herself comfortable indoors. It sounds like the kind of rescue story that usually has an obvious ending, but this one came with a much tougher emotional question.

Last year, the rescuer had to make the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye to a beloved cat named Artemis. Anyone who's experienced that kind of loss knows it doesn't simply disappear with time. While the love remains, so does the memory of how painful that final goodbye was. The thought of opening your heart to another cat can feel just as scary as it does exciting.

The little kitten has already made herself at home, and she's made it just as far into her rescuer's heart. That's what makes the decision so difficult. Finding her another home might protect against future heartbreak, but it also means saying goodbye to a kitten that already feels like she belongs. Sometimes the hardest part isn't rescuing a cat. It's deciding whether to let yourself love one again.

You know it's a bad situation if the vets don't want to give him back.

People adopt cats for all different reasons. Companionship, love, because they're cute, on a whim, they receive them as a gift, or they simply inherit them. But, no matter what the reason, if you don't want to care for the cat fully, to make sure it lives a safe and healthy life, then please, give it to someone who will. No cat deserves to be forced to survive outdoors and only get your love and care when you want. That's not pet ownership. A cat is a commitment, and they deserve 100% of your love 100% of the time. 

If you adopt a cat and make it live outside, like our matted "stray" from Reddit's r/straycats community, then you're not giving it the life it deserves. A neighbor noticed them wandering around outside for months, but it wasn't until a caring couple took them in, assuming they were a stray. So when they took the cat into the vet to check for a microchip, they were shocked to find out they had one. And even worse, the original owners wanted them back.

This is a question we come across a lot here at I Can Has Cheezburger. What is more impurrtant, a cat's well-being or the "rights" of pet ownership? Obviously, we do not encourage stealing. But, do you really maintain your "right" to an object you mistreat? Technically, yes, but morally, no. Keeping a cat just for your benefit and not caring about the actual state of the cat is not how an owner should be. Do better.

Our couple and the cat's story continues below.

It is no secret that we spoil our cat children. Whether it be with costly cat trees, fancy food or technologically advanced toys, there is no limit to what we won't do to pamper our cats. So today we bring forth the purrfect project for summer, the catio.

Catios are one of the best things that a pawrent can purchase for their cat child. Having all that space to roam around safely outdoors does wonders for both you and your cat. On the one hand you can rest easy knowing they are safe and entertained at the same time. On the other hand you are not worried that they will return from the outdoors with a 'gift' of sorts that you do not want. And that is before we get stuck into the meat of the matter which is how much closer such a project and bring you to your cat child and how many enrichment opportunities such a DIY build has on offer.

No matter the size of your catio you are almost always going to be able to give your feline friend some platforms, ledges and ropes to hang around on and climb up high. Giving them full view over their domain and a little exercise along the way. But if you have space for a big enough catio then you can even create a space for yourself amongst the toys and trees. Allowing you to spend time with your cat child outdoors, so you can finally yell at birds with them, scream at squirrels and spend quality time cuddling right after. So what are you waiting for get scrolling and dream up your purrfect catio today!

Welcome to the feline bakery! The bread is fluffy, the paws are tucked in, no tail is visible, and every loaf comes with whiskers. Cats can do many wonderful things, but few are as perfect as the cat loaf. We don't know how they do it, but they tuck every paw under their body and turn into a perfectly shaped loaf of bread. 

Every cat owner knows the pose. The paws disappear, the tail gets neatly arranged, the body becomes compact, and the face stays serious, as if this behavior were completely normal. And to them, it is. They are resting in the coziest way possible. To us, we may need a kinesiologist to recover from the twisted wrists. But they are completely safe; don't worry. In fact, did you know they actually do this when they feel safe? So it's a good sign your cat feels safe with you. They tuck their paws in because they don't feel the need to run or escape. That's sweet.

Cats have mastered the art of loafing because they have a natural talent for becoming the cutest thing in the room, and they love showing it off. Some cat loaves look perfectly symmetrical, while others look slightly melted around the edges. But every one of them deserves appreciation because they look so funny. The cat loaf is both elegant and ridiculous. Cats know exactly what they're doing, sitting there with so much confidence, pretending they're so mysterious while looking like a loaf of bread in the middle of the couch, ruining their so-serious reputation.   

The cat loaf looks peaceful and satisfying. It's peak comfort for a cat. It's the kind of comforting cat behavior that makes you stop whatever you're doing and say, "Oh, look. A loaf." It is calm cat energy at its finest. Forget about the zoomies, the chasing, and the chaos. Loafing cats look like they have fully accepted their destiny as a household bread product. 

Are you ready to enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at a feline bakery? These freshly baked cats are loafing around, straight out of the oven. 

Cats may have their mayhem moments, but mostly they're just chill little guys.

Every cat pawrent knows that cats have their own crazy times. Some might sprint with the power of zoomies in the middle of the night, while some cats have a constant need to bite and scratch stuff like the world is their lunch, and other cats just can't stop meowing no matter what. It's just their very cat nature, but we all live in peace with it. We love our cats exactly as they are. Especially because, mostly, they're very chill, despite the occasional meowing mayhem potential.

Every person who has ever raised a cat knows that most of their cat's day is full of sunbeam naps, purring with scritched at the chin, and cuddling on your lap like they're the Olympic champions of sleeping. Cats are really just chill. And that endless relaxation, full of feline fluff and sweet smiles, is such an essential part of raising a cat. People who might have never had a cat of their own might not believe it, but it's true. Cats are super chill, and that's a prime contributor to a household's general relaxation.

So whether you have a cat or not, try to loosen up a bit, relax and unwind, with the power of cat energy. And that's done, unsurprisingly, with lots of online feline funnies - the best humorous and hissterical pieces of cat comedy. Just kick back and have some relaxing laughs with these cat memes, it's what they're here for.