I never thought I would be a cat person. My mom, a staunchly anti-cat dachshund lover, was not shy about her contempt for all felines. She’d recoil when neighborhood cats would come to her for affection, and loudly point out any time she got a whiff of disgusting cat piss. Basically, I was taught that cats are unfit for human companionship. While I enjoyed the company of my friends’ feline pets, I never felt the connection. Fortunately, humans have the incredible ability to change their minds, and after a beautiful black cat camped out in our backyard and had kittens, my mom (slowly but surely) came around. 

Nowadays, my mom basically grovels at my cats’ feet, desiring her attention. Somehow between the no-cat days and this year, I’ve acquired two kitty friends, and my mom is the happy owner of one of the backyard cat’s kittens. She’s 8 now, and not even the most affectionate cat. But boy, does my mom love her. My mother’s transition to a cat person has also led to a bizarre exchange of cat memes. While hers are decidedly boomer-esque, I consider it a win for cat lovers and meme lovers alike. So this weekly dose of cat memes goes out to her. I’m proud of you, Mom.