leek

Cats in winter hats are honestly one of the best parts of the season. Something about a tiny beanie sitting on top of a very confused cat just hits perfectly. Some cats wear their hats like they've been waiting all year for this moment, sitting tall and proud like little winter models. Others freeze in place the second the hat touches their head, giving that wide-eyed "how could you do this to me" look.

There are the cats who immediately try to shake the hat off, the ones who accept it like it's their new job, and the ones who somehow make the hat slide sideways so they look like tiny hipsters. Half the fun is that the hats are always a little too small, with big pom-poms wobbling around while the cat tries to pretend everything is normal.

Winter just feels funnier with a cat in a hat. Whether they're posing, sulking, or plotting revenge, they make the cold season a lot cuter. Seeing a cat wearing a hat might be the quickest cure for winter blues.

Oh, no. It's that time of year again. Or should we say, "Oh, yes! It's that time of year again"? Because, don't get us wrong, Christmas is approaching so fast and we couldn't be more jolly - but for every cat pawrent it's that time of year again… The time to find new, original, and effective ways to defend the Christmas tree from the paws of your live-in precious demon. The time to forbid your ferocious feline fiend from reaching the turkey before it goes into the oven. The time to make sure you stop these tendencies in your cat so he won't get on the naughty list (but let's be honest, every fluffy feline angel is already on the naughty list).

And we know every cat pawrent out there deals with balancing our cats with this wholesome wintery time. And we know it comes across in pictures, because all cat pawrents take a million pictures of their cat children daily (we do it too, of course). So we asked our beloved online cat community over on the I Can Has Ceezburger Facebook page to share their most Christmas-y cat photos they have. And oh boy, the results are meowgnificent. Some are true sweet baby angels, resting beneath the Christmas tree like the precious presents they are - while some are plotting to bite every piece of ornament and win the battle the tree dared them to, apparently.

And which kind is your cat?

Woohoo! We're getting closer and closer to the end of the year, which means we're getting closer and closer to greeting Santa Claws on Christmas Eve! Well, we won't, but your feline probably will be. I mean, they'll be hiding in the Christmas tree, remaining incognito, until the big guy in red and white decides to snack on some cookies, and then, they'll pounce. Nobody gets to enjoy milk if the catto can't. Those are the rules our cats set for hoomans, and can you blame them? I, too, would feel slighted if I wasn't allowed to do so much as give a lick to a soft, warm, snickerdoodle cookie. We all have our vices, you know…

As we enter the thick of the holiday season, you may feel your Christmas spirit waning. Running around and trying to figure out the purrfect gift for your loved ones—fuzzy or not—is a grueling task. No generous amount of hot cocoa or Christmas cookies will give us the rest that we need, so we need to bring in the big guys: cat memes. I know, I know. You've likely heard this before. In fact, you've probably heard it from me, specifically. But hey, the proof is in the figgy pudding. Scroll below!

What started as coworkers leaving for the night quickly turned into an accidental rescue. A tiny kitten appeared by the door, sending one coworker into full panic while another tried gently nudging it away. One outstretched hand later, the kitten marched straight over for pets, and within seconds, she was scooped up and purring in someone's arms. There was no plan. Just a very small, very trusting kitten and a rapidly escalating sense of responsibility.

Taking her home "just for the night" immediately turned into cuddles, lap naps, and a kitten who purred so loudly she practically vibrated. Every attempt to set boundaries was followed by, "Obviously, I'm not keeping the cat," even as she ate, snuggled, and fell asleep on her rescuer's chest. A vet visit revealed no microchip, no illnesses, and no evidence of a responsible owner. That ended the last shred of hesitation.

Named Cleo on the drive home, she settled in quickly, bonding with the resident pets and acting like she'd been there forever. Sometimes the Cat Distribution System works fast and absolutely gets it right.

A stranded Siamese cat in the winter cold and a good hooman who saves him for the holidays. The protagonist in the story thought his roommate locked himself out of the home and was knocking, but it turns out it was an early Christmas present. The hooman opens the door to find not his roommate, but a little Siamese kitty, with singed whiskers and fur. The hooman has a dog already, but claims the cat and dog are getting along swimmingly. He brings the cutie to the vet, and decides that he's been bestowed a gift from the cat distribution service. 

He figures the singed whiskers and fur was probably due to the cat trying to find a warm place to hide, like close to a fire or under a car. Imagine all the poor stray cats and dogs all alone outside for the holidays, just trying to find somewhere warm to be. If you have the opportunity to take in a stray this winter, or at least take it to the vet, then it's worth the investment for the good of animals everywhere. The cat distribution service works in mysterious ways, just like Santa does. Read the full story below. 

The holiday season is a time for uplifting tales as much as it is for the saddest and toughest of tales. And while we usually bring you some of the more cheery chronicles of cats, we wanted to highlight one heartbreaking and heartwarming story that showed off just how sensitive and kind the Cat Distribution System and cats as a species can be. For this tale tells the story of the kitten who stumbled into an open door amidst copious amounts of snow into a home that desperately needed him. And in doing so, he was able to support several people through some of the toughest times in their lives. Making an everlasting paw print on their souls.

So while we take time to be thankful for all the people in our lives, we wanted to also remind you all that we must take time to show our gratitude to our cats as well.

Some people wish they could adopt all the cats. Well, at least the ones who don't have a home yet, the ones who are now facing the winter months in the streets. No roof over their heads, no safety out there, no warmth to keep them cosy. This thought hunts a lot of cat lovers, but some of these feline fans try to do something about it - they set out to care for the strays, the cats who don't have homes. They take a colony of cats under their care, feeding the felines so they won't starve, TNR them for health and safety, and generally being the benevolent pawrent - even if they cannot take the cats inside.

And when you take care of a whole colony like that, you care about each and every cat. And that's exactly the love and care level this one TNRing person had regarding her cat colony. When one of the cats was seen wounded and alone, she tried to take care of him - but he wouldn't let her. And taking care of a cat who is afraid of receiving help is difficult (especially when you have many other cats to take care of). And one day - he disappeared. She feared the worst had happened - that he succumbed to his wounds, or was too cold to keep a survivable body temperature. But a single note on the fence where she feeds the cats made her realise - this cat has found his forever home.

No fireplace can warm the heart of a feline fan this winter quite like knowing a sweet stray won his forever home.