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Apparently it's #InternationalCatDay so guess who's going to be posting a ridiculous amount of cat pictures and stories today? ME. I'll keep it to this one thread so you can mute it if it becomes too much :p
We'll start with my favorite picture of Lucille (aka Lucy/Lu).

I got Lucille in January from a friend and she was super shy. Only recently have I felt like we've developed a bond and she fully trusts me. She's a gorgeous dork who still spooks easily. <3 <3 <3 (These tweets will not be in any order FYI haha)

Rarity was born at my parents house on Easter of 2014 and I was able to be home from college that summer to help raise the kittens! I'll have to raid the pictures back home to find kitten pictures, but here are some from when she was about a year old.

Rarity grew up at my parents house where she was an indoor/ outdoor cat. She began losing her fur around two years old and the vet said she has an allergy to basically every biting insect. So as soon as I could, in January 2018, I brought her up to Raleigh with me.

Rarity wasn't the only cat I brought with me! I also brought her biological sister, Cookie. Cookie was the sweetest most even tempered cat I've ever met. She always had wide eyes and the cutest face.

These two loved their new life as indoor only kitties! I remember when I first let them into my room, I lived on the 3rd floor, and they FREAKED out when they looked out the window. But it soon became their favorite place to watch birds and people.

I have SO many pictures of them from this time because I was just starting graduate school. I was super stressed and these guys really helped me. <3 They were also inseparable and always together, not quite cuddling (except at the vet) but close enough.

This is where some sad comes in, I'll keep it brief as I want this thread to stay positive! One day I noticed one of Cookie's back legs was swollen. I took her to the vet the next day to have it looked at. It was a very aggressive tumor, Fibrosarcoma to be specific.

Cookie had to have her leg amputated as soon as possible to reduce the risk of it spreading to her spine. So, my broke butt got CareCredit and paid for her amputation. The vet said there was only a 5% chance of it every coming back, but if it did I would see signs in 3 months max

This is around the time when I met Michael, my boyfriend. We decided it was easier to keep the cats at his place (no stairs!) and I moved in with him. The cats loved him right away and adjusted to the new place rather easily. (Helps that Cookie was on pain medication!)

3 months went by... and no signs of the cancer coming back! Yay! Cookie healed up and adjusted to being a cute little hopper! Three legs didn't slow her down. Rarity was also getting her fur back! But with her steroid, she also got a bit chubby.

Even more time went by... Just happy kitties!

Christmas went by... Rarity continued being a sass queen.

Then I got Lucille! And for time, I had three cats! This, unfortunately, is the only picture I got of the three of them. Turns out if cats aren't comfortable with each other it's hard to take a family photo!

But, unfortunately, Cookie's cancer did come back. It was the hardest thing I've ever been through. She was my baby and we had an unbreakable bond. She would sleep next to me every night.

I took her outside on nice days as a treat...

And for her last meal, since she couldn't keep much down, I gave her some milk (which my mom used to give the cats daily).

I miss her daily but I'm so thankful for the time I had with her. <3 I don't think I'll ever have as strong of a bond again. Michael printed these pictures out for me and made her a little shrine. <3 <3 <3

Now, Rarity and Lucille have gotten closer. They chase each other across the house and play a little bit. I don't think they'll get much closer, but I'm so thankful they get along and are healthy.

Give your cat plenty of love today and every day. If you suspect something is wrong, please call the vet as soon as possible. <3