Over the past few years, I've accumulated the fitting title amongst my friends as, the "Crazy Cat Lady." My obsession began three years ago when my aunt got me the cutest little kitten for Christmas, who quickly became the love of my life. The next year, right before school started, we got this little, scrappy-looking alley cat. He just wandered up, and we took him in. Then again, the next year, a friend was in need of a home for her sweet kitten, we couldn't just let her send him to the pound. So now, my family has a decently-sized collection of kitties.

My family was never a cat family. In fact, we'd always had dogs, but after we had to put our beloved dog down years before, we finally ended up with a cat. We figured that felines were low maintenance and didn't require much attention; this worked well for our household, since my family members are pretty busy people.

We were so wrong, but that's okay, because as needy as these cats can be, we love them with all of our hearts. And here are a few reasons why they're awesome.

1. They're so cute.

Have you seen their big ol' eyes and heard their little mews? There's nothing more precious.

2. They love to cuddle.

Well, most of them. Some not so much. But the ones that do make it worth it.

3. They know how to tell you what they want.

And they're not afraid to do it. Have you ever been woken up every hour, on the hour, from 5 a.m. onward until you actually get up to feed your cat? I have, and it's not fun.

4. They play fetch.

I know. I didn't believe it either. But it's real, and it's as entertaining as you'd think it would be. And it's stinkin' cute.

5. They have their own language to communicate with their humans.

Literally. Cats don't meow at each other, they create a language that consists of meows specific to their humans so that their humans will know what they want.

6. They purr.

That's reason enough to prove they're lovable. They have their own way to saying that they need you there with them.

7. They do not care about anything.

Have you seen that video of the cat knocking things off the table, then staring at the owner as he proceeds to knock over a glass of water? Yeah, almost all cats are like that.

8. They go for walks.

Some cats, if trained properly, will let their owners put a leach and harness on them and go for walks. This is cool and needs to be recognized.

9. They love to play.

Not just fetch. Cats love it when you rub the tummies or when you have those feathers that hang from a stick. They love to play in between their crucial nap times.

10. They're just so stinkin' cute!

Again, because really, they are. From their version of a puppy-dog pout to their cunning personalities, they can truly make their human friends swoon.

Cats are fantastic companions and even better cuddle bugs than imagined. They are social and generally happy, though sometimes moody. But overall, they provide the TLC that any individual would be lucky to have.