Yes, the headline you just read is true. I have in fact created an Instagram account for my cat. I know, it does sound a little crazy. What respectable person does that? Well, I do. A bored college student home for winter break for six weeks.

Now, in the beginning, it started as some crazy idea that came to me while I was lying in bed on my phone at two a.m. Velvet, my cat, was sleeping on my bed and I looked at her and thought to myself, ‘She is just as cute as any other pet account that I follow on Instagram,’.

So, her Instagram account, @velvet.blackcat, was born. I posted the first picture, one I had taken when I was packing for my bags for college, and introduced her to the Instagram world. I followed some accounts that also featured black cats, turned my phone off and went to sleep.

Now, this might be the part of the story where the next morning I turn my phone back on and was ecstatic to see Velvet had all of these new followers. No, that is not the case. She had garnered a few likes on her first picture, and a couple of followers.

Some might think that I’m exploiting Velvet’s cuteness just for followers. While she is very adorable, I genuinely enjoy taking artsy pictures of her each day, editing, and posting them. Her follower count has steadily risen and it’s enjoyable to interact with different accounts that are also dedicated to their pets.

While most who read this will think it’s a little crazy, I’ve found it as a fun sort of hobby to do during the day. I like looking at the different cats and dogs whose owners have also created Instagrams for them and they post daily on what they have done that day.

It also allows me to spend more time with Velvet, more so than I already do. I follow her around the house now and wait for her to do something cute like play with her toys, roll over, or fall asleep in a cute position.

I’ve also found a new outlet for creativity as well. I found that I enjoy the process of taking pictures. I like finding the how the light reflects off different objects in the room to create a unique looking picture.

I enjoy taking on a different sort of role of writing. It’s fun and creative and enjoyable. It’s amazing to see all different types of animals that have owners who love them so much.

I encourage anyone who has an animal to start an Instagram for them. It’s a different way to spend time with your favorite furry friend and to connect with other people from around the world. Take some time out of your day to spend with your pets, take cute pictures, and don’t be afraid to lay on the ground and play with them!