With the fall semester in full swing for most college students, stress and studying are starting to take hold of coveted free time.
But it’s easy to find entertainment in the brief moments between obligations if you know where to look, and the best places to look are the plethora of Instagram accounts featuring cute kitties going about their daily lives. Luckily, you don’t have to browse through every account to find one you like, because I’ve compiled a list of the four best cats to follow on Instagram.
These cat accounts are the cream of the crop for reasons ranging from picture-perfect angles to association with noteworthy animal causes, so there is something for anyone who wants a cute and fluffy short-term bit of entertainment.
1. Smush
Not all kitties are made the same, and @smushofficial proves that that is okay. Smush, named as such for her little smushed face, was a very sick rescue kitten who has grown up in a loving, doting home to be a rambunctious young lady.
Smush was born with a cleft palate and certain congenital conditions, but that doesn’t stop her from living life to the fullest. Smush’s moms showcase all her adorable adventures, like eating bread and napping with dogs, but they also do important work for adopting rescue animals like Smush.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn3kECvhnr8/?hl=en&taken-by=smushofficial
This kitty’s namesake is also attached to @thesmushfoundation, a non-profit that was funded by one of Smush’s moms. The foundation’s Instagram account is chock-full of rescue pet pictures with hashtags all about adopting and rescuing. The Smush Foundation takes donations to aid animal welfare, and cute little Smush is the face of the whole operation.
So, if you’re looking for something a little more rewarding than just browsing cat pictures, you can hit up @smushofficial and donate to the cause that helped Smush thrive.
2. Coffee, aka Mr. White
Smush isn’t the only amazing survivor on my list, though. Our next cat is a fluffy cancer survivor that can be found at @white_coffee_cat. And, trust me, there is so much to love about this cat.
First and foremost, Coffee (also known as Mr. White) is adorable. Every picture on his Instagram page really emphasizes that big, round head of his.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn4Fj9vBjWX/?hl=en&taken-by=white_coffee_cat
But Coffee’s popularity really soared when he began going to the doctor for cancer treatments — the account, and Coffee’s actual home, were flooded with well wishes and gifts for the sick kitty. Thankfully, Coffee survived the ordeal, and now he’s a healthy, happy Instagram star.
Coffee’s reach is so wide that he has a whole network of other cats (with their own accounts) that he takes photos with during play dates. And that, really, is the reason Coffee made my list — not only can you get an eyeful of creamy little Coffee, but every now and then you’ll get a glimpse of other adorable animals like @nala_cat and @hello_luna_rose.
Plus, there is no shortage of pictures where Coffee is wearing shirts, so that’s a huge bonus.
3. Tussetroll and Tingeling
Sometimes, though, popular cats just aren’t your thing, which is why @tussetroll_and_tingeling, two lovely kitties from Norway, and next on my list.
These cats may not be verified on Instagram, but they are some of the funniest creatures on the entire social media app. Tussetroll is a fluffy golden boy who always looks either sad or grumpy, and Tingeling is a sweet girl who generally looks like a terrified version of Toothless from “How to Train Your Dragon.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnGaatJHA36/?hl=en&taken-by=tussetroll_and_tingeling
Whoever is documenting these felines does a wonderful job — the cats always seem to be caught in some funny face or position, and videos abound of Tussetroll frolicking in snow or Tingeling flattening her ears to her head until they nearly disappear.
With these two, almost everything is hilarious. I guess that when cats look that funny normally, it isn’t hard to snap the perfect moment of complete kitty absurdity.
For days when you need to laugh it off, Tussetroll and Tingeling come out on the top of the Instagram cat rankings. Honestly, I can’t think of a reason not to scroll through their page. Nothing beats a few fancy pictures of funny looking cats next to a large pinecone, after all.
4. Maple
Finally, we reach a cat Instagram that is prized mostly for the kitty’s good looks: @maple.cat.
Maple looks like a sunshine loaf, with huge round eyes and such a spectacularly oval-shaped body that it is hard to look away from his array of almost professional pictures. It probably helps that Maple looks like one of the most popular Instagram cat breeds right now: the coveted British shorthair.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnbmIzwAoAy/?hl=en&taken-by=maple.cat
If pure beauty is all you want out of your Instagram scroll-fest, then Maple is the way to go. Every picture tells a story. Every video is like poetry. Maple is really just that darn cute, especially when posing in one of his high-class bowties.
If my proclamations of love for Maple aren’t enough, just know that he’s still pretty young, which means he’s got some growing to do — it seems worth it to follow Maple just to see if he becomes thinner in his old age, or if he spreads in size like a cookie in the oven. There are just so many possibilities to be had.
This list is certainly no end-all-be-all of cat-themed Instagram accounts, but the content on each of these pages is truly remarkable. There’s a cat for every occasion, and not enough time to enjoy them all — I suggest you start scrolling now.
