To make everybody’s Friday better, Twitter user @ellle_em started an awesome, wholesome trend: asking cat owners to post a picture of their cat right after adoption next to a recent photo so everyone could see the “cat glow up.”
HEY TWITTER PEOPLE WITH CATS!
— Elle Has Cats (and ADHD) (@ellle_em) July 26, 2019
Reply to this with a photo of your cat when you first brought them home and a photo of your cat RIGHT NOW (or you know….as recently as possible) so we can see how much they’ve changed (or….not changed?)
Use the hashtag #CatGlowUp
A “glow up” is a change for the better in style or confidence. Since it’s become a well-known meme, usually with before-and-after makeover pictures and photos of people at different ages, why not apply it to cats?
To kick it off, Elle started with pictures of their own adorable furballs.
https://twitter.com/ellle_em/status/1154674309736087552
#CatGlowUp Liberty as a smol (2012) and now as a not-so-smol pic.twitter.com/UMlbG6ILkS
— Elle Has Cats (and ADHD) (@ellle_em) July 26, 2019
Babby Wooloo is in the midst of an extreme #CatGlowUp pic.twitter.com/OdAPLxkdgh
— Elle Has Cats (and ADHD) (@ellle_em) July 26, 2019
Not pictured: all the other abandoned street cats Elle takes in.
Hey while you’re here! I live in Spain and I take in abandoned/unwanted cats and try to find families for them. If you’re able, please consider taking a look at my wishlist for Cat Stuff!https://t.co/IHUAGN1Eev
— Elle Has Cats (and ADHD) (@ellle_em) July 26, 2019
The ‘Cat Glow Up’ meme goes viral
Some hours later, Twitter user @CAwkard got ahold of the hashtag and tipped it into virality.
https://twitter.com/CAwkward/status/1154766856542183425
In the thread, some cats had sad backstories, which made their glow ups even more heartwarming.
https://twitter.com/kellyknowlesart/status/1154785737017110528
As a kitten, Kilter caught an eye infection before his eyes were even open. He has grown up to be a very handsome #pirate cat. #CatGlowUp pic.twitter.com/3P4r4Nuq0s
— Tiasha J. Garcia (@storyteaching) July 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/makeatxhome/status/1154773647749517312
It’s good to see that, even with his spectacular cat glow up, Mr. Ping has stayed true to his roots: He’s still furious.
https://twitter.com/figfugue/status/1154754697640710144
Even the ones who started out as adorable kittens blossomed into beautiful cats.
My handsome boy 7 years on ☺️🥰 #CatGlowUp pic.twitter.com/ONfnxkAvNQ
— L (@theboopzone) July 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/FarmerG_Paradox/status/1154778487493992449
#CatGlowUp Mabel & Dipper then and now pic.twitter.com/GViD2WTAS9
— Scrambled Still – working on A_Plague_Tale_Zine (@ScrambledStill) July 26, 2019
This story is particularly heartwarming:
Fun fact when Mabel was little my dad once cried when she looked at him bc she was so cute pic.twitter.com/1p7IV68nwg
— Scrambled Still – working on A_Plague_Tale_Zine (@ScrambledStill) July 26, 2019
While we’re here, let’s send some extra love to black kitties, since they are less likely to be adopted than cats of other colors.
https://twitter.com/ysera__/status/1154774177896906752
https://twitter.com/nickwpreston/status/1154667214517264385
Some cat glow ups involve fashion!
https://twitter.com/OhJeeToriG/status/1154781342548152325
Well #CatGlowUp certainly is a fun # for the day. pic.twitter.com/ae7lwF1qSZ
— Cat Cosplay (@Cat_Cosplay) July 26, 2019
This person is a hero, and her boy’s a little fighter.
Kaiden was dumped at a shelter because of his ears, and was dying of a respiratory infection. They told me over and over not to adopt him because he was dying. I didn’t listen. #CatGlowUp pic.twitter.com/juATbNYqHh
— Sarah Bethe (@Lady_Macbethe) July 26, 2019
As you can see, giants walk among us.
https://twitter.com/soapachu/status/1154689326741184512
Since the world is on fire right now, physically as well as metaphorically, take some time to look at these cat glow ups. It’s self-care!
Our Katyusha, who has been with us for almost 2 weeks. #CatGlowUp pic.twitter.com/i7xs9H6NPA
— Fried Phish. (@friedphishes) July 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/Zealuu/status/1154679206728687616
This post has been updated for relevance.
Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled Elle’s Twitter handle and referred to Elle with incorrect pronouns. Elle’s handle is @ellle_em, and the pronouns have been updated.
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