Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam...

Pucker

Photo by: Virginia Putsch, Kansas City, Missouri

This is my cat Pucker! She is 3 years old and the vet promised me she would calm down after we had her fixed. (**giggles**) Well I came down to our recroom/office one morning and there she was hugging the buffalo mounted over our fireplace. Thank goodness I keep my camera handy because this cat is full of high jinks like this.

Look deeply into my eyes.

Aqua

Photo by: Patty and Ronnie Hale, Columbus, Kansas

[This is] a picture of a kitten that was dropped at our farm along with a brother kitten. They were pretty poor when I found them around the house and took them to the barn to take a better look at them. Aqua is the one with the two totally different colored eyes and her brother we named Tuffie, they were both very neglected and flea bitten, but with a little flea soap and some ear and teeth cleaning, they are both doing great. Wanted to share the beautiful face of Aqua and her eyes.

I'm a little teapot, short and furry!

Lily

Photo by: Cynthia Creighton, Oakland Park, Florida

Sweet dreams of catnip and codfish

Max

Photo by: Lynn Traber, Fresno, California

I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy...

Toebi

Photo by: Debi Gariepy, Bothell, Washington

Sure, he loves me now but wait til he sees what I left in his blanket.

Weezie and Thomas

Photo by: James Dean Martin, Stockton, California

I'm not fluffy, I prefer "lustrous."

Marlie

Photo by: Gail Boomer, Ortonville, Michigan

Can I come out now? I'll be good, I promise!

Pumpkin

Photo by: Dave Funk, Puyallup, Washington

And after the massage, we simply must do something about those nails, dear!

Fisher

Photo by: Ruth Hubert, Austin, Texas

"We both had a really hard day!"

Cat, dog--who cares? A warm tummy is too good to pass up!

Smudge and Jazzy

Photo by: Donna Flanders, Lawton, Oklahoma

"Here is a real cute photo of one of my new kittens, Smudge The Cat, nestled into his canine sister, Jazzy, for a nap."

Ever since I became a vegetarian, I've learned to better appreciate good fruit.

Rebecca

Photo by: Carole Peterson, Colbert, Washington

"This was taken last summer. I was taking a photo of this unusually shaped strawberry when my cat, Rebecca, came up to smell and smell and smell."

She told me either I shared the dog bed or I slept in the litter box. Oh well.

Shadow and Pixie

Photo by: Lee Allaben, South Burlington, Vermont

Leo watches his favorite soap, "Nine Lives to Live."

Leo

Photo by: Delores Reagan, Tacoma, Washington

Whiskers never went to bed without preparing for her sleepwalking habit.

Whiskers

Photo by: Dot Folz, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania

"I've attached a pix of Whiskers taken one afternoon after I returned from a walk. She never even opened her eyes to see why she now had a pair of sneakers on her paws!"

If you're looking for the piece with the Eiffel Tower, you probably don't want to know where it's stuck right now.

Matisse

Photo by: Nancy Lee, Toledo, Ohio

Good thing I took those yoga classes!

Tuffy

Photo by: JoAnn Lennon, Newton, Iowa

"Tuffy is a 2-year-old that came to us as a kitty from a country friend whose cat had a litter, and being the wonderful friend that I am...needless to say Tuffy lives up to his name. He has no fear and loves his brother, Depot (thus named after being found as a stray kitten at the Depot Restaurant in Grinnell, Iowa), who looks the same only with a larger head!"

Bubba kindly asks that you not interrupt his afternoon nap

Bubba

Photo by: Louise Mingua, Tempe, Arizona

Does this sweater go with my fur?

Bella

Photo by: Lee Dunn, Hawaii

What, you've never seen a lactose intolerant cat before?

Smokey

Photo by: Leon Press, Hackensack, New Jersey

I'm practicing to be a leopard.

Venus

Photo by: Jeff Dodson, Concord, New Hampshire

Open wiiiiide.

Genesis

Photo by: Deborah Warrick, St. Augustine, Florida

"I own a wildlife sanctuary in North Florida, where I care for approximately 100 exotic animals, including tigers, lions, wolves, leopards, cougars and much more. Genesis is the tiger in the photo. He was my first tiger that I rescued in 1995; he's now 12 years old. My website is www.staugustinewildreserve.org."

A guinea pig eating my food? This is wrong on sooo many levels.

Simba and Chester

Photo by: Linda Neering, Cedar Lake, Indiana

"Simba is a rare tri-colored male, very big and mellow. Our other cats are a little intimidated by his size, but he is a teddy bear. Here is Simba with our guinea pig, Chester, before Chester went to Heaven. (He died from natural causes, not from cat-fear).

We are committed to keeping our pets for better or for worse. I think it is good to teach children that pets are living things, and not to be discarded of like a toy. They fill a part of our lives that no body else can fill."

Really? You can't be serious! Catnip is addictive?

Nova

Photo by: Debbie Hatt, Houston, Texas

"Nova was abandoned by her mom at 3 weeks, and my son hand fed her for 2 months. She is now a healthy kitty who likes to be held like a baby to sleep," says Debbie.

Lady never was a very good secretary.

Lady

Photo by: Robert Reyant, Merton, Wisconsin

It goes like this. What's mine is hers. What's hers is mine. Whats yours is ours. Got it?

Tootsie and Bella

Photo by: Jeff Stratton, Portland, Oregon

Look deeply into my eyes. Give...me...prime...rib.

Sammie

Photo by: Susan Sanderson, Largo, Florida

This is Sammie. He was born 7/27/06. I think he has such a beautiful face.

Now stretch into the downward lotus position, and breeeeeathe...

Maurice

Photo by: Laura Byrd, Toney, Alabama

"Maurice has adopted us as his home-away-from-home and is actually the neighbor's cat. However, he is just as often at our house, sleeping on the love seat in one of his very unique positions. The term "contortionist" would certainly apply to many of his sleeping positions. We enjoy his antics and he is a great friend for our cat, Buddy, too."

1-2-3-4...whah? Since when do I have 6 toes?!

Abby

Photo by: Barbara Schnoor, Lakeland, Florida

Who needs couch cushions when you've got me?

Hannah

Photo by: Dot Folz, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania

That snow way to treat a cat!

Pink

Our snow storm voyager, Pink, here is returning for a cup of hot chocolate. You can kind of tell he was a lover and not a fighter. You can't tell he's 14. (That's 98 to you and me!) He would actually hide in boot impressions and jump out at the other cats when they played in the snow.

Photo by: Don Frame, Vineland, New Jersey

We are not amused.

Sassy

Photo by: Linda Bailes, Johnson City, Tennessee

Read the sign! The Princess is napping.

Ashley

Photo by: Darryl W. Boelling, Biddeford, Maine

"This is Ashley, the 'cat with attitude,' settling in for one of many of her daily naps on my granddaughter's bed. I'm sure she feels the pillow should read 'Queen' rather than Princess."

OK, you can make me dress like Britney Spears but I am NOT shaving my head!

Angel

Photo by: Nancy Ullrich, Duluth, Minnesota

"How can you resist these blue eyes?"

You're SO NOT coming into my clean kitchen after your nap!

Bailey

Photo by: Gladys & David Onsted, Sebring, Florida

"We live in Florida and when we brought plants and such inside due to impending hurricane this large topiary was brought in and Bailey decided she loved it. spent her days sleeping in the pot and then shedding dirt all over the house. She has her own blanket and lots of beds and furniture but the dirt in that pot was better for some reason."

Warm afghan, cool cats!

Paris and Beijing

Photo by: Carla Podzius, Stony Brook, New York

Yeah, she's cute and all but I'm tired of getting oats in the bed.

Mandy

Photo by: Nancy Bickford, Lexington, Kentucky

Not only is he my twin, he's also my best friend!

Cheezie

Photo by: Linda Dorman, Soldotna, Alaska

"My grandson was calling the cat yellow and cheese because of the coloring. So the cat ended up with the name 'Cheezie.'"

BFF: Best Friends Forever!

Weaver and Sonny

Photo by: Ron Hamann, Meridian, Idaho

"Our neighbor's cat, Sonny, always comes over to spend time with our dog. When we are gone Sonny will enter our house through the dog door and keep him company until we return."

The autographs, the flashbulbs. Sigh. No one understands just how difficult it is to be this cute!

Dixie Cat

Photo by: Lorianne Neal-Epperson, Omaha, Nebraska

Dixie is "...named so because she was given to me by my niece and nephew in Tuscaloosa, Alabama," says Lorianne. "While this photo was taken when she was a sweet young thing, she is now an active mouser and avid horse chaser on the family farm five years later."

Channeling my tiger roots

Rusters

Photo by: Joyce Hubler, Desert Hills, Arizona

Ooooh, yeah, that's the spot!

Sneezy

Photo by: Denise Fletcher, Madison, Wisconsin

"Sneezy belongs in AARP, he is 15 human years, which makes him 70 years old. He is the love of my life and best buddy."

Now if only Mickey could learn to put the toys away...

Mickey

Photo by: Joyce Ellis, Arlington, Texas

"As you can see, Mickey loves to crawl into cozy places, specially boxes that don't seem to be big enough. This box is used for our dog's toys so you can imagine the fun that was had after this photo was taken."

She didn't! Then what happened?

Chester

Photo by: Johns Pema, Natick, Massachusetts

"Chester has become accustomed to me chasing him around my apartment with my camera. Now he hardly blinks when the flash goes off. He has become quite a ham. When my daughter drops her cat, Smokey, off for a short stay, Chester grudgingly accepts him which results in more photo-ops."

OK, don't tell the dog, but you're too pretty for me to eat you.

JoeJoe

Photo by: Betty Bass, Slidell, Louisiana

I want permanent press please, and light on the starch this time, toots.

Zoey

Photo by: Becky Soto, Thousand Oaks, California

This is my cousin Shirley's cat Zoey. She jumped in the dryer after I took out my clothes because it was the warmest place in the house.

Please...I'm trying to get my beauty sleep!

Chico

Photo by: Jean Malone, Glendora, California

Why dogs have two legs in front and two in back.

Domino and Baillee

Photo by: Stephanie Keen, Gladstone, Missouri

Cat and mouse

Bait

Photo by: Judi Masters, Ft. Myers, Florida

Judi writes: "My cat's name is "BAIT" Now you probably wonder why name a cat like that. My husband and I live onboard our boat. I wanted a cat and he did not. So when I was actively begging for the cat at the animal shelter in Key Largo Florida, I told him if he let me take her home he could name her. So he bit and said if she doesn't behave onboard she will be bait. He also decided that "BAIT" would be a great choice for a name. There you have it. But, you may also be interested to know that he will never admit that he likes cats. In fact he professes to hate them. But guess who worries most when she can't be found. Cats have a way of endearing themselves to those who don't really want them. He cuddles, talks with, and loves that cat.

Moose?!? Truth in advertising...NOT!

Moose

Photo by: Eric Kraft

All paper and no present?!

Tiger

Photo by: Yvonne Deuell, Houston, Texas

What? So I overate a little during the holidays, big deal!

Toby

Photo by: Donna Sherven, Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin

"This is Toby, a feline with a real cattitude. He reigns as lord of the home, and we are all there to serve him whenever he's hungry, let him out when he wants, have a lap ready when he wants to nap, and walk around him if he is sitting right in your path. When he's chosen you as the lap of the hour, heaven forbid if you move around and disturb him! This is one of his favorite spots to sit, and a favorite sitting position, and he won't move for nobody, nohow!"

Bathing beauty

Howard

Photo by: Patricia LeMaire, St. Charles, Illinois

"In 15 minutes, I turn over and do the other side!"

Not exactly a page turner

Bo Kitty

Photo by: Dennis Taylor, Clay, New York

Dennis writes: "Bo usually falls asleep after reading only a few chapters in his favorite book."

I look so good on green!

Rusty

Photo by: David Spring, Clinton, Ohio

Gimme five for an awesome contest!

Samantha

Photo by: Penny Reese, Las Vegas, Nevada

After 13 weeks of beautiful, funny, strange, silly and heartwarming pet photos, our little contest is about to draw to a close. But although we are no longer accepting submissions, we still need your input! We'll be announcing our final Weekly Winner and the Grand Prize Winner next Wednesday, December 20. We'll be posting polls soon, but in the meantime visit all your favorites and comment, comment comment!

And we have great news--although the contest is over, we've decided to make pet photos a permanent addition to AARP.org. So after we all ring in the New Year, we'll also be posting new pet photos--so stay tuned! Thanks so much for a wonderful contest--and good luck to all the finalists!

Daily Winner, December 14

Meowy Christmas!

Simba

Photo by: Bob Garas, Clermont, Florida

Weekly Winner, Week 13
Daily Winner, December 12

Sometimes it's the little gestures that mean the most.

Gracie and Timmy

Photo by: Becky, Lexington, Texas

Becky writes, "My kitty 'Timmy' has since passed away but he and Gracie were such pals--always playing. He was my 'lap cat' for 12 years. He’s in a better place now but he sure is missed."

Do you have fond memories of a beloved pet who has passed away? Tell us in the "Comments" section below.

Daily Winner, December 7

A tisket, a tasket, fat cat in a basket

Sarge

Photo by: Janet Meeks, Katy, Texas

Paw-purr-ee selection, December 5

"Why I oughtta..." "Nyah nyah nyah!"

"T" and Louie

Photo by: Kris Hughes, Hampton, Virginia

Daily winner, December 4

Where are the fish?!

Trailer

Photo by: Sheri Innerarity, Smithville, Texas

Sheri notes that Trailer is "ancient" but that he can still balance nicely to get a cool drink!

Paw-purr-ee selection, November 30

FEEL the FURY that is FURBALL!!!

Furball

Photo by: Daisy Wohlford, Salinas, California

Weekly Winner, Week 11
Daily Winner, November 29

You Write the Caption!

Boo and squirrel

Photo by: Alyce Stewart, Valrico, Florida

Alyce says, "Boo kitty likes to sit on the windowsill. The squirrel thought it was a great time to tease him. To me it looks as though Boo is saying, 'Look Buddy, I'm the bouncer and you can't come in, I don't care who you say you know!'"

What does this photo say to YOU? Let us know by clicking the "Comments" link below.

Daily Winner, November 24

The singing lessons are really paying off!

Kira

Photo by: Joan Janswig, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

Says Joan, "She was caught while yawning, but it looks like she is singing. She was a darling little kitten who grew up to have four sons. They gave us hours of enjoyment watching their antics. One of her sons still lives with us, but he is now 15 years old. Another of her sons now lives with my brother."

Daily Winner, November 21

I thought I said "no calls!"

Bert and Ernie

Photo by: Diana Rhoads, Madison, Wisconsin

Says Diana, "While trying to make the bed, the cats decided it was time to snuggle!"

Daily Winner, November 9

I recommend tickling your prey before eviscerating them.

Zena

Photo by: Joy Leftow, New York, New York

Joy took in Zena when she noticed a homeless woman showing her to people. Zena was "only about 10 days to 2 weeks old, kind of looked like a little mouse." After nursing her to health, Joy gave Zena to "a nice Brazilian lady...who had left her kitty back home in Brazil with her mother." Joy named her Zena "because she was certainly a survivor and a warrior."

Daily Winner, November 8

You Write the Caption!

Rosie (and unnamed amphibian friend)

Photo by: Jeff Atchley, Collierville, Tennessee

We have fun writing the captions for these photos, but thought we'd let you have a try for this one! Share your ideas in our comments section below.

Weekly Winner, Week 8
Daily Winner, November 3

Meow-loween frights

Bud

Photo by: Nikki Allenberg, Sarver, Pennsylvania

Says Nikki, "This is my cat Bud. He's a black domestic medium hair and he's about 6 months old. In this picture, he's doing his version of a scary Halloween cat!

Weekly Winner, Week 7
Week 7 Daily Winner, October 31

HAPPY HALLOWEEN to all our PET PALS! Tonight, may your bowls be full of candy and may your owners not humiliate you in some stupid costume AGAIN! (But if they do, be sure and send us the picture!)

8-9-10...Ready or not, here I come!

Dewey

Photo by: Thomas Charles Coleman, Indianapolis, Indiana

Our apologies--our staff was in Anaheim meeting you, our fantastic AARP members, at the Life@50+ National Event, and computer access was minimal. We didn't forget you, however--here is the Daily Winner for last Friday, October 27. Monday's Daily Winner coming up, and today's too!

Week 7 Daily Winner, October 27

You interrupted our nap for a photo!?!

Split and Hurley

Photo by: Thea Tsurumoto, Concord, California

Cats may not do tricks, but they sure make great photo subjects!

Week 6 Daily Winner, October 24

Mmmm, mmmm, good!

Bruce, the corn-eating cat!

Photo by: John Phillipson, Des Moines, Iowa

Paw-purr-ee selection, October 21

Thank goodness for nine lives and kind souls!

Thomasina

Photo by: Deb Usmanu, Cohoes, New York

This story brought a tear to at least one judge's eye! Shares Deb, "Thomasina is a true story of what love can do. She is an elderly kitty who was found this past winter by roadmen frozen in a puddle of water. She had no home and suffers from severe diabetes and neuropathy from long term neglect. The roadmen pretty much gave her up for dead, but with the dedication of the staff of the Guilderland Animal Hospital, they pulled her through. I have been fortunate enough to have her in my life. When I saw her picture at the animal hospital I had to ask about her. They said she needed a home and my heart melted after hearing her story. With love and affection she has kept our hearts a glow. She enjoys supervising her other rescued brother and two sisters and never has to worry again about not being able to have sweet dreams and love. "

What a wonderful story!

Honorable Mention, Week 6
Week 6 Daily Winner, October 20

It's tough having a roommate from another species, but the rent can't be beat!

Simba (kitten) and Zorro (rabbit)

Photo by: Rachel Crown, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

"The kitten crawled in the cage by himself as the cage was opened for the rabbit to get his exercise!" says Rachel.

Daily Winner selection, October 19

That warm water feels gooood. Hey - wait a minute!

Mouse, Ziggy and Sophie

Photo by: Robin Wilson, Hawley, Pennsylvania

WHEN RACCOONS ATTACK! "Saint Robin" went to great lengths to rescues these sisters, now five months. Says Robin, "Their mom was rescued as she was giving birth to them and their two brothers, Jack and CB, from raccoons who were circling her. We brought her in, she had the kittens, and they have been in the house ever since. Mom has been spayed, judged healthy and has adapted to living with four senior cats. The babies are another story, but so far there have been no serious confrontations with the seniors. A good time is had by all!

Weekly Winner, Week 5
Daily Winner, October 18

Umm, actually, I believe I am allowed on the sofa. Right, Bruno?

Chessie

Photo by: Pat and Buck Buchanan, Fruita, Colorado

Pat writes, "This is Chessie. She was an only cat until Eleanor (cat) and Tango (dog) joined the household. She's still not fond of them, but likes the stuffed tiger on the couch."

Paw-purr-ee selection, October 16

You'll be so sorry you didn't invite me to the party!

Cricket

Photo by: Sally Wilson, Staunton, Virginia

According to Sally, "We were celebrating the Fourth of July with a huge backyard picnic. Cricket, an inside cat, was NOT happy!"

Daily Winner, October 12th.

Purrrr (snuggle). Purrr (snuggle). Purrr...

Stormy and Misty

Photo by: Barbara Searle, Fayetteville, NY

Barbara writes, "This is Stormy and Misty. They joined our family on July 12, 2006. They are from two different moms and about 3 weeks apart in age. They look very calm here but can sure stir things up when they are awake!"

Daily Winner, October 11

Since I got blue contact lenses, I see better and look cuter!

Squeaky

Photo by: Brenda Logue, Austin, Texas

Weekly Winner, Week 4
Daily Winner, October 10

I’ll never be bitter with a friend from my litter.

Impy and Sparks

Photo by: Laura and Mark Robichek, Sunnyvale, California

This one is painfully cute--it's as if the boys can't get enough paws around each other. The Robicheks write, "Impy and Sparks were are brothers that we adopted from an animal shelter. They couldn't be happier!"

Daily Winner, October 9

BFF: Best friends forever!

Portia and Jolly Rogers

Photo by: Brianna Ewert, Bradenton, Florida

Brianna writes, "This is a photo of two pets we adopted through rescue homes. Portia the American Bulldog takes care of, and tolerates Jolly Rogers’ surprise attacks. It is very common to find them resting together after a hard day of play. At this point we believe that Roger thinks he is a dog."

Paw-purr-ee selection, October 9

Pssst...cats rule, dogs drool!

Miss Molly and Cyrus

Photo by: Mignon Hogsed, Aiken, South Carolina

Says Mignon, "Miss Molly is a 12-week old kitten and Cyrus is a 7-year old Pit Bull. They are the best of buddies."

Paw-purr-ee selection, October 8

Morris just couldn't wait for AARP Life@50+ in Anaheim!

Morris

Photo by: Carol Saunders, Escalon, California

Carol says Morris has "attitude!" We think he just can't decide what's more humiliating--being forced to wear a hat, or being forced to wear a hat shaped like MOUSE ears!

Daily Winner, October 6

Spencer made sure to always brush his teeth before bed.

Spencer

Photo by: Tracey Jones, Chesapeake, Virginia

Says proud owner Tracey, "If AARP stood for retired pets Spencer would be a member. He is 15 1/2 years old. He knows the importance of drinking water to stay healthy!"

Daily Winner, October 5

On a 10-point cuteness scale, this is an 11!

Photo by: Susan Huffman, Science Hill, Kentucky

He's not heavy, he's my brother...and he is...and he is...and so forth and so on!

Paw-purr-ee selection, October 3

A close call!

Lizzie Pearl

Photo by: Diane Vasseur, Ocean Springs, Mississippi

Diane writes: Lizzie Pearl is a "nearly-starved stray we took in the day before Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She has a sweet personality and was a welcomed addition to our family."

Paw-purr-ee selection, October 2.

This is low-fat milk, right? Oh, who cares.

Cassie

Photo by: Judy Hallowell, Fort Worth, Texas

Once Cassie "took over" Judy's daughter's frappucino, "the cat had full control long enough that we took about ten photos. She had foam all over her nose before she was finished!"

Paw-purr-ee selection, September 28

I love the feel of the warm sun on my whiskers.

Toby

Photo by: Diane Mathieu, Falmouth, Maine

Says Diane, "Toby sometimes thinks he's a dog. He has protected my four children more than once and now takes care of our little dog. He is a remarkable and very beautiful kitty."

Honorable Mention, September 29
Daily Winner, September 26

Best friends forever!

Photo by: Ken and Valerie Greenfield, Bay City, Oregon

Paw-purr-ee selection September 24th.

Hmmm, let's see here. N-E-U-T-E-R...Oh no.

"Smarty Cat" Ernie

Photo by: Carolyn Davis, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Says Carolyn, "The love of reading is a value that everyone in our family shares, but we never dreamed that it extended to even the feline member of our family !"

DAILY WINNER September 21st.

I said kitty "litter," not "critter!"

Gwyndolyn (cat) and Rex (iguana)

Photo by: Meredith Alleruzzo, Pasadena, California

Says Meredith, "Gwyndolyn and Rex have made peace and found a way to live together. Rex's hobbies include cycling and computer programming. Gwyndolyn's hobbies are food, keeping out of Rex's sunspots on the floor, and speech/communications. They are sooo cute!"

Paw-purr-ee selection September 21st.

Who needs paws for pillows when you've got your sister?

Begonia and Mia

Photo by: Jane Tallman, Belington, West Virginia

"Cute as buttons, both of these rescued kittens bring joy to our lives," says Jane. Ours too!

Daily Winner on September 18th.