Kittens are nature’s Valentines. Yes, it’s true—I’m a cat-lover. America may be a nation of dog-lovers, but it’s clear to anyone with an Internet connection that our feline companions are favored throughout the world. After all, Bouvier des Flandres macros haven’t exactly taken off. I’m not sure why I love cats so much. It could be that I have cat’s eyes. Or that I’m a Leo. Or the fact that I have a calico beard. Or that the letters of my name can be neatly rearranged to spell “Lyoncat.” Whatever it is, I’m sure I don’t mind. I’ve lived with more than a couple dozen cats in my life, and they all have one thing in common: they rarely treat humans as superiors. And why should they? Unlike dogs, cats are able to care for themselves. If you lock a cat in a room for a week, she’ll find a way to pick the lock and raid your refrigerator. And then she’ll cough up a hairball on your toothbrush, assuming she doesn’t kill you in your sleep first. Dogs are more intelligent than many people think, but if cats had opposable thumbs they’d rule the world. And believe me, the kitty police would be armed with giant water pistols. So, dear reader, I give you a trifling collection that any cat-lover should enjoy: 57 Tracks to Make You Pounce and Keep You Begging for Morris, Part 1.

Unknown - “Cutiecat” / David Stout Quartet - Whisper: The String Quartet Tribute to the Cure  - “The Lovecats” / Noreen Corcoran - “Love Kitten” / Fats Waller - “Kitten on the Keys” / Del McCoury - “Nashville Cats” / The Pogues - “Wild Cats of Kilkenny” / Harold Shutter & His Rocats - “Rock and Roll Mister Moon” / Jungle Cats - “Vai” / The Ink Spots - “That Cat is High” / Ruth White - “The Cat” / Moondog - “Big Cat” / Howard Chandler - “Wampus Cat” / Lalman Maharaj - “Cat Lick de Butter” / Fantastic Everlasting Gobstopper - “I am a Kitten” / Husky Rescue - “Sweet Little Kitten” / Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet - “The Cat Came Back” / Emmy Oro - “A Fish House Function (For a Cross Eyed Cat Named Sam)” / Andre Williams - “Sweet Little Pussycat” / Muddy Waters - “Tom Cat” / The Miller Sisters - “Ten Cats Down” / Slum Village - “Fat Cat Song (Remix)” / Quasimoto - “Rappcats” / The Neptunes & Super Cat - “Put dat Ting Pon Dem” / DBA, Kurupt & WC - “Fa Shiesty Cats” / Hell Razah & Jenny Frost - “Here Kitty Kitty” / MC Tati Quebra vs. MC Catra - “Unknown” / The Cramps - “Psycho Cat” / Messer Chups - “Cat Religion” / The Sting-Rays - “Catman” / Dinosaur Jr. - “Cats in a Bowl” / The Cool Cats - “Goin’ Home to My Old Used to Be” / Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats (Ike Turner & the Kings of Rhythm) - “Rocket 88” / Rufus Thomas - “Bear Cat” / The New York Dolls - “Courageous Cat Theme” / Josie & the Pussycats - “Stop, Look and Listen” / The Jimi Hendrix Experience - “Catfish Blues” / The Pussycats - “The Rider” / Broadcast - “Black Cat” / Sun City Girls - “That Black Cat Glow” / Gentle Giant - “Black Cat” / DEVO - “Pink Pussycat (Demo)” / The Nitecats - “Jungle” / Cat’s Miaow - “The Other Way” / Shelly Palmer - “Meow Mix Jingle” / King Crimson - “Cat Food” / Adrian Belew - “Big Electric Cat” / (The) Cream - “Cat’s Squirrel” / The Scorpions - “Hell Cat” / Getto Kitty - “Stand Up and Be Counted” / Bruce Haack - “Catfish” / Momus - “I am a Kitten” / The Syndicats - “Crawdaddy Simone” / Eddie Osbourne - “Kitten on the Keys” / Cat - “Meow” / Stuart Robertson & Orchestra - “The Owl and the Pussycat” / The Cure - “All Cats are Grey” / Phil Harris & Scatman Crothers - “Ev’rybody Wants to be a Cat”