First, let's be honest with ourselves: 2010 was not the year for cats that 2009 was. But a cat's work must continue, with or without the fickle approval of cat pundits like myself. These have been the finest examples of that work in 2010.

30: Air-Suckling Cat Would that all of us were so unfazed by the lamentable absence of teats in our immediate vicinity.

29. Pervert Cat It is not a cat's lot to be restrained by the dual shackles of decorum and inhibition. It is a cat's lot to stare, when staring is enjoined. To act, when action is required. And to appreciate the gifts that God has given.

28. Curry-Loving Cat "The love of curry is best expressed physically. Not by eating it, as the uninitiated believe, but by immersing yourself in it. By becoming one with the curry."

-This cat

27. iPad Cat In 2010, Iggy played with an iPad. And the universe held its breath.

26. Cat Lassie Running for help in a crisis is both the charitable and the practical thing to do. But is it art? Cat Lassie thinks not.

25. Robert Cattinson Twilight enthusiasts like to talk about something called "The Jacob Team" and "The Edward Team" - which you won't understand if you are not a gonzo Twilight fan like I am.

But the point of all this is that regardless of which swamp monster you align yourself with, pretty much everybody is Team Robert Cattinson. That is the point of all this, I think.

24. Hidden Kitten Sometimes there's nothing for it but to bury yourself in a large pile of moving fur and hope for the best.

23. Fear Of Intimacy Kitten It's not so much the fear of intimate contact in and of itself; it is a sort of horror attendant upon the act of self-abnegation required to lose yourself completely in an embrace from the "other".

22. Teacup Kitten It is often said that "a teacup is the last resort of a tired kitten," but in all honesty, who are we to judge?

21. Duck Hunt Kitten The tenacity and perseverance of this young cat in the face of a pernicious and all too familiar enemy (specifically, the smug dog from Duck Hunt) provided one of the few bright spots during a very difficult year, this year.

20. Catman Catman never asked for our love and approval. He merely went about the quiet business of making the world a better, safer place, with one leg raised proudly behind his fuzzy little head.

19. Cat Confused By The Size Of His Own Head But more importantly, which of hasn't, at one point or another, been confused by the size of our own heads? Metaphorically speaking. We are all this cat.

18. Staticky Cat Vs. Balloon 2010 was a year when all of us struggled with our own "Staticky Balloons," whether they were financial woes, political upheaval, or just general directionlessness as a world community.

Viewed from that perspective, this piece is perhaps one of the most profound statements about that particular aspect of the social condition ever created.

17. Cat On A Cat A cat is a cat is a cat. But a cat on a cat is something else. Something wonderful.

16. Gator Cat Have you ever wondered why this planet is largely controlled by pathetic, scrawny skin creatures instead of by terrifying lizard monsters with sharp teeth? It is because of people like this cat. You're welcome.

15. Overprotective Cat Thanks largely to the valiant efforts of Overprotective Cat, our children were safe from the scourge of evil babysitters that threatened the fragile peace of our Union this year.

14. Rickroll Cat Trying to Rickroll cats is like trying to win a staring contest with them. They will defeat you every time with the sheer, brutal power of their contempt.

13. Penguin Cat You: "Your wings are merely vans to beat the air, Penguin Cat. You will ever be flightless."

Penguin Cat: "But my soul soars, dear friend. My soul soars."

12. Orange Juice Cat If there was ever a year for falling asleep in your orange juice, this was a year for falling asleep in your orange juice. And snoring to wake the dead.

11. The Cat In This Photo Such a nice cat.

And Now For The Big Guns ...

10. Hermes If Hermes were granted one wish, he would wish to be thrown onto the bed. If he were granted three wishes, he would wish to be thrown onto the bed three times. There is something heartbreakingly beautiful about that.

9. Cat Hugging His Teddy Bear A hug, a squeeze, and a wink, and a legend was born.

8. Baby-Wrestling Cat Footage of this intense battle from earlier in the century emerged a few months ago, allowing us to catch a glimpse into the seedy but fascinating world of cat/baby fighting rings.

7. Existential Birthday Cat "Each passing day takes us a day further from our innocence. A birthday is a milemarker along the long, abandoned road toward oblivion."

-This cat

6. Ikea Cats Who could have predicted that the release of 100 British cats inside a Swedish furniture emporium would be one of the defining events of the first decade of the second millennium of the common era?

5. Kitten With A Tiny Hat This video has everything: High fashion, sublime beauty, and insane, jealous rage. Tiny Hat Kitten and Speedo was a parable that made us all better people this year.

4. Kittens On A Slide My God, these kittens on a slide. Slide Kittens. Just the best. The very best kittens of all.

3. OMG Cat OMG cat has since recovered from his dislocated jaw, but our lives will never be the same.

2. Standing Cat "Here I stand, and I can do no other." And we all stand with him, looking to the horizon for a better future. Or a squirrel, probably.