Well hello there and a happy December 25th! What’s so special about today, you ask? It’s the day we publish fluffy cuties to warm your hearts and eyeballs.

Thank you for being an A+ member. We hope you’ve enjoyed the 13 Days of A+ so far. If you’re counting right now, you’ll realize there is actually a 14th tomorrow, which will be the culmination of Sally’s Back to the Queer Future puzzle series. Catch that post to solve them all! (Or most if you’re like our A+ Director, Nicole.)

We’ve made it through the year because people like you have continuously stepped up to keep this indie queer media space around. You are the reason for the season and we hope you won’t forget it!

Peggy

Sally: This is Peggy (she/they) aka Young Peggers, Pegalino, Pegstrøm, Pegsome One, Pegface, Bitey McBiteface, Active Junior, What’s In Your Mouth, Chong Bao (literally: spoiled bun).

Likes: dairy products, cake, sweet potatoes, all snacks, things that squeak, country lesbian activities, being cozy, hiding things badly, a zero-day work week, splooting, performing unsolicited tricks, watching telly, going for drives (in theory).

Dislikes: cows, guitars, bodies of water larger than a puddle, nail trims, Miniature Schnauzers, going for drives (in practice)

Here is Peggy in her green festive jumper in front of our brand new fire, looking a little pensive.

Winona Forever

Laneia: This is Winona Forever (she/her) AKA Nona, Nones, Mona, Pomona, Momona, Pritz, Pigeon/Rabbit/Shrimp/Anne Bancroft in a Cat Suit.

Likes: Shrimpy Shrimp flavored treats, belly rubs (this is a secret), asking for popcorn, sitting in front of mirrors, pretending like she’s about to lick her butt when she’s actually just thinking her little thoughts and wants to look busy.

Dislikes: almost everyone but especially strangers walking toward the front door, fresh fish or wet cat food, being picked up.

Winona Forever lies in a cozy, fluffy bed while sunlight streams into her home.

Cindy

Ro: This is Cindy (she/her) aka Cindra Elaine aka Cindy the Sloth

Likes: New Girl, Halloween, wearing seasonally-appropriate outfits, planning her future as a Radio City Rockette

Dislikes: deadlines, staying up late

Here are two photos of Cindy side by side. On the left, Cindy is summoning the devil in her witch costume. On the right, Cindy is preparing for a Very Important Meeting.

Brady

Meg: This is Brady (he/him)], also known as Monster, Buddy, and Ears.

Loves hiking, cheese, chicken, being tucked under a cozy blanket for naps, and his fancy red scarf.

Loathes his winter booties, the vacuum cleaner, and his younger sister, a demon of a Frenchie named Mochi.

My sweet boy now lives in Maine with my ex-husband (along with his girlfriend and her two dogs), who sent me this photo of Brady in his favorite position: head on a soft pillow, buried under blankets, no puppies in sight. He’s spoiled beyond reason and I miss him a lot.

Whitey

Casey: This is Whitey (she/her). Also known as: pooch, princess pooch, Whitey boo, poochness, poocheena, poocharoon, Whitina, Blancita, Blanchette.

Likes: pretty much all food, especially of the human and crunchy variety; cuddles; forest walks; treating anything remotely soft that’s on the floor as a new bed made especially for her; her family; being treated like the princess she is.

Dislikes: spinach; avocado; the vet; being cold; being given her senior dog medicine; not being treated like the princess she is.

Whitey having eaten some snow in our backyard after last year’s first snow.

Edmond and Lyo

Himani: This is Edmond (he/him) AKA Edmond Dantès AKA The Count of Monte Cristo AKA Eyebooger Edmond.

Likes: Oil + carbs, like a creature after my own heart, and anything green.

Dislikes: Getting his ears cleaned and burying his business in the litterbox.

And also this is Lyo (pronounced like “Leo”, he/him) AKA Wiggly Butt AKA “The Asshole Cat Lyo” when he pees somewhere he isn’t supposed to (I am the only person in the world allowed to call him that).

Likes: Soft blankets, eating plastic and destuffing my comforter.

Dislikes: Being left alone and strangers.

Edmond, a tuxedo cat with a couple of white tears in his tuxedo on the back, and Lyo, a black and brown tabby, sit side by side on a black chair, looking out the window, which looks onto the wrought-iron rungs of a fire escape with a magnolia tree in the background.

Malcolm

Abeni: This is Malcolm (he/they).

Likes: butter, sleeping, loudly letting me know he needs to come in or go outside ONLY during my Zoom meetings and no other time.

Dislikes: the other cats in the courtyard.

Malcolm, an orange Siberian mix, laying with his head tucked all the way down under his very fluffy fur and tail, doing his best to be completely round. The roundness is astonishing! He is just the roundest boy.

Carol

Riese: This is Carol (she/her) AKA Tiny Dog AKA The Tiniest Dog AKA My Tiniest Friend.

Likes: me, when people come over to the home, underground parking garages, meat, whatever is going on under the bed

Dislikes: when she passes by people on the street, water, toys, other dogs, squirrels.

Carol, a beautiful perfect chihuahua, stretches atop her personal mustard-colored blanket, draped on a blue velvet couch.

Sage

Ryan: This is Sage (she/her). Bear. Little Bear. Small Bear. Pretty Bear or Stinky Bear (circumstantial).

Likes: napping on fresh human pillows, napping in not-fresh human laundry, snacks, screaming as if being murdered when anyone turns on the shower or washing machine, her best human friends and how they come over just to see her, sniff walks.

Dislikes: alone time, getting her paws wet, skateboard- and luggage-wheel noises, when her ball goes under the couch, stairs, the television, any dog who has to walk near her windows, highway driving.

Sage, a small red bear, curls up on the couch.

Mya

Nicole: Mya (she/her). AKA Madame Floof. Moo. Moo Bear. Mya Moo. Lady Pouts. Princess Paws. Princess Pouty Paws. Noodle Bear. Mya Bear. Hair Bear. Little Bear Who Is Made of Science. Lady Cross-Paws.

Likes: Treats — but only the junkie kind, [eating]snow, pets from humans at the dog park, adventures, the water bowl being held for her so she can drink while reclining in bed, trying to get deer to play with her, dramatically stomping her paws for attention, parties.

Dislikes: Rainy days, people who ignore her.

Here is Mya in an outtake from the Nicole-Sadie-Mya-household 2020 Christmas card photo shoot, hating being photographed, looking distressed by the whole situation even though she LOVES SNOW.

Quasar, Dobby, Socks, and Beth March

Heather: This is Quasar (she/her) AKA Beany, Queen Bean, Quabop.

Quasar loves her mom Stacy more than literally anything on the earth and would spend every second in her lap if she could. She also loves: to eat, paper (especially receipts), her heated bed, chasing hair ties, hide-and-seek, and Nina Simone on vinyl.

Dislikes: All other cats, thunder, fireworks, and the sound of street construction.

Quasar, an orange and white striped cat with a rusty-colored nose splotch, lounges inside a circus-colored cat tunnel.

Dobby (he/him) AKA Vampire Bip, Blobby, Soot Sprite, Void, and for some reason everyone at the vet pronounces his name like Dough-Bee.

Loves: His candy corn tent, playing with toys on strings, catnip, open windows, pets with a glove brush, tweeting from Autostraddle’s account, screaming about and eating CHICKEN, playing catch, and trucks.

Dislikes: Socks (the cat).

Dobby, an all-black cat with giant green eyes, sits inside a cat tent shaped like a candy corn on top of a white fuzzy blanket on top of a grey chair in the living room.

Socks (he/him) AKA Sea Salt Prince, Samuel, Sammy, Sam-a-lama-ding-dong, Smoochy Wow-Wow.

Loves: Everyone and everything.

Dislikes: Not being the center of attention and also the voices of the characters in Animal Crossing, especially KK Slider.

Socks, a grey and white-striped tabby, relaxes inside a heated cat bed that is too small for his giant body.

Beth March (she/her) AKA Bethany, Beebo, Bridge Troll.

Loves: To sleep on me, the top level of all cat trees, toys that make crinkly sounds, chin scritches and nose pets, baby talk, sitting directly in front of the TV, wearing little cat clothes, alone time.

Dislikes: Every person on earth who is not her moms or Valerie Anne.

Beth March, a tiny all-black cat, lays on top of Heather’s chest, tucked under her chin, as she plays her Nintendo switch on the couch.

Winnie

Carmen: This is Winnie-the-Pooh (he/them/Pooh) aka My Best Friend since childhood

Likes: honey, watching me sleep from the corner of my bedroom, cuddles and sharing secrets.

Dislikes: when I leave for long trips and he can’t see me for long periods of time, also dislikes sadness and bees.

Winnie-the-Pooh and Carmen are matching in yellow and Carmen holds Winnie while making a kissy face at the camera.

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