Every time an enormously overweight cat tries to squeeze into a shoebox half its size, a star is born. And every star needs a red carpet. That's why there's the Just for Cats Film Festival, which visited Toronto's TIFF Bell Lightbox on April 17. A film festival devoted to Internet cat videos—especially one that involves  cat's ears headbands and a leotard-clad man demonstrating his best cattitude— might seem like a novelty. But Just for Cats, a Canadian Federation of Humane Societies event sponsored by Temptations that's now in its third year internationally and second year here in Canada, has proven those often grainy and sometimes distorted kitty clips have long-term appeal . Internet cat videos have transcended the trendy to become a full-fledged phenomenon—and one that’s likely here to stay. No one's immune to it, either. In true feline form, looking away isn’t going to keep Internet cats at bay. Any true cat enthusiast knows that they thrive on apathy. Averting your gaze will only put a target on your back—or your lap—and those very cats you’re trying to avoid will gravitate toward you like cat fur to your freshly laundered clothing . The festival’s name likens the event to a comedy festival (Just for Laughs), but there’s more to Just for Cats than laughing with (or at) our furry friends. Yes, cat videos are humorous, but the 2015 festival proved that felines aren’t revered by their human companions simply because they make us chuckle. Based on 2014's reel—which included fan favourites such as the Roomba shark, Maru, Dear Diary—one might have expected to be treated to videos like the popular and oh-so-funny Patty-Cake Cats. Instead, this year’s compilation of clips offered a deeper glimpse into what makes feline nature so unique. It was a touching, awe-inspiring selection of videos that moved me to hug my cats a little tighter when I got home that night—and here's why. 1. Cats try, try again. [HTML1] 2. Cats clean up after themselves. [HTML2] 3. Cats defy the laws of physics…almost. [HTML3] 4. Anything dogs can do, cats can do better. [HTML4] 5. Cats make you feel loved. [HTML5] 6. Cats will go to bat for you. [HTML7] 7. Cats help humans be, well, better humans. [HTML6] Photography by Aimee Nishitoba