Cuddly kittens kissing by Christmas tree earn Ocala man viral fame

OCALA, Fla. – The internet really does love cats, and one Ocala man is finding out exactly how strong that love is after photos of his cuddly kittens went viral on Twitter.

James Cochran posted photos of his cats Louie and Luna canoodling by the Christmas tree on Saturday and they’ve since been liked more than 80,000 times and retweeted more than 50,000 times. Cochran said he’s been tweeting photos of the friendly felines since he got the pair about four months ago, but this particular snapshot managed to strike a chord online.

The viral fame was welcome, although unexpected. Cochran said he enjoys reading the funny comments from users who describe the cats as their relationship goal. That relatability is part of what Cochran thinks made the pictures so popular.

“I really like to see it since it’s not something negative, it’s bringing positivity… it makes me happy,” Cochran said. “I like to look through the comments and see what people have to say. “

The cats are also staying grounded given their newfound internet fame. Aside from the addition of a new cat tree, their day-to-day life hasn’t changed much.

Cochran said it was actually Cochran’s girlfriend, Lauren Sedner, who saw the kittens appearing to kiss, so with her cat-like reflexes, she quickly grabbed her cellphone and took the portrait.

“Right after we took those pictures, they started smacking ornaments off the tree,” Cochran said.

The moment was cute and candid, but Cochran said these types of displays of affection are common at his apartment. He said the cats — which are both about 6 months old and were adopted from the same rescue — constantly cuddle, sleep together and lick each other.

Louie, an orange tabby, and Luna, a brown tabby, came from different litters, but bonded right away. 

“They never have acted up against each other. They love each other,” Cochran said. “It’s pretty awesome; it’s kind of a brother-sister type of love. They were forced to live together and they embraced it.”

Both cats are fixed so don’t expect kittens any time soon, but fans can expect more cute cat pictures from Cochran’s Twitter, and it’s “a big potential” that the cats could have their own Instagram account in the future.