Illustrator draws hilarious cartoons of her 'two cheeky cats'

Vernessa Himmler is an illustrator, sand artist and freelancer. She has worked as a freelance artist since 2013 and received her master's degree from Hamburg (Germany) University of Applied Science's design department. One of her most recent projects – and most popular – is the cartoon she draws about her cats.

Himmler has two cats, Mikosch and Koschka. Both were adopted from an animal shelter, and both perfectly encapsulate the simultaneous sweetness and craziness with which all cat owners are familiar. Some of Himmler's comics can be found below.

Himmler jokes that cats "have the cute appeal of resembling stuffed animals, but ask any cat owner what it's like to own one of these adorable creatures and they will tell you the reality is not always so cuddly." Her comics hilariously juxtapose the desire to love and fawn over the cuteness of one's pet while simultaneously becoming frustrated with their awful habits.

Both of Himmler's cats are white, which can sometimes make it difficult to tell them apart. But often in the comic, she refers to them by name. This helps fans tell them apart as well as adding a layer of realism to her art, giving the sense that most – or all – of the things she draws have really happened at one time or another.

Himmler started creating and sharing her cat comics on Instagram as a fun way to show people what it's like to live as a "crazy cat lady." Although she gets frustrated with her pets, the comics also depict a lot of love. "My favorite thing about cats," she says, "is the moment when they want your attention ... it makes you extremely happy when they [choose] to come to you on their own."

Himmler hopes her comics remind people of their own experiences with their pets. She works to capture all the lovely and frustrating moments so fans can laugh, nod their heads and relate to everything she shares. "While my comics depict the headaches cats can bring, they are still such wonderful pets," she says.

In addition to making her readers laugh, Himmler wants them to acknowledge that cats run the show. In describing her work, she reminds readers of the old, pet lovers adage, "You don't own your cat, your cat owns you!"