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Animal lovers have been known to throw birthday parties for their pets, but one North Carolina family hosted a particularly spectacular soiree in honor of their cat’s milestone birthday.
Luna, an adorable orange tabby , recently turned 15 years old. Her owners felt that the beloved pet needed an extra-special celebration and decided to throw her an extravagant quinceañera.
And they certainly committed to the theme: Luna was all dressed up in a fluffy pink dress and tiara, and their home was decked out in all-pink decorations.
Birthday girl! Luna the cat recently turned 15 years old, and to celebrate, her family threw her a fun-filled quinceañera
A special celebration: A quinceañera is a Latin tradition that occurs on a girl’s fifteenth birthday, and marks her transition from girlhood to womanhood
All out! The Olavarria family decided to throw a blowout bash for Luna, and began planning a week in advance
A quinceañera is traditionally a huge fifteenth birthday party, not dissimilar to a Sweet 16.
Celebrated in Latin America — and by American with Latin American roots — the parties are typically huge family affairs, where the birthday girl gets dressed up in a pretty princess dress.
However, the celebrants are typically human.
Luna’s owner, Brigitte Olavarria, said that her mother Maritza was largely responsible for the over-the-top festivities for the cat’s big birthday.
Maritza began planning the party a week in advance, and sent out the invitations to close friends and family.
When it came to the decorations, Maritza went a decidedly feminine route and opted for all-pink-everything, including a particularly precious cat dress featuring lace and pearl detailing.
Fit for a princess: Luna showed up to her special day decked out in a cute pink dress and crown that is actually a Christmas ornament
Girl’s night: When it came to decorations, the Olavarria family opted for a girly, sparkly pink color scheme
A royal feast: While human guests enjoyed tres leches cake, Luna got her own special can of tuna
Instead of the tiara that many young women wear for their quinceañeras, Maritza headed to Wal-Mart, where she found a crown-shaped Christmas ornament that just to happened to be perfectly Luna-sized.
‘Luna seemed to really enjoy it,’ Brigitte told HuffPost. ‘She was such a good sport during the whole celebration. I think she was happy to see our family together.’
The party’s 12 guests enjoyed a delicious tres leches cake from the family’s favorite bakery, and Luna got her own can of tuna.
‘Her eyes really lit up when we opened that can of tuna,’ Brigitte said. ‘She loses her mind over tuna.’
Raging! Luna’s bash had 12 people in attendance, which is surely more than some humans can say of their own birthday parties
Beauty at any age: Though Luna turning 15 means she has entered the ‘geriatric’ phase of her life, she still appears as sweet and spry as ever
See you next year? Owner Brigitte said she has already begun planning Luna’s ‘sweet sixteen’ for next year
Throwing a traditional quinceañera for a pet cat to celebrate her fifteenth birthday sounds like a unique and festive way for a family to show their love and appreciation for their furry friend. While I don’t have specific details about this particular cat’s quinceañera, it’s heartwarming to hear about the efforts made to mark such a milestone in a beloved pet’s life.
Quinceañera celebrations are traditionally held to commemorate a girl’s transition into womanhood in many Latin American cultures. They often involve dressing up, music, dancing, and joyful festivities. Adapting this tradition to celebrate a pet cat’s milestone birthday is a creative and fun way for the family to express their affection and create lasting memories.
Cat-lovers around the world were thrilled when Luna’s party pictures turned up on Reddit earlier this week.
‘This looks nicer than my birthday parties,’ said one response. Another admitted, ‘I aspire to be this extra for my cat’s birthday. I love it.’
According to the International Cat Care organization, a 15-year-old cat has officially entered their ‘geriatric’ years. Despite Luna’s advanced age, the Olavarria family said they are already preparing for next year’s bash.
‘We’re thinking about throwing her a sweet 16,’ Brigitte said. ‘Every additional year we get with our precious Luna deserves to be celebrated!’ After all, Luna is ‘not just an ordinary cat,’ but a ‘member of our family’.
