This was telling:
Title: THEM CATS in “MY GIRL”
Caption:
- It was Jessica’s* birthday yesterday.
ME CAT -
“You know, my girlfriend.”
THERAPIST CAT -
“Oh? You hardly mention her.”
ME CAT -
“She’s my girl, who’s a friend.”
ME CAT (continued) -
“But!”
THERAPIST CAT (thinking) -
“There’s always a but…”
ME CAT -
“I wanna break up with her!”
To be continued…
*Name changed to protect the innocent.
Breaking up is hard to do
On July 7th, 2025 I broke up with someone who I wasn’t emotionally invested in. Before I had the gumption to call her, I wrote “My Girl” to help me through intense guilt. I didn't want to spend another day in emotional suspension. I got a sign--someone else on a dating app liked me. And, I didn't know what would happen. All I knew is that I was drawn to the other person. I was in a polyamorous relationship to begin with. I met Jessica in October. February, she asked if we we were girlfriends and I went along with it. Jessica has a live-in nesting partner. Over time, I increasingly didn't find it fit my needs. And, what was I doing for Jessica? Nothing. More importantly what was I doing for myself? Earlier in the month, I told Jessica that I prioritize my relationships. She replied, “There’s no need to prioritize.” Huh? What did she mean? I know she was trying to be nice, but, that stuck with me. Over time, it became harder to communicate, harder to feel close. I carried a lot of grief and guilt, and I started to wonder if all of it was mine to carry. THEM CATS is really me talking to myself. When I tell the THERAPIST CAT I want to break up, I’m naming a truth I’ve been avoiding: that I’ve had enough of a dynamic that feels confusing, maybe even quietly manipulative. I have no one to blame in Jessica. Intentionally or not, I didn't feel I could participate in her life. I learn so much from polyamorous relationships. I learned communication. In being direct, I got clear. And, clearly, I need more connection. That's not a bad thing. Clarity is a kindness. When we "manifest" people in our lives, we often hear the person had to clear space in order for someone new to exist. And here we are. Someone new has emerged, and I'd say that's me.
Design Quirks of THEM CATS
I started coloring “My Girl,” I knew the colors had to feel off when I changed ME CAT (usually yellow). By the way, THEM CATS are never green, but wow, lime green and orange creamsicle look a little vomit tinged with a little tension. These cats aren’t meant to be cute. In exchange for going for perfectly cute, they’re emotionally honest. The visual discomfort mirrors the internal one: it’s that moment when you realize a relationship isn’t serving you anymore, and you’re finally ready to name it.
What surprised me was what came after. Releasing that emotional baggage—saying “I wanna break up with her” out loud, even in comic form—created space. And, in that space, something miraculous happened: someone new entered my life. Not as a replacement, but as a reflection of clarity, of choosing myself first.
This comic is about the quiet power of letting go, and the design reflects that—awkward, bold, and a little raw. It cuts the bullshit. Just like the truth.
The Post Script
VISUAL LIQUID MEGAZINE is a feminist-forward lifestyle and poetry/art/photography publication. We spotlight creative outliers—rebels, renaissance femmes, BIPOC, Queer/LGBTQIA+, disabled, and aged artists—who shape culture from the margins.NEW WEBSITE
THEMCATS.COM — The therapeutic comic about two nameless, non-binary cats in ongoing therapy sessions now lives at its own domain.Born from a strange dream in April 2020, these pointy-eared, fat-nosed cats transformed into the visual language millions didn't know they needed to process their deepest pain and healing. Until now.
THEM CATS
Two nameless, non-binary cats in therapy. Born from a surreal dream in 2020. Drawn from thirty-eight years of healing conversations. Published every Thursday at 6 AM PST on Visual Liquid Megazine and THEMCATS.com.
