The U.S. military uses expertly trained dogs, or “battle buddies,” to help service members complete their overseas and combat missions. However, service members sometimes also befriend local stray animals during their deployments.

Many times those animals are stray cats. Such an incredible bond is established between stray cats and service members during deployment that Nowzad, an American non-profit operating in Afghanistan, goes to great lengths to reunite overseas cats (and dogs) with their American service member caretakers. 

As a tribute to the bonds between service members and their furry friends made during war and peace, we offer 19 cats and kittens in the helpful care of their service member heroes. 

 

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(photo: The Chive)

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(photo: The Chive)

(photo: Buzzfeed)

(photo: Buzzfeed)

(photo: Buzzfeed)

(photo: Buzzfeed)

(photo: Buzzfeed)

(photo: Buzzfeed)

(photo: ThisBlogRules.com)

(photo: ThisBlogRules.com)

(photo: nsmbl.nl)

(photo: nsmbl.nl)

(photo: LiftBump)

(photo: LiftBump)

(photo: LiftBump)

(photo: LiftBump)

(photo: LiftBump)

(photo: LiftBump)

(photo: nsmbl.nl)

(photo: nsmbl.nl)

(photo: nsmbl.nl)

(photo: nsmbl.nl)

(photo: vfl.ru)

(photo: vfl.ru)

(photo: Buzzfeed)

(photo: Buzzfeed)

(photo: Buzzfeed)

(photo: Buzzfeed)

(photo: nsmbl.nl)

(photo: nsmbl.nl)

(photo: nsmbl.nl)

(photo: nsmbl.nl)