We’ve laughed, been amazed and even cried at some of this year’s viral animal videos. As 2014 comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at some of our favorites, including clips that had an astronomical number of views on YouTube and others that we thought were particularly memorable. We wanted to be sure to include a mix of entries for cat lovers and dog lovers — and who could leave out the hamsters?

We’ll confess: one of our favorite parts of coming up with this list was that it was the perfect excuse to watch all of these videos again! It wasn’t easy, but we’ve narrowed down the contenders to our top five for 2014 in the countdown below. Take a look, then let us know in the comments section what you would have put on the list!

5. "Paper Cat"

It’s hard to explain the fascination with "Paper Cat." It’s just a cute cat playing with a piece of paper, but it’s mesmerizing. And we’re not alone in loving this: The video has been watched 2 million times since November.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsCLxfFd6KU

4. Tiny Hamster

Surely you’ve seen Tiny Hamster this year. It all started when his chef set the table for him to eat a tiny burrito off a tiny plate. What could be cuter than that? The video of this little guy’s carefully prepared meal has more than 9 million views — and the hamster went on to enjoy more scrumptious dishes this year, including a Thanksgiving feast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOCtdw9FG-s

3. Magic for Dogs

Finnish magician and mentalist Jose Ahonen leaves dogs baffled when he makes treats disappear before their eyes in this hysterical video. Even their expert canine noses are stumped by his trick. But don’t worry — all of the stars of the video got treats before and after they were tricked. This clip has racked up more than 15 million views.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEQXeLjY9ak

2. "Puppy Love"

This Budweiser Super Bowl spot, which has more than 54 million views, featured an adorable yellow Labrador Retriever puppy who has a sweet relationship with a Clydesdale. Their owners can’t seem to keep the pair apart. This one will make you tear up.
https://youtu.be/uQB7QRyF4p4

1. Mutant Giant Spider Dog

You’ll need tissues for this one, too — but it’s because you’ll be laughing so hard. This dog in a giant spider costume managed to freak out everyone he encountered for a prank — and the video of their reactions became YouTube’s top trending video of 2014, with a whopping 118 million views.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoB8t0B4jx4&index=1&list=PLSTz8jpJdr5qSwmFacIKS8vEftrqAFQj_More on Vetstreet.com: