Grumpy Cat & Cat Videos Collide At The Friskies 2013 Video Awards

I met Grumpy Cat!

Last night I had the honor of attending The Friskies, an award show dedicated to honoring the best new internet cat videos of the year. Host Michael Ian Black, along with special guests Angela Kinsey, Henri, le Chat Noir creator Will Braden, and Mick Szydlowski (Oskar the Blind Cat's human), presented golden catuettes and $25,000 in cash prizes to four lucky winners -- Oh yeah, and I met Grumpy Cat, too!



The celebration was held at Arena in New York City, an event space just outside of Times Square. 

As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by colorful flower arrangements on every table, accented with felt kitty toys and pictures of the night's lifetime achievement award recipient, Grumpy Cat. 

I was thrilled to finally meet Henri, le Chat Noir creator, Will Braden!

Not to brag (I am totally bragging), but I was beyond excited to mix and mingle with some of the biggest names in the cat world, including Will Braden, creator of the brilliant Henri, le Chat Noir videos. Braden, who traveled (sans Henri) to the show from Seattle, couldn't have been nicer (and no, he isn't really French!).

The Friskies winners posed alongside Michael Ian Black, Tabatha Bundesen & Grumpy Cat, and Angela Kinsey.

I also had the pleasure of meeting host Michael Ian Black. I introduced myself as a "cat blogger and big fan," to which he thanked me and shook my hand before posing for a pic. Black killed it in his duties as the night's emcee, and even referenced his kitty Alfalfa, who was surely watching back at home.

Grumpy Cat's owner, Tabatha Bundesen, was always by her side making sure she was happy and comfortable.

And then there was Grumpy Cat. I could barely sleep last night because I was still so excited from meeting her! I don't know how else to put it, except to say that she is even tinier and more precious in person. 

Catventure category winner Joanne McGonagle, with her husband Paul and their catuette.

Of course, no cat event would be complete without my fellow cat bloggers, Tamar Arslanian from I Have Cat, Robin Olson of Covered in Cat Hair, and Layla Morgan Wilde from Cat Wisdom 101. We were all very proud when our friend, Joanne McGonagle of The Tiniest Tiger, accepted an award in the Catventure category for "The Tiniest Tiger's Snow Adventure." The video starred her beloved kitty, Gracey, who sadly passed away in May, and the honor was a fitting tribute to her legacy.


I was also very excited to meet Rita (and her mom, who took this pic!), who was one of my ticket giveaway winners!

Thank you again to Friskies for inviting me to take part in the biggest cat-stravaganza of the year! It was fun finally meeting some of the famous faces (human and feline) that I've been blogging about for so long, and I will never get over the fact that I got to hold Grumpy Cat!

I shall never be grumpy again.

In case you missed it, you can catch the recorded live stream of the show at thefriskies.com.

Grumpy Cat & Cat Videos Collide At The Friskies 2013 Video Awards

PetSafe 2013 Paw Print Blogger Summit

Welcome Bloggers!

Last week, I was away in beautiful Knoxville, Tennessee courtesy of the wonderful folks at PetSafe! They generously invited me and eleven other pet bloggers from across the country to visit their headquarters, meet their team, and learn more about their innovative products.


Arriving at the Knoxville airport. We're definitely not in NJ anymore!

While the company is better known for their fido friendly items -- including the Invisible Fence -- on the kitty side, you might be familiar with their beautiful Drinkwell fountains, FroliCat interactive and laser toys, and Feline Lickety Stik treats.


We got to check out the colorful new line of ceramic porcelain Avalon and Pagoda fountains.


This kitty really loves her Come With Me Kitty Harness and Bungee Leash!


A selection of FroliCat interactive and laser toys, including the BOLT, DART DUO, and POUNCE.

Pets were also invited to attend the summit, and although my kitties weren't exactly up for the trip, I was excited to spend some quality time with famous dog bloggers like Preston, Pepper, and Tides!


Preston the Westie from Preston Speaks.


Pepper Pomeranian from Pepper's Paws.


Tides the Basset Hound from Dogs for the Paws.

In addition to visiting PetSafe HQ, we also got a tour of Scripps Networks Interactive (home of HGTV, Food Network, and DIY Network, among others). PetSafe has teamed up with the networks for projects such as DIY's Blog Cabin giveaway.


Scripps Networks Interactive


Studio space at Scripps.

Another highlight of the trip was a tour of The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. It was inspiring to hear the lengths the hospital staff goes to help all creatures, great and small. I was amazed to see everything from a small pet therapy pool, to a horse in the ICU, and a llama in a cast!


Pet therapy pool at The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. Notice the tiny life vests on the wall!


This llama is on the road to recovery thanks to the caring staff at UTCVM!


How to tell if you have an overweight tiger.

The PetSafe team showed us an incredible amount of southern hospitality, which culminated with a memorable BBQ and bluegrass concert under the stars. Musician Jay Clark invited us to his home for a phenomenal evening of food, music, and an authentic look at Eastern TN, that I felt so lucky to be a part of!


We spent Friday night down in the holler enjoying an amazing bluegrass concert and BBQ!


Paying my respects at the pet cemetery on the Clark's property (Image courtesy of @PetsWeekly).

My first trip to Tennessee was truly a unique experience, and one that I will never forget. Thank you again to everyone at PetSafe for inviting me to take part in such a fantastic event!

Disclosure: PetSafe covered my expenses associated with this trip, but all thoughts, opinions, and llama in a cast photos contained in this post are my own.

PetSafe 2013 Paw Print Blogger Summit

A Fancy Feast Cheese Affair To Remember

Me and the Fancy Feast cat (we are basically BFF at this point).

If you had asked me what I was doing last Friday night, I would have happily told you that I was on my way to New York City to attend a cheese soirée with the Fancy Feast cat. 

Such is my strangely awesome life, that twice in two weeks, I've had the opportunity to rub elbows with one of the most famous spokescats, in one of the best cities in the world.



Fancy Feast invited me to the party in The Cellar at Beecher's Handmade Cheese, a trendy café and wine bar, located in the Flatiron District. The bash included free-flowing wine, an incredible selection of cheeses, and of course, one very famous feline.



The party was to celebrate the launch of Fancy Feast Delights With Cheddar Classic, and was the grand prize in the "Cheese Affair Pin to Win" sweepstakes. Three lucky winners and their guests were flown in from all over the country to attend the event, which included a VIP cheese tasting with expert, Liz Thorpe. 


Me and cheese expert, Liz Thorpe. Check out her awesome kitty skirt!

Thorpe, who has two cats of her own, is the author of The Cheese Chronicles. She could not have been any friendlier or more knowledgable as she led us through the delicious pairings, and even showed up in in some fancy cat clothing of her own -- a chic, feline-inspired skirt!


Getting cat lady crunk with fellow blogger Tamar Arslanian of I Have Cat.

I was also happy to catch up with my friend and fellow blogger, Tamar Arslanian of I Have Cat. After munching on everything from watermelon and feta salad, to mac & cheese, I even got to stop by her apartment to meet her famous felines, Petie, Kip, and Haddie!

Thank you again for Fancy Feast for including me in this fun, fromage inspired affair. I will definitely never look at cheese the same way again!

A Fancy Feast Cheese Affair To Remember

New York Fashion Week Gets Fancy (Feast!) With Feline Inspired Designs By Malan Breton

Yesterday morning I hopped a train to New York City with a cat dress, and a lifelong dream of meeting the Fancy Feast cat. A dream come true, after the cat food brand invited me to attend the feline inspired Malan by Malan Breton fashion show, at the STYLE360 Fashion Pavilion during New York Fashion Week.


Breton sharing a moment with the Fancy Feast cat.

Breton, a veteran of Project Runway Season 3, has gone on to have a successful career in the fashion biz. On Saturday, he presented his eponymous line as part of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center, and he has dressed celebrities such as Kerry Washington, Michael Bublé, Kylie Minogue, and Ariana Grande for the red carpet. For the Malan by Malan Breton Spring/Summer 2014 collection, the designer partnered with Fancy Feast to create three looks, uniquely inspired by their iconic cat.


The calm before the storm...



I was fortunate enough to go backstage before the show to chat with the sweet and soft-spoken Breton, who shared with me that he has two young Cornish Rex cats named Tallulah and Tabatha at home.




The final, feline inspired look.

When asked how cats inspire his designs, he told me that he looks to their confidence, and referred to the finale piece in the show, a stunning white dress featuring a 15-foot train that moves with the body, and flows sensually like a cat. We also discussed the current feline fashion craze, which he thinks is great. As a cat owner himself, he understands why we are so enamored with our feline friends, saying, "When you have a bad day, they're always there when you get home, giving love."





The collection itself was a sea of sumptuous, shiny fabrics, punctuated by the white cat-inspired looks. In lieu of animal prints or patterns, Breton focused on dramatic, cat-like lines. One look in particular, a sleek tuxedo with oversized black lapels, instantly brought to mind the elegance and grace of the iconic puss, prowling down the catwalk. 


Cat-inspired fashions alongside their muse.


You fancy, huh?

Of course, the Fancy Feast cat would never miss an event inspired by her likeness, and the world famous Silver Chinchilla Persian, soft as a bunny, sat in a place of honor atop a pink velvet cushion, while a long line of VIPs waited to snap a pic with her in the photo booth.


Photo booth fun.



I was also given some incredible cat-inspired swag, including an exclusive Fancy Feast NYFW tote, mirrored compact, and pearl studded cat ears. Stay tuned, because I snagged a few extra bags to giveaway next week!


Before you ask, my dress is from H&M!

Thank you again to Fancy Feast for inviting me to take part in this inspiring affair, and for bringing feline inspired fashion back to the runway!

New York Fashion Week Gets Fancy (Feast!) With Feline Inspired Designs By Malan Breton

A Day At The 2013 Garden State Cat Club Cat Show & Expo

This weekend I took my annual pilgrimage to the Garden State Cat Show & Expo in Somerset, New Jersey, presented by the Garden State Cat Club. The theme of this year’s show was New York, to celebrate the neighboring Empire State Cat Club’s 100th anniversary.

As usual, the show featured a "Meow Mall" packed with merch for cats and humans alike, informative seminars and presentations, a breed showcase, Kidz Corner, and feline agility ring. The highlight though, was getting to see all of the cats -- from the dozens of shelter kitties looking for their forever homes in the Adopt-A-Cat area, to out on the show floor, where you can watch the pampered pussycat's getting primped and preened before they enter the judging ring.

In addition to being a lot of fun, the annual event is a major fundraiser for the Garden State Cat Club. Proceeds from the show go to benefit New Jersey animal shelters, disaster relief efforts, and feline health studies. 


This sweet kitten was just one of the many cats available for adoption from Second Chance for Animals. Other shelters in the Adopt-A-Cat area hailed from Somerset, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Union, and Hudson counties.


In sticking with the "Empire State" theme, Tuesday & Lisa Cat Rescue turned their adoption area into a New York City sightseeing bus!


I'm always excited to hit the Meow Mall.


There was a wide variety of fortunate felines for sale.


Along with gorgeous foil-wrapped chocolate cats (for people!) from Galileo's Catnip Toys.


This kitty-shaped pasta was also for sale at the Galileo's booth. They sell really cool catnip, too!


Holly of Ceramic Tile Gone Wild makes some truly inspired kitty creations, like this beautifully painted cat side table.


There's no short supply of feline inspired fashions.


Enough said.


Just a rack of tiny crocheted cat hats, nbd.


I had the pleasure of finally meeting my Facebook friend, Racy Mooner! Racy is a beautiful 5-year-old Abyssinian who likes to do tricks, and is extremely friendly.


Here she is showing how she can roll over.


Her famous mom, Twyla Mooner, was there too!


Mer-kittens


I was also excited to finally meet my pal Heidi Shaulis! Heidi is a super talented artist, who makes paintings, prints and cards, often featuring black and tuxedo cats (she has a tuxedo cat of her own named Charlie!).


Meanwhile, in the feline agility ring...


I'm sad I didn't get to see this curious kitty perform! Her ribbon says, "Third Best Cat In Agility - National Award."


The judge's table is an important part of any cat show.


The longhair kitten category drew a big crowd.


The original grumpy cat.


Look at the tail on this kitty!


I always look forward to seeing my favorite IAMS ambassador kitty, Hope! This year in true diva form, she was being pushed around on a little cart with a fan blowing on her. Fans are allowed to pet Hope, and ask her owner questions. This Exotic Shorthair is also quite the actress. You might recognize her from the Toyota commercial she shot last year with Eli Manning!


Hope hard at work.


Time to rest up after a big weekend of excitement. See you again next year!

Previously:
Cats in Cars and Feline Agility: Garden State Cat Club Show & Expo 2012
A Day at the Garden State Cat Club 2011 Cat Show & Expo

A Day At The 2013 Garden State Cat Club Cat Show & Expo