Orange Cats Proclaim Victory As Catching Fire Kitty Is Recast At Author's Request

Buttercup Fan Art by Capitol Portraits

Hunger Games fans heading to check out Catching Fire tonight should be on the lookout for one major casting change from the first flick: Primose Everdeen's beleaguered feline, Buttercup, has been replaced by the orange tabby he was always meant to be.


Buttercup #1's reaction to being recast.
(via Cats on Film)

Cat loving critics such as myself were baffled by the casting of a black and white kitty in the first film, due to the book's specific description of Buttercup being golden (In the original book, Primrose insisted that his muddy yellow coat matched the bright flower.)

According to an exclusive interview with io9, Catching Fire director Francis Lawrence revealed that he received the request to recast the feline directly from a producer and Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins herself:

"...They thought the cat from the first movie was not the way he was described in the book. And that had annoyed a bunch of fans, and things like that. But it also just kind of bothered them that Buttercup was not a black and white cat. So I was happy to get one that felt like the Buttercup of the book."

My favorite cat in the world is black and white, but was still ready to protest on behalf of marmalade colored cats everywhere. Now that Buttercup has been restored to all of his golden beauty, I can go back to worrying if Catching Fire is going to give me motion sickness as bad as the first movie did (for real). Happy Hunger Games, y'all!

Via io9

Orange Cats Proclaim Victory As Catching Fire Kitty Is Recast At Author's Request

James Franco Talks Growing Up A Cat Person, Adopting Black Cats On "Ellen"

James Franco and His Cat Calendar

James Franco, noted cat man, recently made an ovary busting appearance on "The Ellen Show," where the host engaged him in an aww-inducing round of cat chat. The actor admitted that he was raised a cat person, and shared a snap of his family posing with their kitties:


The Franco Family and their cats.

Even more adorable, Franco revealed that he recently adopted two black cats named Lux and Max from the set of his new movie "Homefront," which opens in theaters later this month. While his character in the film steals the cat, in real life, Franco adopted the kitty and his stunt double. 


Max is such a cute kitty!

Lux and Max not only scored a forever home with the movie star, but some sweet Halloween costumes, too!

 
Lux and Max getting in the Halloween spirit.

To wrap up the segment, DeGeneres presented James with his own 2014 cat calendar, featuring the scantily clad celeb alongside some adorable pussies. Sadly, there's no word on when the one-of-a-kind collectible will be available in stores, but luckily for us, the actor shared a few of the photoshopped pin-ups on Instagram. Me-ow!

Via YouTube (The Ellen Show) / Instagram (@jamesfrancotv)

James Franco Talks Growing Up A Cat Person, Adopting Black Cats On "Ellen"

Cats Lick It All In Adorable Italian Mop Commercial

I gatti leccano di tutto! (Cats lick it all!)

Cats are quick little devils, and the effects of a toppled glass can be unpredictable if you aren't quick to clean it up. That's the message behind a new commercial from household cleaning supply company Vileda Italia, that promises their microfiber mop will save your cat from stains.


Cats lick anything


Coffee

The clip features felines (hypothetically) under the influence of everything from caffeine to chamomile, to adorably illustrate the importance of cleaning up spills before kitties get to them!


Salsa Piccante


Chamomile

In case you were worried any cats were harmed during the making of the commercial, fear not. A disclaimer posted along with the video assures, "The behaviors of the animals depicted in the video are not related in any way to the actual intake of the drinks in the associated caption! In addition, we have been assured that the last cat in the video is actually a teetotaler :)."


Too much wine!

Via Buzzfeed

Cats Lick It All In Adorable Italian Mop Commercial

Simon's Cat In "Scary Legs"

Scary Legs - Simon's Cat

Just in time for Halloween, Simon's Cat is back with an all new video guaranteed to give you the creepy crawlies!

I've witnessed a similar game in my house, where Charlie will bat around a bug, appear to eat it, and then I'll mysteriously find it crawling across the floor again a few minutes later. I also recently had a traumatizing experience involving Priscilla trying to catch a spider crawling around my bed in the middle of the night, but I won't get into that here!

Do you have any funny stories involving your cats playing with bugs?

Simon's Cat In "Scary Legs"

"Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book" Review & Giveaway!

"I Wrote A Book Once. It Was Awful." - Grumpy Cat

If you're a reader of this blog, you probably already know the story of Grumpy Cat. The millions of online fans, television appearances, licensed merchandise, and movie deals, that have all worked in tandem to propel the small town kitty into an international sensation. 

Her appeal is universal, and after meeting her in person, I can attest that she possesses that elusive "It" factor people always talk about. I even caught my dad laughing out loud while reading my review copy of her book, which hit stores over the summer.



The 96-page hardback, "Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book: Disgruntled Tips And Activities Designed To Put A Frown On Your Face," includes some of the most popular Grumpy Cat memes, new and classic pictures, and games and activities, designed to put you in a terrible mood.


Forecast for your life: Not looking so good.

You'll also get to experience some of her grumpiest moments, learn questionable facts about puppies and laughing babies, and be treated to special appearances by her brother, Pokey and others.


Grumpy Moments

While Grumpy Cat claims the book was written to put a frown on your face, I'm glad to report it has quite the opposite effect. Admittedly, I'm still riding high after meeting the pint-sized starlet last week, but still have no qualms about recommending this cleverly composed gift book to any fan of the famous feline.

"Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book" is available now through Amazon, Apple iBookstore, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, and in a bookstore near you!

Enter To Win!

Chronicle Books has generously offered one lucky Catsparella reader the chance to win a copy of "Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book"!

To enter, leave a comment on this post with your name and some way for me to contact you if you win (email, link back to your blog or profile, Twitter, etc.) The winner be will chosen in a random drawing next Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 5:00PM EST. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. One entry per person, please. 

Good luck, and be sure to visit Grumpy Cat's website, and follow her on Facebook to find out what she's up to next!

If you have trouble leaving a comment, please email me at catsparella@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Chronicle Books provided me with a copy of this book to giveaway, but all Grumpy Cat worship expressed in this post is my own.

[Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]

"Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book" Review & Giveaway!

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

Meet The Pusspins!

Meet the Pusspins!

Have you met the Pusspins? I was recently introduced to the adorable sextuplet, illustrated by the extremely talented Reg Silva.


Watchudoing?

The Pusspins (from the Filipino term “puspin,” a politically-correct word for "pusakal" (street cat), are a group of six insanely adorable felines and their equally crazy and cute kitty antics. The kitties each have their own personalities, but share an affinity for fishies, naps, playtime, catnip, and of course, Caturday! 









Reg was inspired by her own puspins at home: Sushi, a tricolor domestic shorthair, and Tiger, a brown mackerel tabby. They’re joined by other cats which were created from her imagination or were based on real cats that roam around her neighborhood. 


Sushi

She tells me, "Sushi adopted me when when my family and I moved to a new house-- Sushi was already there, as a kitten who was regularly fed by the construction workers."


Tiger and Midnight

"Tiger (pictured with my plush cat, Midnight, also the basis of the Pusspins version), on the other hand, was given to me as a kitten by a friend. I got both cats late last year. I'm a first-time cat owner (but long time cat lover) and since owning cats, I've found cats showing up more regularly in my work as an illustrator."


Super Cat

The Pusspins, who have only been around for about a month, started out as lazy doodles in Reg's sketchbook of Tiger, Sushi, and some cat essentials like litter boxes and cat toys. Today, there are over a dozen adorable illustrations, including fan art dedicated to some of my favs like cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy, and the internet's own Lil Bub!


Jackson Galaxy


Lil Bub

Silva, a freelance illustrator whose bright, fun, and playful work has appeared on toys, games, and books throughout the world, doesn't have any items featuring the kitties for sale just yet (darn!), but if Pusspins catch on, look out for a whole line of merch in the future. If you can't wait to get your cute kitty fix, she also recently released a pair of desktop wallpapers that you can download for free on her site.


Sushi Cat!

Follow the Pusspins latest adventures on their website, Facebook Fan Page, Tumblr, or on Instagram at @pusspins. When these super cuties take over the world, remember that you saw them here first! :)

Meet The Pusspins!

Ke$ha Adopts A Little "White Lion" Named Mr. Fluffy Pants

Ke$ha and Mr. Fluffy Pants

Everyone knows that Ke$ha loves her animals, so it comes as no surprise that the singer recently added another furry member to her feline brood. "Someone just got rescued..." the pop star tweeted over the weekend, before sharing pictures of a large, fluffy white cat she later named Mr. Fluffy Pants.


"New kitty was in a tiny cage for 8 months ....I couldn't just leave him!! Now he has his own bedroom... just need a name ..." she wrote. 



Fluffy, whose appearance she likened to a "white lion," spent the first few hours in his new home hiding under the bed, and getting to know Ke$ha's other famous feline, Mr. Peep$. Their first encounter was caught on tape -- and yes, he did eventually come out!


Mr. Fluffy Pants and Mr. Peep$ bonding under the bed.


He finally came out!

This isn't the first time that the cat loving singer has opened her home to an animal in need. Last year she took in Mr. Peep$, a Siamese kitty, after he was handed to her through a car window. The pampered puss now has his own Twitter account, and also makes frequent appearances on the songstresses own feed.

Via Twitter (@keshasuxx) / Instagram (@iiswhoisis) & (i_is_mrfluffypants)

Ke$ha Adopts A Little "White Lion" Named Mr. Fluffy Pants

Real Simple Gets Lucky With Black Cat Cover Model

I always love a kitty cover model, and was so excited to come across the latest issue of Real Simple magazine on a recent trip to the store. The Halloween-themed shoot features a shiny black puss who is so perfectly perched inside of a jack-o-lantern, I had to get a closer look to make sure it wasn't an illustration!

PeoplePets reports that the feline model, who is very much real, is a Bombay kitty named Tajari. The tiny panther apparently "rocked it out" on set, but don't be fooled - getting the purrfect shot was no easy feat. Think the life of a supermodel is all fun and games? Check out a video clip of the kitty posing for a few snaps before bolting off to her next gig. Obviously, she wanted to give photographer Stephen Lewis a run for his money!

The October 2013 issue of Real Simple, which also includes a 1-page article on the historic link between black cats and Halloween, is on newsstands now.

Via PeoplePets

Real Simple Gets Lucky With Black Cat Cover Model

Catwoman Claws Her Way Into The Forever 21 "Bats & Cats" Collection

Street-Chic Faux Leather Baseball Cap

Forever 21 has been all over cat fashion lately, but their latest foray into the world of feline style is an insanely awesome tribute to Catwoman, and oh yeah -- that bat dude too (just kidding, the Batman stuff is equally great).

Unlike past kitty collabos with the likes of Garfield, Hello Kitty, and the ASPCA, which tended to be more lighthearted, the "Bats & Cats" collection of exclusive designs is dark, sexy, and super cool. Fans of the comic book vixen will be treated to spiked out sweaters, cropped tops, and head gear sporting some serious hardware. Also on the accessories side, highlights include cat ear headbands, diamond studded sunglasses, and a feline-inspired charm bracelet that Selina Kyle would die for.

The Bats & Cats Collection ranges in price from $2.80 to $39.80, and is available now at Forever21.com.

Check out more looks below!


Cropped Catwoman Sweater


Catty Cropped Sweater


Cool Cats Charm Bracelet


Standout Spike Cat Ears Headband


Bold Cat-Eye Sunglasses


Standout Meow Baseball Cap


Cat Ear Eye Mask


Cool Cat Spiked Top


Here Kitty PJ Pants


Cool Cat Beanie

 
Bats & Cats Sweater

Catwoman Claws Her Way Into The Forever 21 "Bats & Cats" Collection

Say Hello To Zoe The Moustache Cat

Zoe the Moustache Cat

You may already be familiar with Hamilton the Hipster Cat, the mustachioed cat-dude from San Francisco who rose to fame thanks to his undeniable white fringe, but now it's time to meet your newest feline obsession: Zoe, a fierce tortoiseshell kitty who isn't afraid to embrace her inner Frida Kahlo.


I didn't choose the moustache. The moustache chose me.


My moustache is rooted in confidence.

According to her official bio, the hirsute feline is the creation of mythical creatures, who knew just what the world needed was another cat with a mustache:

Not long ago, the Humble Unicorn Guild (HUG) examined the world and noticed that something was missing. Since necessity is the mother of invention, HUG decided to create a lady cat with a moustache whose unconventional beauty, wit and charm would delight the world.

The unicorns placed a single cat whisker and a photo of a famous moustachioed man into a flowerpot. With the help of magic, Zoe sprouted like a kitten camellia. Moustache unwavering and full of pep, young Zoe was excited to explore the world. 


Keep Calm and Enjoy My Moustache


I'm having a bad moustache day. Will stay in bed.

The fashion forward feline, who sees her unique markings as a strength rather than a weakness, also writes blog, where she shares her musings on fashion, beauty, humor, and design. If only we could all be as self-confident as Zoe about a little extra facial fuzz!


In this light, you have a moustache too.



To learn more about this hip kitty, follow her on Facebook and Twitter, and visit her blog at zoethemoustachecat.squarespace.com.

Say Hello To Zoe The Moustache Cat