Friday, September 6, 2013

Maxwell The 3-Legged Kitten Models His Construction Paper Hats


Princess Maxwell

Humor blogger and author, Adam Ellis (Books of AdamThe Blunder Years), recently adopted a three-legged kitten named Maxwell. 


"They don't know how he lost his arm," he writes of Maxwell's handicap. "But I assume it was a shark attack, like that surfing girl in Hawaii. 





In order to cut down on a surplus of construction paper that had inexplicably invaded his home, Ellis decided to start making tiny hats for his newest housemate, who has been modeling them with varying degrees of enthusiasm.





Designs channel everything from Pokémon
 and Final Fantasy, to a pirate, Mad Hatter, and coquettish nurse.




(In case you can't see it, the diploma reads: "Bachelor of tossing kitty litter all over the damn place.")

It's true that I have been known to bust out a pair of scissors and craft some pint-sized feline headwear of my own (see my interpretation of Princess Beatrice's fascinator here), but I'll admit that Ellis has me beat. 






His designs are not only pop culturally aware, but also contain a certain depth that my one-dimensional designs lack.





Check out more of shots of Maxwell in his hats here, and follow Adam on Instagram where he promises to regularly upload new designs. You should also definitely read his post, 7 Reasons Getting A Kitten Is Awesome And Also Terrible.


Via Books of Adam / Jezebel


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NYC Subway Kittens Find Foster Home, Appear On The Colbert Report


Arthur and August

Two wayward kittens who single-handedly shut down subway service in Brooklyn last week, are back in the news. Arthur and August, who are approximately 8 weeks old, suspended service for nearly two hours and delayed thousands of commuters on the Q and B lines, while rescuers desperately tried to lure them off the tracks. 


Rats!!

The delay caused controversy for mayoral candidate Joe Lhota, who said he didn't think it was appropriate to halt subway service just to spare their lives. 


The kittens during their Colbert debut.

Last night, the kittens made an appearance on The Colbert Report with foster dad Steven Liu, where Colbert challenged Lhota's position as a "pro-dead kitten candidate," putting him in the category of "sociopaths, rats large enough to vote, and Alf." (If you don't have a sense of humor/are easily offended, I would encourage you not to watch the clip). 


Arthur

Yesterday, The New York Daily News also reported on the duo's luxurious foster home accommodations in Bushwick, which they share with Liu and his roommates. Arthur and August have all of the toys, scratching posts, and cardboard kitty towers they can shake a paw at, making me wonder if they didn't get lost on purpose.


August

Liu runs the Scratching Pad blog, and says the kittens are shy and scared, but still enjoy "some good old chin and butt scratches."

He tells me that the infamous pair will be up for adoption in roughly four weeks, and interested parties can file an application through Animal Care & Control of NYC.

Visit the The New York Daily News for more adorable pics of the kittens in their new digs, and check out Steve's blog for ongoing updates on Arthur and August, and adventures in foster cat care.

Images courtesy of Steven Liu.


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Thursday, September 5, 2013

Around The World In 80 Cats #32


Dubrovnik, Croatia

I love cat street photography, and was thrilled to hear from Lilla, who wanted to share some beautiful snapshots taken from around Italy, Greece, and Croatia.

She writes:

I'm from Budapest, Hungary, and I also like cats, taking photos and traveling, which is how I found your blog. Wherever I go, I try to find cats and take pictures of them.

Here are some of the best. I hope you enjoy them!


Precious kittens in Rhodes, Greece.


A tasty snack in Riomaggiore, Italy.


"I'm not for sale!" in Taormina, Italy.


A colorful watchcat in Rhodes.


Enjoying the greenery in Taormina.


An existential feline channeling Henri, le Chat Noir in Firenze, Italy.

Special thanks to Lilla for sharing her wonderful cat photography with us this week!

Previously: Around the World in 80 Cats #1 - 31


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Know of any cat-themed travel destinations, or have any cool kitty pics from around the world to share? Drop me a line at catsparella@gmail.com!


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Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Lil Bub Has Accomplished More In Her Two Years Than You Probably Will In Your Whole Life


Lil BUB's Big SHOW with Whoopi Goldberg

Fresh off her tête-à-tête with Grumpy Cat at Cat Vid Fest in Minneapolis, Lil Bub has been having the best week ever. As of yesterday, the internet famous feline is a published author, movie star, and talk show host, whose debut episode has already generated more views than Kris Jenner's entire foray into daytime talk (unconfirmed).



Not one to rest on her tiny laurels, the perma-kitten's prestigious first guest was Academy Award winning actress, Whoopi Goldberg. The cute-coma inducing interview is a veritable lovefest between the two stars, who bond over their parallel careers.



True to her reputation of helping cats in need, her royal Bubness ended the program by introducing an organization that helps animals. The first featured shelter was one very near and dear to my heart: Tabby's Place, the cage-free sanctuary for cats rescued from hopeless situations, located in Ringoes, NJ. 

Lil Bub is currently on tour across the country to support the release of her new book, the briefly titled, Lil BUB's Lil Book: The Extraordinary Life of the Most Amazing Cat on the Planet

Fans who missed out on her debut film, Vice's Lil Bub & Friendz, can watch it now here.

Previously: I Met Lil Bub!


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Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Simon's Cat Vs. The World Book Review & Giveaway!


Priscilla Cat vs. Simon's Cat vs. The World

Who isn't a fan of Simon's Cat? His videos have racked up hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, and launched an empire based off one mischievous puss.

After the release of Simon's Cat in Kitten Chaos earlier this year, award winning illustrator Simon Tofield is back with the U.S. hardcover release of his newest book, Simon's Cat Vs. the World, due out from Akashic Books in October.


vs...HD TV

Unlike his previous book, which was a wordless black and white comic, vs. the World is a full color adventure that pits the naughty white feline up against some of his biggest foes yet, including snowballs, Saturdays, dogs, and of course, Simon's kitten!



vs...Pug

As a bonus, the 96-page book also includes a color sticker sheet, and how-to drawings from Simon on how to create a Persian cat, Siamese cat, Tabby cat, and squirrel.


vs...Camping

Tofield will be embarking on a national tour in support of the book in November, starting the 18th in Brookline, MA and ending on Nov. 25th in New York City. (Check out the full schedule of appearances here.)

I found the book to be a fun and fast read, and enjoyed how it brought Simon's Cat's online hijinks to the page! Great for bringing the laughs to you or the Simon's Cat fan in your life.

Enter To Win!



Akashic Books has generously offered one lucky Catsparella reader the chance to win a copy of Simon's Cat vs. the World!

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, Sept. 10 at 5:00PM EST. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. One entry per person, please.

Good luck, and be sure to pre-order the book, or check it out when it hit stores October 1!

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

Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher for giveaway and review, but all opinions and whimsical quilts contained in this post are my own.

[Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]


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Cat Cupcake Tuesdays


Cat and Mouse Cupcakes by Jess Manea

This week's feline cupcakes come to us from Jess, who concocted a dueling cat and mouse duo in honor of Cupcake Day for the RSPCA. I love the colorful candy toppings she used, and would admittedly indulge in the mouse before taking on the kitty!

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Have you created or spotted any kitty-themed baked goods (or other foods) lately? If so, please submit your sweet tips for Cat Cupcake Tuesdays to catsparella@gmail.com!


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Monday, September 2, 2013

Cat Fashion Comes To The Mall This Fall


H&M T-Shirt Dress

When I first started writing about cat fashion, it was always a treat to find the odd cat-inspired item. Now, just over three years later, feline fashion has gone so mainstream that you can't walk into H&M without bumping into a kitty-sweatshirt clad mannequin.

I was beside myself on a trip to the mall last week, where cat fashion was not only in abundance, but affordable (hardly any item I saw topped $29.95), and proudly on display in stores like Hot Topic, Forever 21, and H&M. 

While the reality is that cats will probably soon be replaced by the next cuddly creature of choice, for now I will enjoy living in a time where I can go to Target to pick up some kitty litter -- and leave with a cat sweater to match.

(All items available online are linked beneath the photo.)

Hot Topic



Goodie Two Sleeves Hip Cat Reversible Tote

Hot Topic, the goth chain I used to visit in high school to stock up Marilyn Manson t-shirts and shoelaces for my Doc Martens, has gone completely kitty crazy with a wide selection of cat fashion and accessories.



Iron Fist Black Cat Leggings

I also found some spectacular cat leggings and a black cat dress.




Cat Dress

You can also stock up on those Taco Cat headphones and the hipster kitty wallet you didn't know you needed... 


Taco Cat Headphones


Forever Cat Mini Hinge Wallet

The store is also home to official Grumpy Cat and Keyboard Cat gear.


Wall o' Grumpy Cat  and Keyboard Cat Moon tees


Forever 21




For the ultimate fast feline fashion fix, Forever 21 can't be beat. I saw numerous mannequins covered in cats, and two cat shirts on display in the window. 



If you're more into feline linguistics, there were no less than three "Meow" inspired tees, and a covet worthy necklace to match.


Meow High-Low Tee


Shredded Meow Tee



Cat DJs were another popular motif.



DJ Kitty Muscle Tee



And don't leave before stopping by the register to get your paws on some cute kitten socks.







H&M



Sweatshirt

H&M has always been feline-friendly, but I was definitely impressed by their bold graphics and all-over cat prints.


Sheer Oversized Tank Top


Sweatshirt Top



My pick of the litter? The black cat covered tees, skirts, and dresses, that brought to mind the catty creations of designer Leah Goren.




Jersey Dress


Target




While technically not a mall store, it's worth mentioning that even the bullseye couldn't resist jumping on the cat fashion bandwagon. My Twitter pal @ItsMeDeaner shared a snap of this kitten sweatshirt she saw in-store last week, while I encountered a quirky red cat sweater while picking up some shampoo on Saturday.


Xhiliration Cat Graphic Sweater



Looking for even more cat fashion? For a limited time, get FREE SHIPPING in the Catsparella Shop on tees, totes, and the newly priced tote & tee combo pack, when you enter in coupon code "CHARLIE" at checkout (U.S. only)!

Shop Now at catsparella.bigcartel.com.


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