Catsparella

Crookshanks (And Kittens!) Come Out To Play During Animal Actors Week At Harry Potter Studio Tour

2013-05-24T13:39:00.000-04:00

Attention Harry Potter enthusiasts! What are you up to the week of May 25 - June 2? If you're anywhere near the UK, you should pack up the cats and head to London for Animal Actors Week at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. The studio, where all of the HP movies were filmed, opened its doors to the public last year, and gives fans the chance to explore the actual sets and props used in the making of the magical franchise.

Those lucky enough to attend the special event will have the chance to meet the cats who played Mrs. Norris and Crookshanks as they prowl around the Gryffindor common room (!), and pose for pics with owls who played Hedwig and Pigwidgeon. If that's not enough, you'll also have the opportunity to meet a Neapolitan Mastiff, trained like those who played Hagrid’s dog Fang, and go behind-the-scenes and learn how rats and toads, such as those who played Neville Longbottom’s toad Trevor and Ron Weasley’s rat Scabbers, were trained as animal actors.

Meet our Twitter Litter

To help promote Animal Actors Week, the studio recently introduced the "Twitter Litter", a group of kittens who will be on hand to show how the evil Dolores Umbridge's lifelike porcelain kitten plates were created. Animal trainer Julie Tottman and her team used 40 kittens during filming, and will be recreating the process with these lil babies (all named by fans on Twitter), to show how they go from acting amateurs to skilled feline thespians.

Meet the Twitter Litter:

Fletcher

Fleur

Marbles

Nala

Rita

Nox

I am a big Harry Potter fan, and am figuring out how to apparate so I can ~~steal~~ meet Hedwig and Crookshanks as we speak. Animal Actors Week runs from May 25 - June 2 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. Get your tickets here.

Via Warner Bros. Studio Tour London / Twitter (@WBStudioTour)

Happy 6th Birthday, Maru!

2013-05-24T10:40:00.001-04:00

I Am Maru 5

Happy Birthday, Maru! The famous Japanese feline turns six today, and as tradition dictates, his owner has put together a compilation of the cutest moments the Scottish Fold has committed to film over the past year to celebrate.

Via I am Maru.

Catsparella T-Shirt And Tote Bag Giveaway Winners!

2013-05-22T10:42:00.002-04:00

catsparella.bigcartel.com

Thanks to all who entered the Catsparella T-Shirt and Tote Bag Giveaway! I used Random.org to determine the winners, and it selected comment #47 belonging to Tessa for the t-shirt, and #70 belonging to Kellyanne for the tote!

Congrats, ladies!

In case you missed out, be sure to visit The Catsparella Shop to get your paws on the "Every Day is Caturday" tee, or a "If you think I'm cute, you should see my cat" tote of your very own!

Cat Cupcake Tuesdays

2013-05-21T15:50:00.003-04:00

I recently received an email from Conny of Sweet & Spicy bakery in Vienna, Austria, who was excited to share some of her cat-themed creations!

My favorite kitty cake

Hello Kitty Cupcakes

Cat Cake Topper

Special thanks to Conny for giving us a peek at her creative kitty sweets this week!

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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!

Grumpy Cat Cheers Up Cancer Patients At Arizona Hospital

2013-05-20T14:06:00.000-04:00

(Click here to watch if video doesn't load)

Being sick in the hospital is never fun, but some cancer patients in Arizona had a reason to smile last week after receiving a visit from one of the most famous cats on the internet.

Patients at Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Western Regional Medical Center in Goodyear lined up for a meet-in-greet with Tardar Sauce, who used her grump for good as she dutifully posed for snapshots with fans.

"Getting five or 10 minutes where you're able to not be a cancer patient and to not be worried about the chemotherapy or the radiation or the surgery, and to just laugh at something inane and silly and goofy is absolutely essential to your survival," says Michelle Hastings, a patient at the hospital who got to pose with the puss.

While the Arizona native didn't exactly look happy about her therapeutic duties, her owner Tabatha Bundesen believes that she's really a people pleaser at heart.

"It warms my heart to spread joy and I think Grumpy Cat really likes doing it despite her expression about it. But she's really happy about making people happy," she told MyFoxPhoenix.

Via MyFoxPhoenix.com

It's Caturday!

2013-05-19T10:14:00.000-04:00

Welcome back for another edition of Caturday, where we catch up on the week's latest cat news, and get to meet some of your amazing kitties!

This week was a bit of a short week, because I was off at the BlogPaws pet blogging and social media conference, and took the opportunity to step away from my laptop for a few days to reunite with my fellow cat ladies, and meet new blogging friends from across the country. I have to give a big shout out to Purina for being my sponsor, and making it possible for me to attend this year!

I definitely learned a lot, and am excited/nervous to put out there that while I plan to continue blogging, I am also hoping to parlay my experience into a career in the pet industry. It's hard for me to admit that I need a little help, but if you or someone you know is looking to hire a passionate, (award-winning!) blogger with three years of online media experience and proven results, I am interested in exploring positions in content creation, blogger outreach, public relations, and social media. You can read a little more about me here, or contact me directly at catsparella@gmail.com for more information, or with any tips or advice you have to share. Thank you in advance for your help!

And finally, there's still time to enter to win your choice of a Catsparella "Every Day is Caturday" t-shirt, or "If you think I'm cute, you should see my cat" tote! I'm drawing the lucky winners this coming Tues. 5/21!

Cheech

This week's featured feline is an adorable kitty who is super loved! His Caturday submission was a family affair!

Laurie writes:

Cheech traveled all the way to Maryland from Washington State with my daughter, Chelsea. She found him when she was there for a short stay and couldn't leave without him. She was destined to have him in her life, and he has brought her a lot of joy!

Our whole family loves our fur baby Cheech. He likes lazing around on her T.V. stand, and chasing a laser pointer for hours on end. He also loves his catnip and belly rubs, and has a sister named Violet!

I also heard from Laurie's daughter, Chelsea, who told me a little more about her baby boy!

Chelsea adds:

As my mom told you, he hails all the way from WA state :) So clearly he is my pride and joy. His sister Violet has the COMPLETE opposite personality of Cheech, but that doesn't stop her from loving her brother. They're constantly washing each other, it's absolutely adorable. She follows him everywhere, even to the food dish.

Cheech and Violet

But back to the star ;) Cheech is almost 5 years old. We believe he is Maine Coon, but we're not positive. I just did a little research and that's what I found to fit him best. Cheech LOVES to play, especially chasing a laser pointer. I've never seen a cat move so fast in a circle, haha. He also loves to jump super high for his toys!

He is a total people person and lap cat, and he loves having his belly rubbed. I call him my little puppy because he follows me around like a dog :P When we lived in Washington State he was an indoor/outdoor cat. But since moving back to Baltimore if I take him out it's on a kitty leash.

Cheech loves crab meat, tuna, and just about anything!

Special thanks to Laurie and Chelsea for sharing the incomparable Cheech with us this week!

p.s. Looking for more Catsparella? Check out my weekly style column over on Catster!

This week:
You Tell Us: Are These 5 Cat Rings Cute or Cray?

***
Want to see your cat(s) on Catsparella? I'm always accepting submissions for my weekly Caturday post! Just email your best kitty pics to catsparella@gmail.com, and include your cat's name and anything else you'd like to share. I can't wait to hear from you!

TVStoreOnline.com Kitty T-Shirt Giveaway Winner!

2013-05-15T08:24:00.000-04:00

Soft Kitty T-Shirt

Thanks to all who entered the kitty-themed t-shirt giveaway from TVStoreOnline.com! I used Random.org to determine the winner, and it selected comment #5 belonging to Valerie, who chose the Soft Kitty t-shirt!

Congrats Valerie!

Be sure to check out out TVStoreOnline.com for their huge selection of licensed tees and other merch from your favorite tv shows, movies, music, and more!

Catsparella T-Shirt And Tote Bag Giveaway!

2013-05-14T14:55:00.001-04:00

Every Day is Caturday Ladies Fit Tee

It's been a little over a month since the Catsparella shop flung open its virtual doors, and I'm thankful for the kind words and cute pics that everyone has sent in so far!

If You Think I'm Cute, You Should See My Cat Tote

The tees are high quality Gildan Softstyle t-shirts, available in Ladies and Unisex sizes. The totes are sturdy enough for everyday use, and made out of eco-friendly cotton canvas. Both are available now!

Every Day is Caturday Unisex Fit Tee

Enter To Win!

As a thank you for your support, I would like to offer two lucky readers the chance to win! One person will receive a Catsparella "Every Day is Caturday" t-shirt, and another will win the "If You Think I'm Cute, You Should See My Cat" tote!

*Available shirt sizes include Ladies S, M, L, XL and XXL and Unisex in XL and XXL.

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me if you would prefer to win a shirt, tote, or either, along 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 two winners be will chosen in a random drawing next Tuesday, May 21 at 5:00PM EST. This giveaway is open to everyone, so our international friends can participate too! One entry per person, please.

Good luck, and be sure to check out the Catsparella shop to pick up a t-shirt or tote bag of your very own, or for the very special cat purrson in your life!

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

[Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]

Cat Cupcake Tuesdays

2013-05-14T10:07:00.002-04:00

This week's sweets come to us from Michi, who shares some purrfect feline-themed treats that were part of a recent bake-off.

She writes:

Hi Stephanie!

Your "Cat Cupcake Tuesday" inspired me for my cat cupcakes!

I made them for a baking contest from the Austrian cat rescue organisation, Felidae Austria, and won second prize in the Cupcake category!

At the baking contest there were three categories: Cupcake, Cake, and Vegan. The first place cake was funny.. the cat is eating from it!

First place in the Vegan category went to a beautiful cake with nine cats.

Special thanks to Michi for sharing these edible works of art! I also want to wish her congrats on her well deserved cupcake win!

***
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!

Internet Cat Video Festival Descends On Oakland

2013-05-13T15:07:00.000-04:00

(@scottandthesea)

Last summer, Walker Art Center hosted the first ever internet cat video film festival in Minneapolis. The event, where cat lovers converged on the museum's lawn to watch popular videos on a huge screen, attracted 10,000 fans, along with a ton of media buzz. After the festival's success, its creators were inspired to pack up the cats and take the show on the road. This weekend, it arrived in Oakland, California for an "art & cat extravaganza" to benefit the East Bay SPCA.

NPR reports that an estimated 6,000 people showed up to Oakland Cat Vid Fest on Saturday, for an event that was part street fair, part feline film festival.

Attendees were greeted to aerial performances:

A-Meow-zing aerial cat-inspired ballet on The Great Wall of Oakland at #oakcatvidfest twitter.com/Lbartsch/statu…
— Lynn Bartsch (@Lbartsch) May 12, 2013

People wore their finest feline fashions:

my #oakcatvidfest look twitter.com/haley/status/3…
— ↁᖇᗩᙅᗩᖇᎩᔕ (@haley) May 12, 2013

And did cat yoga:

#cat #yoga for our #yogi alisunnshine #oakcatvidfest @ Oaktown instagram.com/p/ZMIBLFkO0v/
— SYD (@PINA_KITT) May 11, 2013

You could get your face painted:

Cat face painting is a popular attraction at #oakcatvidfest! We love it! #cats #MeowMix twitter.com/meowmix/status…
— Meow Mix (@meowmix) May 12, 2013

Or adopt a kitten from the Island Cat Resources and Adoption booth:

4 week old kitten at the ICRA adoption booth at #oakcatvidfest instagram.com/p/ZMUBDvvcXh/
— Great WallOf Oakland (@GreatWallOak) May 12, 2013

Vendors sold cat art and other kitty related merchandise:

We're ready for you #oakcatvidfest !! twitter.com/p_on_p/status/…
— Pussies on Parade (@p_on_p) May 11, 2013

Pawesome cat printed cards by @foreignspell at #oakcatvidfest! #cats #MeowMix twitter.com/meowmix/status…
— Meow Mix (@meowmix) May 11, 2013

While feline film critics showed up on leashes:

"That's a cat on a leash. OMG THAT'S A CAT ON A LEASH." #quotesfrom #oakcatvidfest twitter.com/avfedorc/statu…
— Alexis Fedorchak (@avfedorc) May 11, 2013

...and in strollers:

Check out Teddy's swank kitty stroller at #oakcatvidfest ! instagram.com/p/ZMROg5vcSu/
— Great WallOf Oakland (@GreatWallOak) May 12, 2013

There was also a celebrity appearance by Dusty the Klepto cat (made famous by Must Love Cats and The Tonight Show):

Dusty the Klepto Kitty chats with KOIT's Charly Kayle at the #oakcatvidfest ! @ OakCatVidFest instagram.com/p/ZMhR5Kvcbz/
— Great WallOf Oakland (@GreatWallOak) May 12, 2013

Although reactions to seeing him were mixed:

Just saw @kleptocatdusty at the #oakcatvidfest so cute!!!! #cats
— Sarah Liller (@sarahliller) May 12, 2013

Dusty stole my wallet.#OakCatVidFest
— Jon Britton (@jonbritton) May 12, 2013

Of course, the main attraction was 70 minutes of curated cat videos, displayed on the side of a building:

Nothing like watching cat videos on a 100 ft wall with thousands of other cat-lovers #oakcatvidfest twitter.com/hana__hou/stat…
— Hana (@hana__hou) May 12, 2013

#oakcatvidfest vine.co/v/b0r5OFFIQmF
— Karen Kiely (@kazkiely) May 12, 2013

Even if some event-goers had to improvise:

When you forget to bring a blanket/chair and sit on cat food bags waiting for #oakcatvidfest to start.
— Christel Joyce (@OneOddGerbil) May 12, 2013

But in the end, everyone had a great time:

#OakCatVidFest and some people dancing to music in their special headphones? #weirdnight #awesomenight vine.co/v/b0rbU2Z5nmM
— Chelsea Bond (@nomadchelsea) May 12, 2013

It was a dream come true for all cat lovers:

6-second tour of the Oakland Internet Cat Video Festival! #oakcatvidfest #cats #MeowMix #catvine vine.co/v/b0nDiT79KIu
— Meow Mix (@meowmix) May 12, 2013

And the mayor even declared it a very special day!

Oakland Mayor names today Internet Cat Video Day! #oakcatvidfest #catvidfest
— CatVidFest (@CatVidFest) May 12, 2013

In case you missed it, the original Cat Vid Fest is heading back to Minnesota this summer, with an all new curated collection of videos, and a larger venue. Tickets are on sale now for the event, which will take place on Wed., Aug. 28 at the Minnesota State Fair.

It's Caturday!

2013-05-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome back for another edition of Caturday, where we catch up on the week's latest cat news, and get to meet some of your amazing kitties!

This week, a fortunate feline was reunited with his family six months after Superstorm Sandy, Grumpy Cat inspired an amazing art show in Alabama, I reviewed Henri, le Chat Noir's new book, CCLAS hosted a cupcake wars to benefit homeless kitties, the cat meme to do list served as a cute reminder to get stuff done, a big panther and lil' panther went paw to paw in an amazing slow motion video, we featured the adorable (and adoptable) kitties of Karma Cat + Zen Dog Rescue Society, and met a 22-year-old cat who hasn't left his 21-year-old human's side since birth!

Also, there's still time to enter to win a kitty-themed t-shirt from TVStoreOnline.com! Choose from Grumpy Cat, Soft Kitty (from the Big Bang Theory), Felix the Cat, and Cat in the Hat designs! I'm drawing the lucky winner this coming Tues. 5/14!

And finally, I'm really excited to be heading to the BlogPaws 2013 Pet Social Media Conference in D.C. next week! If you're going to be there, let me know so we can meet up!

Eddy

This week's featured feline is a sweet boy who knows how to work a variety of poses!

Joan writes:

This is Eddy, my handsome rescue boy!

Eddy is a 4-year-old rescue who selected me the first time we met, by immediately crawling in my lap! He loves boxes, catnip-filled socks, and drinking water from the faucet. He is especially fond of playing with real turkey feathers (from a taxidermist friend).

Here's Eddy in the box! A classic, I know, but one of his favorite things. Every day I pick up a handful of spit-out pieces of cardboard. I just found out recently that he is also fond of paper bags (our county just outlawed plastic bags). I would have taken a picture, but it was destroyed so fast I didn't have time!

Special thanks to Joan for sharing her fabulous feline with us this week!

p.s. Looking for more Catsparella? Check out my weekly style column over on Catster!

This week:
Our 5 Favorite Cat-Centric Manicures

***
Want to see your cat(s) on Catsparella? I'm always accepting submissions for my weekly Caturday post! Just email your best kitty pics to catsparella@gmail.com, and include your cat's name and anything else you'd like to share. I can't wait to hear from you!

Spotlight On: Karma Cat + Zen Dog Rescue Society

2013-05-10T13:47:00.000-04:00

Adopt Jill

A few weeks ago, Charlie and I celebrated National Hairball Awareness Day with a little help from Furminator. Besides giving me an excuse to make a mustache out of cat hair, I was also excited to participate because Furminator generously offered to donate 25 of their great grooming tools to the animal rescue of my choice. This year, I selected Karma Cat + Zen Dog Rescue Society, based out of East Brunswick, NJ.

Adopt Tipit - Look at that tail!

I first met Karma Cat founder, Christie Arlotta, at a local adoption day event last year, and was immediately drawn to her because 1. she was hanging out with kittens, and 2. she was wearing a pair of jewel encrusted cat ears!

Since then, I've learned that she is as compassionate and caring as she is stylish, and am completely in awe of, and am inspired by, of all the amazing work her organization has done. Last month, Christie invited me to attend the rescue's annual Paws for Celebration event, a charity dinner celebrating their three year anniversary and honoring the 124 cats they saved last year.

Adopt Dexter

Christie founded Karma Cat with her sister Michelle in 2010, inspired by their longtime dream of starting their own rescue after years of volunteering with other groups. They currently manage the adoption center at Edgebrook Animal Hospital in East Brunswick and plan on creating a sanctuary setting somewhere in New Jersey within the next 7 years.

The Buffy The Vampire Slayer Kittens were rescued from a hoarding situation. Adopt Anya, Oz & Xander!

The mission of Karma Cat + Zen Dog is to provide a safe and peaceful haven for homeless, abandoned or abused animals. They also work to decrease the number of cats and dogs being destroyed in kill shelters through the work of their foster, spay/neuter, trap-neuter-return, and education programs. Their vision is to create a world where every companion animal is respected, fed, warm, happy, and not in danger of being killed because it is temporarily homeless.

I've seen firsthand the great work they do with local shelters, and have had the pleasure of meeting just some of their passionate volunteers. Visit the wonderful Zen Cat kitties at Edgebrook Animal Hospital or at North Brunswick PetSmart, and find all of their adoptable cats online (including all of the kitties featured in this post!) on Petfinder.

To learn more about Karma Cat + Zen Dog Rescue Society, or to donate or volunteer, visit their website at karmacatzendog.org. You can also follow their updates on Twitter @KarmaCatZenDog, and on Facebook here.

Big Panther And Lil' Panther Go Paw To Paw In Stunning Slow Motion Video

2013-05-10T12:21:00.000-04:00

Duality from Rich K on Vimeo.

I love black cats of all sizes, and it's not hard to see why when watching this gorgeous video, produced as a promo for eHow Pets. The mesmerizing clip features a comparison between a black panther and an equally fierce domestic cat, jumping and roaring together in glorious slow motion.

Bonus: The music is by Nine Inch Nails.

Via Facebook (Hauspanther) / Tumblr (alxbnxgala)

Book Review: Henri, le Chat Noir: The Existential Musings of an Angst-Filled Cat

2013-05-09T10:06:00.000-04:00

"Though sitting in the box brings momentary feelings of contentment, it is, in the end, an illusion. My ennui cannot be contained." - Henri, le Chat Noir

On any given day, my favorite internet feline changes. One day it might be Lil Bub, and the next it could be Tardar Sauce. But one figure who stole my heart right from the start was Henri, le Chat Noir, the philosophical French feline from Seattle who has gained thousands of fans (and millions of YouTube views), for dishing out his existential musings to the delight of bored house cats everywhere.

Although he seemed to appear out of nowhere, Henri's sudden rise to fame was not exactly an overnight success. His first video, Henri, was released six years ago, but it wasn't until filmmaker William Braden released the follow-up, Henri 2, Paw de Deux, in 2012, that the world finally began to take notice. The video, which has gone on to inspire several sequels, garnered over 7 million views, and also won the coveted Golden Kitty award at the first ever Internet Cat Video Film Festival in Minneapolis. Late film critic Roger Ebert declared it "The best internet cat video ever made," and I tend to agree.

As part of his growing empire of ennui, which also includes popular Facebook and Twitter profiles and a line of merch (a portion of the proceeds go to charity), last week saw the release of the world's first and foremost feline philosopher's book debut, "Henri, le Chat Noir: The Existential Musings of an Angst Filled Cat."

Although the cover credits William Braden (aka the "thieving filmmaker") as the author, the introduction makes it clear that the book was not a collaborative effort, as Henri himself writes: "Now I am finally able to put forth my unedited thoughts without interference. Though my search for answers has, thus far, been fruitless, perhaps somehow I will provide you with a new insight. If not, at least this will make you look smart if you leave it on your coffee table."

Priscilla wonders how Henri feels about older women

The hardcover features several never-before-seen black and white photographs of the handsome tuxedo kitty (including an adorable kitten pic, as well as a centerfold shot that Priscilla particularly enjoyed), as well as new and classic quotes, culled from his extensive videography. Fans are also treated to guest appearances from the white imbecile, Henri's simpleminded feline roommate who doesn't share his deep thoughts.

Henri 6, "Cat Littérature"

Braden recently released a new video in conjunction with the book, where Henri delves into his distaste for sharing the spotlight with a "bald buffoon" who "doesn't even own a tuxedo." If you're looking to capture the magic of Henri in book form, human and feline fans won't be disappointed.

"Henri, le Chat Noir: The Existential Musings of an Angst-Filled Cat" is available now on Amazon, or through any of the booksellers listed here.

Henri, je t'aime!

Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review, but all opinions and philosophical felines contained in this post are my own.

22-Year-Cat Hasn't Left His 21-Year-Old Human Best Friend's Side Since Birth

2013-05-08T14:35:00.000-04:00

Love Meow recently uncovered a heartwarming thread on reddit, where one user described the relationship he has with the 22-year-old cat who has been with him his entire life.

ryantemple writes:

22 years my little buddy has been alive. Been with me since the day I was born, my one true friend.

For anyone wondering, I am 21 and my parents adopted him when they found out they where pregnant with me. Weird. But I guess they wanted to practice parenthood with a cat.

He won't let me leave

Everyone can't believe it when we say he is 22! I guess there's something special in the tuna we give him once a week as a treat to make him youthful! Haha. Or it could be he sleeps for 20 hours a day.

When my cat turned 20, he ran away! Being an indoor cat all of his life he would try to get out every once and awhile, and he did. We lost him for over a week, turns out he was living in my neighbors back yard eating their koi fish from their koi pond. Needless to say we are grateful for finding him and we haven't had another incident since then.

And NO he wasn't running away because he didn't like it here, he ran away because of his curiosity. You know what they say... Curiosity killed the cat. Not in my case though!

Put my cat in a beanie, he was not amused

Do you have a cat who is 20+ years old? I'd love to hear your story!

Via Love Meow / Reddit (ryantemple)

Grumpy Cat Inspires Amazing Alabama Art Show

2013-05-08T12:24:00.001-04:00

Judson Portzer

As part of her continuing quest for world domination, Tardar Sauce recently took over Lowe Mill, the largest arts & entertainment center in the southeast. Over 30 artists from the Huntsville, Alabama-based venue were inspired by her famously grumpy visage, and created original works of art in her honor.

Calvin Hubbard

Tracey Allyn Greene

The pieces range from oil paintings and sculptures, to cool paper cut-outs, painted rocks, painted glass, and more. Fans will be able to bid on their favorites from May 27 - 31 in an online auction, with proceeds going to building a children's playground. If you're lucky enough to be in the area, there will also be a Grumpy Cat Art Show at Lowe Mill on May 31 from 6 - 9 p.m.

Holly Morningstar

Denise Williams

Event organizer Dustin Timbrook tells AL.com: "We came up with the idea of having everybody do projects based on this cat that is so popular to create a bridge to reach the general public and to help make Lowe Mill a destination for people outside of Huntsville."

(It worked!)

Emily Bodnar

Dustin Timbrook

Katherine Purves

Ann Moeller Steverson

Visit the Lowe Mill website to learn more about the auction and art show, and to browse the entire collection of cranky kitty art.

Via Lowe Mill / AL.com

Imperial Cat Large Mustache Cat Scratcher Giveaway Winner!

2013-05-08T11:12:00.001-04:00

Large Mustache Scratcher

Thanks to all who entered the Imperial Cat Large Mustache Cat Scratcher Giveaway! I used Random.org to determine the winner, and it selected comment #16 belonging to Jessie, who wrote, "Once again I am deluged with requests from my five kitties to win one of these mustache scratchers for them because it is very stylish and they want something fashionable to show off to their kitty neighbors."

Congrats to Jessie and her lucky kitty crew!

Be sure to check out the Imperial Cat website to browse all of their pawesome products, and to find out where to buy a scratcher of your own!

Win Your Choice Of A Grumpy Cat, Soft Kitty, Cat in the Hat, or Felix the Cat T-Shirt From TVStoreOnline.com!

2013-05-07T15:44:00.002-04:00

Where else are you going to find Game of Thrones and Arrested Development shirts (Call Me Maeby!!!!), A League of Their Own costumes, and an Amy Winehouse wig and tattoo set? TVStoreOnline.com of course!

Big Bang Theory Soft Kitty T-Shirt (also available in Black and Men's sizes)

The site was launched in 2004, and has remained committed to offering the finest licensed merchandise on the market, including t-shirts, costumes, and other cool accessories featuring some of your favorite tv shows, movies, music, comics, games, and more!

Felix T-Shirt

Now y'all know how I think cats and pop culture go together like peas and carrots, so when they recently offered to give one of their culturally relevant kitty tees to one of my readers, I couldn't say no! Choose from perennial favorites likes The Cat in the Hat and Felix, to modern classics like Soft Kitty from the Big Bang Theory, and Grumpy Cat!

Japanese Cat in the Hat T-Shirt

Adorkable Cat in the Hat T-Shirt

Enter To Win!

TVStoreOnline.com had generously offered one lucky Catsparella reader the chance to win the kitty-themed t-shirt of their choice!

Choose from:
Grumpy Cat
Soft Kitty From the Big Bang Theory
Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat
Felix the Cat

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me your shirt choice, along 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, May 14 at 5:00PM EST. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. One entry per person, please.

Good luck, and be sure to check out TVStoreOnline.com to check out their huge selection of tees and other merch.

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

[Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]

Cat Cupcake Tuesdays

2013-05-07T09:58:00.004-04:00

This week's sweet treats come to us from Dawn, who wrote to me about a cupcake-themed fundraising event that helped raise money for her local shelter.

She writes:

Our small volunteer organization, CCLAS (Citizens Committee for the Lakewood Animal Shelter), that supports our local animal shelter, recently hosted a Cupcake Wars Fundraiser to raise money to help the homeless animals at our community.

Lulu's Cookies and Cream Cupcakes by Yvonne C.

The event was hosted and organized by five volunteer board members, Kate, Celeste, Yvonne, Lindsay, and Dawn, and our volunteer bakers were Connie, Melanie, Margaret, Zack, Pam, Sara, Mary, Sarah, and Yvonne. Our judges were CCLAS Board President Kate, Cio from Rosy Girl Cupcakes, and Karen from KB Confections.

Mary B., Tara and their Pink Champagne Cupcakes

Connie B. with her Doggone Good Chocolate Cupcakes

The grand winner was Sarah with her Mint Chocolate Cupcakes and tribute to her adopted kitty, Boo. Runners-up were Margaret and Mary. The People's Choice co-winners Mary and Melanie.

Melanie

Sara

We raised about $400 from the event. The funds will be used to support our spay and neuter program with the shelter.

Grand winner of the CCLAS Cupcake Wars Fundraiser, Sarah, with her Chocolate Mint Cupcakes and tribute to her adopted kitty, Boo!

Check out our event photos at: http://on.fb.me/YobhqY

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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!

Cat Meme To Do List Reminds You To Buy A Boat, Among Other Things

2013-05-06T17:12:00.001-04:00

As someone who can be a bit of a procrastinator (a procatinator?), sometimes all it takes is a good list to keep me on track. Enter TodoCat, a handy site, inspired by the I Should Buy a Boat cat meme, where a serious looking feline wearing a suit reads a newspaper and contemplates life over a cup of coffee. The screenshot was originally taken from the Bjork video for "Triumph of a Heart", but gained popularity last year, when it was posted to reddit with the caption, "I should buy a boat".

According to TodoCat's creator, the site functions as "a Sophisticated Cat meme todo list. Relentless organization is the first step to feline elegance and/or maritime freedom."

In case you aren't in the boat buying market, you can make a list of any activities you "should" do, from watching more cat videos, to eating more kale. The list gets saved in your browser, but you can also sign up for a free account, in case you find yourself away from the computer, and need to remember to pick up some extra cat food on the way home from work.

Aside from hanging out with your kitty and reading Catsparella, what should you do today?

Via TodoCat

Fortunate Feline Reunited With Family Six Months After Superstorm Sandy

2013-05-06T15:55:00.002-04:00

View more videos at: http://nbcphiladelphia.com.

(Click here to watch if video doesn't load)

Back in elementary school they used to make us listen to a morbid song (in retrospect) about a cat who always returned home no matter how many obstacles were placed in its way, but a real life jersey shore cat named Porsche did come back, six months after being separated from his family during the chaos following Superstorm Sandy.

Porsche

Uranie Roberts and her daughter Carol Baumann had to be evacuated from their Toms River, N.J. home during the storm, and temporarily sought shelter at a relative's house a few miles away. It was there, in November, where Porsche escaped, leaving them to believe they would never see him again. Heartbroken, they were eventually able to return home without the cat, but received the shock of their lives last week, when he showed up, meowing on their back porch.

As Baumann told NBC Philadelphia, “I saw the green eyes and I said, ‘My God in heaven, it’s Porsche!’”

The lucky black cat, who appears to have been well fed and is in otherwise good condition, traveled eight miles on paw to reunite with his people, on a challenging path that included storm destruction, traffic, and even a bridge.

Baumann calls the reunion a miracle, and is clearly very happy to have her beloved cat back home. “It’s wonderful. I missed him so bad,” she said.

Via NBC Philadelphia

It's Caturday!

2013-05-04T00:00:00.002-04:00

Welcome back for another edition of Caturday, where we catch up on the week's latest cat news, and get to meet some of your amazing kitties!

This week, we checked out some incredible cat latte art from Japan, a Lego Town promotional video turned into an epic kitty videobomb, magical cats dressed as sushi questioned their life choices, Jen shared her adorable ginger cat-inspired cupcakes, we covered our walls in pretty kitty wallpaper from Anthropologie, I recapped my Catster style posts for April, and Around the World in 80 Cats landed in Turkey, where we met Gli, the cat in residence at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul!

Elsewhere, Charlie would like to thank everyone who wished him a very happy 8th birthday earlier this week! I hope all the attention doesn't go to his head...

And finally, there's still time to enter for your chance to win a Large Mustache Cat Scratcher from Imperial Cat! Your kitty is gonna be super mad if you don't get in on this one!

Mojo and Henry

This week's featured felines are a pair of handsome Boston boys, who possess very different purrsonalities!

Lisa writes:

Mojo is a 9-year-old, lovely tabby with white feet and fur that is as soft as a bunny. Unfortunately, you have to sneak your snuggles with that soft fur because Mo is quite bashful and nervous. Every time you take a step toward him, he assumes you're coming to take him to the vet and dashes off. He's also leery of strangers, and has many hiding spots -- I've had people say, "Wait...I thought you had two cats!" However, if you're sitting at the kitchen table or lying down watching TV, he will plant himself just near enough that you can show him some love. He's a gentle soul.

A cat and a sunbeam...life is good!

Don't bother me...my nails are drying!

Mo looks so relaxed...even though there was a mommy bunny and her three babies just under the windowsill!

Henry is 5-years-old, and bluish grey from ear to tail. He goes by many names, including Henry Kittenger, Henny Penny, Hankus Pankus and Roast Beef Henri (don't even ask!). He is as bold and outgoing as Mojo is shy. He loves investigating whatever is going on. When we have repair people in our home, we joke that Henry should be wearing a little cat-sized tool belt. He loves to curl up to read or watch TV with you, but also to play and run through the house like a madman. He's also quite the talker, especially when he wants to find you in the house or it's closing in on dinnertime. I think his vocabulary consists of, "now", "no", "Mom" and "Mo".

I don't care if the pizza is hot...feed me now!

Henry and his friend Doctor Cat

My favorite shot...what a handsome boy!

Lately, we had a little drama with the boys. For reasons we don't (and will likely never know), Henry and Mojo got into a major argument and were fighting, hissing and yowling like two tomcats in an alley. This was so distressing, because, while they were never close pals, we'd never experienced this in our 35 years of being owned by cats. However, with the help of our wonderful vet, we were able to work through the problem by separating them for several days, switching them between rooms so they could smell the other cat, and then slowly reintroducing them. It seems like they've "meowed it out" but this certainly challenged our feline management skills!

Both Henry and Mo were adopted from local animal shelters, which is, as you know, the best way in the world to find a best friend. We're so glad they're back on speaking terms and that we can enjoy their unique purr-sonalities.

Special thanks to Lisa for sharing her beautiful boys with us this week! Paws crossed that Henry and Mojo will continue to be able to work their differences me-owt!

p.s. Looking for more Catsparella? Check out my weekly style column over on Catster!

This week:
5 Completely Crazy Cat Dresses I'm Obsessed With

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Want to see your cat(s) on Catsparella? I'm always accepting submissions for my weekly Caturday post! Just email your best kitty pics to catsparella@gmail.com, and include your cat's name and anything else you'd like to share. I can't wait to hear from you!

Baines & Fricker Cat Wallpaper From Anthropologie

2013-05-03T14:59:00.002-04:00

Cats Wallpaper by Baines & Fricker

So the the Omega Cats wallpaper was too bold for you, and you don't have time to painstakingly stencil hundreds of kitties on your wall? Another cute (albeit pricey) option in the world of cat decor is the pretty pastel Cats Wallpaper by Baines & Fricker, currently available at Anthropologie.

The feline-inspired wall coverings are made in the UK, and feature carefree kitty heads, floating in a sea of mint or pink. Each $198 roll is digitally printed, and includes enough cats to cover 56 square feet.

Via Anthropologie

Cat Director Has Other Plans for Lego Town Promo Video

2013-05-03T12:31:00.001-04:00

Lego Town promo video does not go as planned

Feline filmmakers are notorious for their paws on approach to moviemaking, so it's no surprise that Sam Lapin's cat, Darwin, decided to spice up a promo he was shooting for an upcoming Lego Town charity event.

Lapin was recording the video in his Kentucky home last week, when the furry auteur popped out of nowhere to deliver the hilarious videobomb.

Sam tells the Cincinnati Enquirer that he was as surprised as anyone by the unexpected kitty cameo.

“Usually Darwin ignores me. He much prefers my wife,” he said.

"That's not how I told you to say it!!"

Via Huffington Post / Cincinnati Enquirer

Around The World In 80 Cats #30: Istanbul

2013-05-02T16:26:00.002-04:00

Gli
(christie yunhwa)

Over the past fourteen hundred years, the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey has been a church, a mosque, and finally a museum, dedicated to preserving its religious and cultural history. BuzzFeed recently revealed that it's also home to a friendly and photogenic feline, who goes by the name of Gli.

(kradeki)

There are dozens of photos of the adorably cross-eyed cat floating around the internet, and he even has a Tumblr devoted to fan sightings. The kitty curator's hobbies include perching, napping against spotlights, and soaking up attention from cat loving museum-goers, such as this one, and the one below.

(y entonces)

The caption from the photo above reads:
This cat, who was hanging out inside the Hagia Sophia, was getting a lot of attention from the tourists.. He was mostly polite, sometimes indifferent toward the tourists, until this woman showed up. The cat was immediately drawn to her. He acted like he had just been reunited with a long-lost best friend.

(connie5001)

(echiner1)

(gga)

According to reports, Gli is around 7-years-old, and has lived at Hagia Sophia his entire life. He met Barack Obama during the President's visit to Istanbul in 2009, and is one of several cats being cared for at the museum.

(AsranQ)

(kradeki)

(chrisafer)

To check out more pics of Gli, visit hagiasophiacat.tumblr.com.

Via BuzzFeed

Previously: Around the World in 80 Cats #1 - 29

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