Catsparella

Vogue Pairs Cats & Flats With Purrfect Results

2014-03-17T23:44:00.000-04:00

Pignoli

I've always been enamored with high-fashion cat photo shoots, and Vogue.com doesn't disappoint with their latest installment of meow-couture. Every day this month they've been combining the exquisite combination of felines and flats, into a daily photo feature highlighting the hottest spring shoes.

Mind you, this is Vogue and these aren't just any cats. The Grace Coddington-approved models include adoptable cats from Anjellicle Cats and Bideawee in NYC, and Instagram glitterati like Princess Monster Truck, whose striking underbite is redefining standards of beauty in the feline world, and beyond.

Check out "The Cat and the Flat: Spring Shoes and Kittens Make the Perfect Pair" for even more stunning shots, and watch for a new image to be posted there every day through the end of March!

Rihanna is up for adoption from Bideawee.

Tommy

The internet's own Princess Monster Truck.

Florence is up for adoption from Bideawee.

George

Charlie and Tiramisu, whose nickname is "Susy" BECAUSE OF COURSE IT IS.

Not to play favorites here, but let me just tell you that there is a new "IT" cat in town, and her name is TARAJI.

Taraji works..

Taraji lurks...

And Taraji's tiny face is the only thing that could distract you from these amazing $725 patent-leather printed Miu Miu flats.

THE END.

Grumpy Cat, Cash Cats & Cat Parties: SXSW From A Cat Lady's Perspective

2014-03-12T22:37:00.000-04:00

Animal Planet Cats Live Here Party

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to attend the SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas. I've been dreaming of going for years now, and when I finally got the opportunity as part of my job as a Community Manager at Purina, I couldn't believe it!

I was in town with Pro Plan Cat, who were one of the sponsors of the MO FILM 2014 SXSW Awards. During the party, which included a film screening and gourmet BBQ, one talented filmmaker received a prize for creating a cinematic cat video that answered the question, "What's so great about a cat?"

Dave told me what was so great about his cat, Miss Trinkles. (via @ProPlanCat)

We were also there gathering stories for @ProPlanCat, which just went live on Twitter and Instagram last week! I'd love for you to follow us and tag your cat photos with #MyGreatCat for a chance to be featured in the community. As an added incentive, if you also mention @catsparella in your tweets or Instagram posts, I'll send you a surprise when we launch the Pro Plan Cat Facebook page in April!

As for the rest of the conference, it truly was a cat lovers paradise. After taking in an inspiring discussion with Nasty Gal CEO Sophia Amoruso, we headed to the infamous Mashable House, AKA heaven on earth for a pop culture enthusiasts who spend the bulk of their waking hours on the internet.

I came in like a Wrecking Ball...

After signing signing my life away on a release form, I had the opportunity to swing on a wrecking ball, Miley style.

S.H. + G.C. = Best Frans Forever

Next, I turned into a real life cat emoji when I got to take a picture with Grumpy Cat! The internet's most famous feline was there representing Friskies (another Purina brand, natch), and delivering food to needy cats in the Austin area.

The Iron Throne just got a whole lot cattier.

I thought I couldn't take any more excitement after that, but boy, was I wrong. A stop at the Game of Thrones exhibit across town was another highlight of the trip, and a chance to sit on the Iron Throne brought out my inner Cersei (after a brief hiatus, my cattitude is back!).

Cat Cash: The Economy of Internet Cat Videos Panel

Afterwards, I rushed back to the Austin Convention Center for the most highly anticipated session of the conference: Cat Cash: The Economy of Internet Cat Videos. The panel included Will Braden (Henri, Le Chat Noir), Ben Lashes (Meme Manager to Grumpy Cat, Nyan Cat, Keyboard Cat and more), Grace Suriel (Director of Social Media at Animal Planet), and Scott Stulen (Curator of the Internet Cat Video Festival). Lil Bub's dude, Mike Bridavasky, was also in the crowd, but nothing caused more pandemonium than when Grumpy Cat made a surprise appearance.

Quincy insisted that I get her good side.

The rain wouldn't let up, but an an emergency umbrella run led us to Wild About Music, where we were greeted by an awesome shop cat named Quincy! This spunky girl made my already unforgettable day complete, and wouldn't you know it - she's a social media maven like myself, with her very own Twitter account!

A+ Cat Swag

Day 2 of the conference consisted of a heavy day of sessions (including one about Twitter and Sharknado, because why not), but once the sun went down, it was time to get my cat party on. The cool cats at Animal Planet were kind enough to send me a VIP invite to their Cats Live Here Party, a celebration of all things feline. Needless to say, the kitty-themed bash was all I could have dreamed of and more.

The Glamourpuss was the must-have cocktail of the night (by me).

Guests were treated to cat-themed cocktails, quirky buttons, and cake pops.

Kicking it with Lil Bub in the VIP lounge.

There was even an appearance in the VIP lounge by none other than Lil Bub!

A view from the top of the best cat party ever.

The culmination of the bash was a rousing performance from 80s cover band, The Spazmatics. I must say, if you're in Texas, you must check these guys out. After dancing the night away, I ended up standing in line for a free cronut at 2 a.m. (alas, it did not come to pass). But if that's the worst thing that happened all weekend, I think I did OK.

Thanks for stopping by to see what I've been up to! If you'd like to keep up with my latest project, follow @ProPlanCat on Twitter and Instagram, and tag your pics with #MyGreatCat for a chance to be featured in our new community!

It's Caturday!

2014-02-22T14:19:00.000-05:00

She lives!! I know it's been quiet around these parts for awhile, but I've been busy at work, consumed with all things dog! Earlier this month I covered the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show with the Purina Pro Plan social media team, and and even met last year's winner, BANANA JOE! The delightful Affenpinscher has catlike qualities which I admire, and his handler, Ernesto Lara, couldn't have been nicer.

Oh look, it's me and 'NANA JOE.

Now that the dog show is done, I'm turning my attention back to cats as we get ready to launch the Pro Plan Cat community on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. It's just one more place where I'll be able to help cat lovers share their stories with the world, and to say I'm excited would be an understatement!

Shinobii

This week's featured feline is a self proclaimed "black beauty," who is "on a mission to show the world how loving and sweet black cats truly are and erase all traces of superstition."

Daniela writes:

This is my gorgeous black beauty, Shinobii. She's changed my life with her beauty, elegance, love, and sweet personality.

In the words of the Fashion Queens, "10s across the board!"

She walks with confidence and never gets tired of hearing how beautiful she is. Her regal attitude is only fit for a queen.

Curious

Sophisticated

I hope that those who see her as queen see the true beauty of black cats.

Playful

Uninhibited

I hope that those who see Shinobii see how beautiful and sophisticated black cats are and begin to opening their hearts towards them.

Coy

Fierce

If you can't get enough of this regal feline, you can find her on Instagram (@shinobiicat) and Facebook, or visit Daniela's Gatinela Cat Fashion & Accessories Boutique, where Shinobii is the star!

Happy New Year & An Update!

2014-01-01T15:58:00.000-05:00

Catsparella has been on hiatus for the past few weeks while I've been settling into my new life in St. Louis. As I mentioned in my last update, I moved here at the beginning of December for a job opportunity -- which as some of you correctly guessed is at Nestlé Purina PetCare!

I started this blog from my bedroom in 2010 as a creative outlet, and as a way to escape an unfulfilling job in human resources. I am extremely grateful and humbled that I was able to channel my passion for cats into a blog, and eventually a career. It was difficult for me to leave everything I've ever known back in New Jersey, but I'm also very excited to start this new chapter in my life.

Purina is home to iconic cat brands such as Cat Chow, Tidy Cats, Friskies, and Fancy Feast, and as part of my role as Community Manager, I will be leading the Pro Plan Cat community. We are gearing up to launch a brand new page on Facebook and Twitter in the coming months, and I hope you will join me there!

As I look back over the past 3 and a half years, more than anything, I am so thankful for all of the wonderful individuals (human and feline) that I have met. It's been an honor telling your stories, and sharing all of my favorite cat finds with you week after week. That being said, this isn't a goodbye. While I continue to figure out my new life here, I will still pop in with news and updates (and Caturday posts!), and hope you will stop by to say hello and see what's new.

Thank you again to everyone who has gone down this road with me, and taken the time to read, comment, and share one of my posts. Catsparella has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life, and I am forever changed because of it.

Wishing everyone and their kitties a very happy new year filled with cats, cupcakes, and love!

-Stephanie

It's Caturday!

2013-12-21T14:50:00.001-05:00

We interrupt this blogging break to bring you a very special Caturday, featuring the fabulous Monster LeKiwi!

Monster LeKiwi

Erika writes:

Monster LeKiwi is a very special kitten. She was born to a barn cat - a gray tabby - and came from a litter full of orange and gray tabbies.

She was the only different one - cream colored and she later developed her beautiful seal points, snowshoes, and kept her blue eyes. I think her father might have been a Ragdoll because she goes limp in the typical Ragdoll way when she is picked up.

Monster's uniqueness comes from more than just her beauty though. Monster loves to wear clothes. She wears t-shirts and sweatshirts all the time, and it's clear that she loves them the way she walks around showing them off and is very helpful when you put them on her!

Another unique thing about Monster is that she loves car rides. She watches out the window, sits on your lap, and often sits on the storage compartment between the front seats of the car just observing.

She also loves going in the pet stores. She walks on her leash, gets carried, or sits in the cart. She does very well with people petting her and I am always complimented on how well-behaved she is and people always say they can't believe it because their cat would be freaking out.

The other thing Monster loves to do is go outside and go on walks in her harness. We started her doing that as a kitten and she loves it. She likes to just explore and is good at keeping up.

Monster also is very protective of me - almost like a dog. I only found that out a couple of days ago. I was play-fighting over something with someone and yelling stop and such and Monster must have thought I was hurt because next thing I know I see her try to get between me and my friend, and she began biting up and down my friend's arm and attacking them!

I have never heard of a cat acting so protective and it was so sweet to me to know she would try to protect me if I were hurt!

Monster is my best friend, and those are just a few of the things that make her unique and the things that I love about her!

Special thanks to Erika for sharing the inimitable Monster LeKiwi with us this week! You can follow her on Twitter @monsterlekiwi. I hope everyone is having a great Caturday, and I will be back with more updates soon!

It's Caturday!

2013-12-07T09:52:00.002-05:00

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!

As I mentioned last week, on Sunday I officially moved to St. Louis! I've been busy trying to get settled in before I start work on Monday, and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my stuff from NJ. I am loving STL so far, although I know I will love it even more once I get my bed (and cable)!!

I'm on a bit of a blogging break while I get settled in, but I did manage to hit the local coffee shop and put up a new giveaway this week. Enter to win your choice of a 2014 I Can Has Cheezburger wall calendar or a 2014 Garfield wall calendar. Click here for details!

Milo

This week's featured feline is a darling rescue kitty who turned his mama into a cat lover for life!

Anna writes:

Hello, my name is Anna, and I'm from Mexico City. I thought I was a dog person until I found my cat... Better say, he found me!

First day home.

Sleeping Milo

This is Milo, he is adopted. I found him in an animal hospital. He was wounded, and lost two vertebras of the tail and half of his left ear. He was barely 2 months old. I just can't believe someone can hurt an animal this way.

Musical Milo

Playful Milo

Close-up Milo

Now he is two years old. He has given me so much love!!!

Beautiful Milo

Peek-a-boo Milo

Rola is adopted also, she loves Milo too and is quite a handful!

Loving Milo & Rola

Special thanks to Anna for sharing Milo's story with us this week! It's very sad to hear about his rough start in life, but I'm so glad they found each other! Hopefully his early memories have been replaced with nothing but love. ♥

Messy My Superhero Cat Tote Bag Giveaway Winner!

2013-12-07T09:50:00.002-05:00

Cat Superhero Tote

Thanks to all who entered the Messy My Superhero Cat Tote Bag Giveaway! I used Random.org to determine the winner, and it selected comment #78 belonging to pookasnake who wrote: "I love this art!! Brings a smile to my face. :)"

Con-catulations!

Be sure to visit Messy My on Etsy to check out even more of Daphne's adorable cat art, including her custom cat portraits!

The Sweater Store Vintage Cat Christmas Sweater Giveaway Winner!

2013-12-07T09:50:00.001-05:00

Black Ugly Christmas Pullover

Thanks to all who entered The Sweater Store Vintage Cat Christmas Sweater Giveaway! I used Random.org to determine the winner, and it selected comment #142 belonging to Laura who wrote: "So Beautiful, just needs a touch of cat hair!"

Congrats, Laura!

The Sweater Store is home to the world’s largest selection of vintage ugly Christmas sweaters and holiday accessories. Check out their cat sweaters here, and their ~*Christmas cat sweaters*~ here!

Simon's Cat In "Christmas Presence"

2013-12-06T14:57:00.000-05:00

Christmas Presence - Simon's Cat

"A festive feline goes looking for a Christmas treat"...and boy does he find one! I'm still riding high from my encounter with Simon's Cat creator Simon Tofield last week, and finding a new Simon's Cat film in my inbox this morning was an unexpected snow day treat. It just goes to show that Santa has love for naughty kitties, too!

I Can Has Cheezburger & Garfield 2014 Cat Calendar Giveaway!

2013-12-04T15:42:00.000-05:00

When it comes to calendars, you know I'm always picking a kitty one. The folks at Andrews McMeel Publishing know this too, so they sent me a I Can Has Cheezburger 2014 calendar and Garfield 2014 calendar to review!

Charlie can has cheezburger?

Before I got my paws on them though, Charlie decided to adopt them as his own. I'm not sure why a cat needs a calendar (as far as he's concerned, every day is Caturday), but I just didn't have the heart to tell him that.

Aww, they're not so bad!

Seriously though, the wall calendars are super cool and cute. The ICHC calendar is colorful and features collages of clever kitty captions, while the Garfield "I Hate Mondays" calendar is purrfect for the real life grumpy cat in your life!

Enter To Win!

Don't worry Charlie, we're not giving away your copies!

Andrews McMeel Publishing has generously offered two lucky Catsparella readers the chance to win! One winner will receive the I Can Has Cheezburger? 2014 Wall Calendar, and another will receive the Garfield 2014 Wall Calendar, so make sure to leave your preference in the comments!

To enter, leave a comment on this post with your name, calendar choice, 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 Wednesday, December 11 at 5:00PM CST. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. One entry per person, please.

Good luck, and be sure to check out these awesome kitty calendars online, and at a store near you!

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

Disclosure: The publisher provided me with copies of the calendars to review and giveaway, but all thoughts and cheeseburger loving cats contained in this post are my own.

Megan Lynn Kott Cat Art Poster Giveaway Winners!

2013-11-30T23:44:00.003-05:00

La Laa Laaa - Cat Art Print

Thanks to all who entered the Megan Lynn Kott Cat Art Poster Giveaway! Megan herself picked her three favorite kitten captions to win the "La Laa Laaa" posters, and she painted them too!

"Pssst...you have litter on your paws!" submitted by bluesurly.

"I can see your soul." submitted by Christina T.

"Psst, human..Even though I may ignore you sometimes...I'm thankful you're my mom & you picked me." submitted by Kelly S.

Congrats to the lucky winners!

Be sure to visit the Decisions & Revisions Etsy shop, Big Cartel, and Megan's Tumblr to check out all of her latest and greatest feline-inspired art!

Order one of her custom pet portraits now through December 6th, and save $25 (plus the cost of shipping). You'll receive a 9x12" watercolor on high-quality Arches Hot Press paper or a 12x12" acrylic painting on stretched canvas of the kitty portrait of your choice!

It's Caturday!

2013-11-30T07:57:00.001-05:00

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, Charlie celebrated turkey day and Black Friday, I moderated an event with Simon's Cat creator Simon Tofield at the Min-Manhattan Branch of the New York Public Library, and the holidays = giveaway mania! There's still time to enter to win the following fabulous prizes:

Your choice of a vintage cat Christmas sweater from The Sweater Store
A Superhero Cat Tote from Messy My

Also, don't forget to visit the Catsparella shop for the lowest prices of the year! Score the latest in feline finery for just $14.95 or less!

And finally, a bit of personal news: Tomorrow I am moving over 900 miles away to St. Louis, MO for a new job! I plan to write more about this, but I'll need to take some time to settle in first. Posting is probably going to get a lot lighter for a bit, but I hope you'll still check in and follow me as I begin this new adventure!

Tucker

This week's featured feline is a snuggly ginger sweetheart with a heart of gold!

Kristine writes:

I wanted to share some pictures of my orange kitty. His name is Tucker but he goes by many other names such as "luvvie", "boobie" and "bubba" just to name a few.

He loves his mommy, loves to be talked to. He has a luvvie of his own which is a pink ballet slipper cat toy. I initially bought this girly cat toy for my other cat Emma, but she didn't like it. Tucker loved it right away so every night when I "tuck" him in, I make sure he has his luvvie to keep him safe.

He's very smart and mischievous. He likes to knock items over just because he can and to let me know he wants something. He's my world and I don't know what I'd do without him. He is my best friend.

He is 10 years old and I got him from a colleague at work. Her car had a bunch of kittens and when I saw this picture of a little orange kitty, I knew he was mine. I asked my work colleague for the photo she used to advertise her attempts to find homes for these kittens because Tucker was in it and he had his arm around one of his sisters. Attached are a few photos of my "luvvie". I hope you like.

Special thanks to Kristine for sharing her handsome boy with us this week! I can't help but fall in love with her little luvvie too! ♥

Messy My Superhero Cat Tote Bag Giveaway!

2013-11-29T11:35:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays Greeting Card

I've long admired the work of artist Daphne Sivetidis of Messy My. Her whimsical feline illustrations always bring a smile to my face, and I love how she has her kitties cozied up in hats and sweaters for the holidays! Her Etsy shop is currently filled with goodies like adorable cards, wrapping paper, and brooches, purrfect for holiday gift giving.

Christmas Cat Gift Wrap

If you're looking for a more personalized present, she recently started offering customized cat portraits, done in her signature style. In addition to receiving a mini print shipped in the mail, you'll also get a digital copy of the drawing, which can be printed out anywhere (bags, cards, t-shirts, invitations, mugs, etc.) for an unlimited amount of times! How cool is that?

Custom Cat Portrait

Messy My is having a Black Friday sale to celebrate the season! Use coupon code "BLACK" today at checkout for 15% off everything in the shop!

Enter To Win!

Cat Superhero Tote

Daphne has generously offered one lucky Catsparella reader the chance to win a Messy My Cat Superhero tote bag!

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 Friday, December 6 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 visit Messy My on Etsy to check out even more of Daphne's adorable cat art!

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

[Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]

Giftskins Customized Cat Wrapping Paper Giveaway Winner!

2013-11-29T09:45:00.001-05:00

Meowy Christmas Gift Wrap

Thanks to all who entered the Giftskins Customized Cat Wrapping Paper Giveaway! I used Random.org to determine the winner, and it selected comment #6 belonging to Laila and Minchie who wrote: "How cool is that! We love everything with a kitty on it, including our gift wrap!"

Congrats, kitty friends! They chose the Meowy Christmas gift wrap design, and are purrrsonalizing it with these adorable pics:

Be sure to visit Giftskins.com to order customized cat gift wrap of your own this holiday season!

The Sweater Store Vintage Cat Christmas Sweater Giveaway!

2013-11-27T15:24:00.000-05:00

Ahh, there's nothing quite like the tradition of the Ugly Christmas Sweater, especially when there are cats involved!

I was first introduced to The Sweater Store a few months back, when I caught wind that they raided the closets of some of the world's most ~*fashionable cat ladies*~ to add a whole new category to their site dedicated exclusively to feline inspired designs. The best part is, all proceeds from sales of these cat sweaters go the ASPCA!

Enter To Win!

Now, just in time for the holidays, they have once again generously offered a lucky Catsparella reader the chance to win the vintage cat Christmas sweater of their choice!

I've posted just a few of my favorites, but you can choose from any sweater available here.

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 Wednesday, Dec. 4 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 Sweater Store and follow them on Facebook for all of your ugly(ish) sweater needs!

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

[Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]

Around The World In 80 Cats: Fuerteventura Revisited

2013-11-27T11:19:00.000-05:00

Kathy is a longtime Catsparella reader with a cat loving daughter, and her family often takes feline-centric vacations around the globe.

In the past, she has shared their adventures in Cornwall, Belgium, and Japan. Around this time last year, they took a trip to Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa.

The family recently revisited the island on holiday, and sent along some more beautiful photos of the well cared for street kitties they encountered during their stay.

Kathy writes:

We went for a two week holiday to Fuerteventura again last month and you’ll never guess…. we saw more cats! The lady who managed the villa we were staying at still has the same five cats (Ting-Tong, Scary, Dracula, Bitey & Raymond) and they are all still happy and well.

She continues to be involved with the Twinkle Trust that looks after stray cats on the island. Once again, all of the ‘random’ cats we saw were in good health and some even held still long enough for a photo! Our girl (aside from being in cat-heaven again) kept checking out the cats' ears to see if they had been clipped which indicates that they had been neutered.

Ting-Tong

Scary (who isn’t scary at all, he is a sweetie)

Ray (not the friendliest, but very handsome)

This black cat was at the sea-side. I don’t think they appreciate the view.

He saw something interesting.

These two had their eye on a dog.

This white one was chillin’ in the black sand (makes him easy to spot).

This one was eating at one of the Twinkle Trust feeding stations.

This one was waiting his turn.

Ones we saw in the vicinity of the feeding station.

Beautiful restaurant cat.

Very tame.

On the rocks!

Kathy's daughter is a feline fashionista!

Special thanks to Kathy for giving us yet another glimpse into one of her wonderful family trips. I'm still holding out hope that one day I will be able to visit a few of these fabulous feline travel destinations myself!

Kaori Mitsushima 2014 "Cats I Know" Calendar Giveaway Winner!

2013-11-27T10:16:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all who entered the Kaori Mitsushima 2014 "Cats I Know" Calendar Giveaway! I used Random.org to determine the winner, and it selected comment #21 belonging to Caitlin who wrote: "Those illustrations are just gorgeous."

Congrats, Caitlin!

The Cats I Know Wall Calendar is available now, and as an added bonus, Kaori is offering a 10% off coupon for all Catsparella readers who enter in coupon code "CATLOVE10" at checkout! Visit the Cats I Know Etsy Shop, and like Cats I Know on Facebook to keep up with all of Mitsushima's chic feline designs.

2014 Cats I Know Wall Calendar from Cats I Know on Vimeo.

It's Caturday!

2013-11-23T09:36:00.001-05:00

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

This week, James Franco offered up an adorable, cat-centric appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," while Catching Fire was recast with an orange kitty. Also, this was a huge week of giveaways, and there are three going right now that you still have time to enter:

2014 Cats I Know Wall Calendar by Kaori Mitsushima
A roll of customized kitty wrapping paper from Giftskins.com
Megan Lynn Kott "La Laa Laaa" Cat Art Poster (3 Winners!)

Elsewhere, I'm going to be at the Mid-Manhattan Branch of the New York Public Library this coming Monday night (Nov. 25th) at 6:30 - 8:30pm to moderate an event with Simon's Cat creator Simon Tofield. If you can make it, I'd love to see you there! (Event details here).

The Catsparella Pre-Holiday Blowout Sale is still in full effect! Get your paws on an "Every Day is Caturday" tee or "If you think I'm cute, you should see my cat" tote for the lowest prices of the year at catsparella.bigcartel.com.

And finally, I want to send purrs and prayers to our furriend Colonel Meow who has been seriously ill at the vet. His master, Anne Marie Avey, has been diligently posting updates on his Facebook page, and as of last night he was hanging in there, and even poop bombed the entire hospital! #MiracleMeow

Jill

This week's featured feline is an inspirational cancer surviving kitty!

Erica writes:

I'd like to tell you about my kitty, Jill.

Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo tripawd kitty. In December 2012, she had her right hind leg amputated due to bone cancer (osteosarcoma). She then had four rounds of chemotherapy.

She recently celebrated her TEN MONTH AMPUVERSARY! She is quite an amazing survivor and the most snuggly, sweet kitty you'd ever meet.

She has been through so much this past year, countless trips to the vet for blood tests, procedures, etc. and has purred her way through it all. She never lost her sweetness, her spunk or her desire to be held and cuddled, but she did lose her leg and her whiskers (from chemo)! She is truly a hero and inspires me everyday.

You can read more about her on her blog at jillsjourney.tripawds.com or her Facebook page: JillTheTripawdCancerFightingKitty.

Special thanks to Erica for sharing her inspirational feline with us this week. Jill ROCKS, and I admire her strength, courage, and fighting spirit that helped her kick cancer's furry butt!

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

2013-11-22T10:52:00.001-05:00

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

Megan Lynn Kott Cat Art Poster Giveaway (3 Winners!)

2013-11-22T09:21:00.001-05:00

Pizza!!

PIZZA!!! Um, do I have your attention yet? I've been following the work of Megan Lynn Kott since I first came across her feisty felines last July. Since then, she has continued to delight me with a steady stream of kitty illustrations, courtesy of her cute Tumblr page.

HOLIDAY SALE Pet Portraits - Custom Original Paintings

Just in time for the holidays, Megan and her partner, Justin DeVine (the Bay Area art duo-ship know as Decisions & Revisions) are offering a sale on their original pet portraits. Order now through December 6th, and save $25 (plus the cost of shipping), and receive a 9x12" watercolor on high-quality Arches Hot Press paper, or a 12x12" acrylic painting on stretched canvas, of the kitty portrait of your choice!

Sometimes I Get Lonely Kitty - 8x10 Art Print

In addition to their custom paintings, the duo also offers some really cool prints and postcards in their Etsy shop. One of my personal favorites is The Final Countdown: Collection of Nine Watercolor Arrested Development Cat Art Postcards - a must have for the AD obsessed ailurophile in your life!

Watercolor Arrested Development Cat Art Postcards

Paws up!

Enter To Win!

La Laa Laaa - Cat Art Print

Megan has generously offered three lucky Catsparella readers the chance to win her "La Laa Laaa" 11x14 gloss poster!

What is this kitty whispering? We're picking the 3 best captions for the following illustration to win:

Caption this kitty to win!

To enter, leave a comment on this post with your caption, 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 Friday, Nov. 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 the Decisions & Revisions Etsy shop, Big Cartel, and Megan's Tumblr to check out all of her latest and greatest feline-inspired art!

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

[Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]

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

2013-11-21T09:18:00.000-05:00

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)

Giftskins Customized Cat Wrapping Paper Giveaway!

2013-11-20T17:01:00.003-05:00

You woke me up from my nap for this?

I love purrsonalized feline products, so when Giftskins.com contacted me about trying out customized gift wrap with my pretty kitty's face on it, it was an offer I couldn't refuse!

Dis kitty.

The process of ordering is super easy. I simply picked out my design from the dozens available on their site, and was able to customize it with the images and text of my choice.

Happy Holidays From Catsparella!

I decided to go with two of my favorite Instagram pictures of Priscilla: One of her wearing a beautiful pink bow (from our friends at Snoop Catty Catt, holla!), and another where she is WERKING a tiny straw hat. The custom message on the wrap reads: "Happy Holidays From Catsparella!"

Meowy Christmas Gift Wrap

In addition to their wide selection of wrapping paper for every occasion, Giftskins also offers several pet-centric designs, including the adorable "Cat and Yarn" motif that I selected.

Cat's Meow Gift Wrap

My wrapping paper shipped quickly, and is great quality. I also love that it has a grid on the back, great for lining it up with boxes. One roll is $14.95 (19.75 x 76.75in.), and will wrap three medium sized gifts. I must say it's so cool seeing little Priscilla's face on the paper...I might just end up saving it all for myself!

Charlie checking out the merchandise.

Enter To Win!

Choose from any design on the Giftskins.com site, including the Cat and Yarn Gift Wrap!

Giftskins.com has generously offered one lucky Catsparella reader the chance to win a customized roll of pet wrapping paper!

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 Wednesday, Nov. 27 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 Giftskins.com to order customized cat gift wrap of your own!

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

Disclosure: Giftwraps.com sent me a free roll of wrapping paper in exchange for this giveaway, but all thoughts, opinions, and beautiful kitty cats contained in this post are my own.

[Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]

"Cat vs Human: Another Dose Of Catnip" Book Giveaway Winner!

2013-11-20T14:36:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all who entered the "Cat vs Human: Another Dose Of Catnip" Book Giveaway! I used Random.org to determine the winner, and it selected comment #112 belonging to Jei-Jei who wrote, "Love her comics! :3"

Yasmine Surovec's second collection of kitty comics, "Cat vs Human: Another Dose Of Catnip," is available now on Amazon, and in bookstores near you. Be sure to visit the Cat Versus Human website and like CvsH on Facebook for updates on all of her latest comics and projects!

Kaori Mitsushima 2014 "Cats I Know" Calendar Giveaway!

2013-11-19T06:23:00.000-05:00

2014 Cats I Know Wall Calendar

If you're looking for a unique, beautiful cat calendar to help ease you into 2014, than look no further than the whimsical artwork of Kaori Mitsushima.

The Oberlin, Ohio based illustrator and artist draws inspiration from cats, birds, and women. Her simple but strong lines reflect a deep connection to Japan, the place where she grew up.

I'm a longtime fan of Kaori's sophisticated cat people, who also show up on postcards and custom portraits in her Etsy shop. Her latest project is the gorgeous 2014 Cats I Know Wall Calendar, featuring 12 of her new, full color feline illustrations.

The calendar is available for pre-order now, and will ship later next week. As an added bonus, Kaori is offering a 10% off Etsy coupon for all Catsparella readers who buy the 2014 calendar when they enter in coupon code "CATLOVE10" at checkout!

Enter To Win!

Kaori has generously offered one lucky Catsparella reader the chance to win a copy of her 2014 Cats I Know Calendar!

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, Nov. 26 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 the Cats I Know Etsy Shop, and like Cats I Know on Facebook to keep up with all of Kaori's chic feline designs.

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

[Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]

2013 Fancy Feast Holiday Ornament Giveaway (30 Instant Winners!)

2013-11-18T12:59:00.000-05:00

For me, one sure sign the holidays are on their way is the release of the Fancy Feast holiday ornament. The time honored tradition goes back over 25 years, and I am thrilled to be able to share it with you for the third year in a row!

Fancy Feast 2013 Holiday Ornament Story

From plush white cats to chic silver kitties, the collectible ornament has evolved over time to embody the spirit of the Fancy Feast brand. This year, they opted to blend timeless tradition and modern inspiration, with a design handcrafted by The Firecracker Press, a small letterpress print shop located in Purina's hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.

If you can't wait to get your paws on one, the ornament can be purchased for $2 at Feastivities.com. All donations will go directly to Adopt-a-Pet.com, North America’s largest non-profit pet adoption website dedicated to finding great owners for homeless pets.

Enter To Win!

~~The first 30 people to email me at catsparella@gmail.com with their name and mailing address (U.S. addresses only) will receive a free 2013 Fancy Feast ornament!~~

~~Additional rules:~~
~~1 ornament per person/mailing address.~~
~~I must receive your entry through EMAIL. Comments on this post with your address will be removed.~~

~~Email me right now for your chance to win, and I'll post an update once all 30 ornaments are gone. Good luck, and happy holidays from Catsparella and Fancy Feast!~~

Update: All of the ornaments have been claimed! Thanks for entering, and don't forget you can purchase one of your own for a $2 donation to Adopt-a-Pet at Feastivities.com.