The Purrfect 10: Vacation Destinations for Cat Lovers

We love reading and researching anything and everything about cats, and wanted to find a fun and unique way to share the interesting facts we learn with you! Since top 10 lists are very popular in the blogosphere, we created The Purrfect 10 as a way to present 10 educational or fascinating tidbits about a wide variety of cat-related topics, everything from health issues to cat breeds to famous felines.

The height of summer travel season is upon us, as millions take to the roads, skies and rails for fun family vacations. For those of us whose lives revolve around our cats, the only down side to these trips is leaving our fur babies at home, so we seek out cat-related destinations. This month's Purrfect 10 features a variety of locations to add to your bucket list of places to visit...

United States Destinations

Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum: The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West is just as famous for its feline residents as it is for its former owner. Hemingway’s passion for 6-toed cats began in the 1930s when Snow White was given to him as a gift from a sea captain. Sailors favored polydactyl cats, believing they brought good luck and safe passage. To this day, many of Snow White’s descendants roam the grounds of Hemingway Home, with more than 50 currently residing on the property. About half of the cats have six toes, but all carry the polydactyl gene.

Cat World at Utah's Best Friends Animal Sanctuary: More than 700 cats live at Cat World, a village of 11 buildings that provide cats with indoor luxuries, enclosed catios, and hidey-holes for privacy. Specialized accommodations for cats with various needs (incontinent, FIV, neurological disorders, leukemia) allow them to live a life of dignity with all their medical needs met, not to mention loads of love and attention thanks to a staff of 40 caretakers. Many will be adopted, but those that aren't have a home for life at Cat World.

Cat'N Around Catskill: A summer-long outdoor art exhibit featuring painted fiberglass cats lining Historic Main Street in Catskill, New York. The cats stay in place through Labor Day, and later in September they are auctioned off. Currently in its 13th year, the event started as a way to bring attention to local businesses and raise money for charity, but has become a huge tourist attraction and unique platform for artists to display their creativity.

New York City’s Algonquin Hotel: The tradition of the Algonquin Cat dates back to the early 1920’s. The hotel’s first cat, Billy, lived in the hotel during the famed Round Table of the 1920’s. In 1933, two days after Billy passed away a stray cat wandered into the hotel looking for shelter. He was immediately welcomed to stay and named Rusty. Frequent guest John Barrymore felt this name was too common for a cat residing in such a prestigious hotel. Rusty was renamed Hamlet in honor of Barrymore’s greatest stage role. Over the years, the hotel has had eight Hamlets and three cats named Matilda. The current Hamlet has a full-time job as hotel ambassador, and each summer he stars in the Algonquin’s annual Cat Fashion Show, which raises money for the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals.

American Museum of the House Cat: Located in Sylva, North Carolina, this museum is the private collection of Dr. Harold Sims – aka CatMan2 – and it’s likely America’s largest collection of house cat memorabilia. Items displayed in the museum include cat-centric toys, clocks, banks, dolls, advertising illustrations, animation cells, fine art, folk art, thrift store art, beer steins, music boxes, carnival games, carousel animals, jewelry, pottery, puppets, automatons, and Halloween knick-knacks. Proceeds fund Dr. Sims Catman2 Shelter, Western North Carolina’s largest no kill, cage free, open concept cats-only shelter, which has taken in and adopted over 4,000 cats through the years.

International Destinations

De Poezenboot: The Catboat: A world-famous tourist attraction in Amsterdam, the Catboat is the only animal sanctuary that literally floats. Founded in 1966 by Henriette van Weelde as a refuge for stray and abandoned cats, De Poezenboot is now an official charity housing up to 50 cats at once. Cats are available for adoption, but tourists are also welcome to come on board for a “kitty fix.” There’s no entrance fee, but donations are welcome and go towards the care of the cats.

Festival of the Cats Parade: Held triennially on the second Sunday of May since 1955, the Kattenstoet (“Festival of the Cats”) is a parade in Ypres, Belgium, devoted to cats. Its origins come from the horrific Middle Ages tradition of throwing cats from the highest tower to the town square below in order to kill “evil spirits.” Thankfully, today it’s plush cats that are thrown down to the crowd, and whoever catches one gets to make a wish. Thousands of cat lovers from around the globe attend the festival dressed as felines, witches, mice, or townspeople from ages past to enjoy floats, giant cats, music, theater and dance groups.

Tashirojima (Cat Island): An island where the cat population is now larger than the human population? Sign me up for a one-way ticket! Cat Island exists due to the large stray cat population that thrives as a result of the belief that felines represent luck and good fortune, and doubly so if you feed and care for them. Locals even give credit to the cats for the island's survival during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami! Because of this they are treated like kings by the island’s fewer than 100 remaining residents even though most are considered feral. There’s even a small shrine on the island to honor a cat that was accidentally killed by fishermen centuries ago. Not surprisingly, for the cats’ protection no dogs are allowed.

Taiwan’s Houtong Cat Village: Once a thriving mining town, the area began to decline as the coal mining industry began to die out. In 2008 a local cat lover started posting pictures of the village's stray cats online, creating an overwhelming response from other cat lovers around the nation. Houtong became a center for cat lovers as word spread, and the number of cats living there increased, reviving a declining village and transforming it into a tourist destination. Drivers entering the town are greeted with a sign that reads " A lot of stray cats here. Drive slowly," and a special bridge has been constructed above the busy railway, to allow safe passage for the cats. Cat-related shops, cafes and restaurants cater to the village's estimated one million visitors per year.

Sanrio Puroland : Hello Kitty Theme Park in Tokyo: An indoor theme park run by the Sanrio company, creators of Hello Kitty, hosting various musicals, restaurants, attractions, parades, fireworks and theme rides. The park is now one of Japan's most popular attractions, where tourists can visit the homes of beloved Sanrio characters and shop at an extensive gift shop selling Sanrio merchandise.

Have you ever gone on a cat-themed vacation?

Previewing Catfest 2019 & Strays Book Giveaway

Catfest returns bigger and better at Beckenham Place, a Georgian mansion in a leafy south London park. The day-and-night festival for cat lovers will bring together buzz-worthy cat accessories with 50+ exhibitors and feature films, live music, books, art, vegan street food and cat-themed cocktails, along with feline superstar meet-and-greets and talks from international bestselling authors and feline experts.

Part of the proceeds will benefit ERHAM RESCUE and FRESHFIELDS ANIMAL RESCUE WALES to help cats and kittens in need.

• Gwen Cooper (Homer’s Odyssey)

• Tom Cox (Close Encounters of the Fur Kind; the Good, the Bad, the Furry)

• Giles Clark, star BBC's Big Cats About the House

• Britta Jaschinski, European wildlife photographer of the year

• James Bowen (A Street Cat Named Bob) and street cat Bob

• Shawn Simons, Kitty Bungalow founder and animal advocate

• Anna Kogan, Forgotten Animals founder

FELINE FILM FESTIVAL + LIVE MUSIC

(8pm-10pm)

AFTER DARK, CATFEST WILL BE SCREENING IN THE PARK:

• ROAR, Tippi Hendren’s cult classic about big cats, the most dangerous film ever made

CATFEST WILL SHOW A LIMITED SCREENING INSIDE THE MANSION:

• KEDI, the enchanting documentary about Istanbul's street cats, inside the mansion (6.30pm; and 8.15pm showings)

LIVE MUSIC ON THE MANSION TERRACE

• YOUNG SAWBONES

• THE CRONINS

• LIBERATION DRUMMER

ART, BOOKS, FOOD + COCKTAILS

• Swell Cat Art Show

• Bookshop/storytelling tent

• Face painting + arts and crafts workshop

• Fab vegan street food and kitty-inspired cakes

• Cat-themed cocktails

RESCUE KITTENS + CELEBRITY CATS

• Meet street cat Bob and other feline superstars, Maine coon adventure cats Artemis & Apollo and kitty supermodel Starina and others

• Fall in love with adoptable rescue kittens at the Meow Parlour (£5 donation at the door)

HELPING CATS IN NEED

CATFEST WILL DONATE PART OF THE PROCEEDS TO ERHAM CAT RESCUE to sterilize and improve the lives of vulnerable Moroccan street cats and kittens.

Purchase your tickets today!

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GIVEAWAY

Catfest is organized by Britt Collins, author of the amazing book amazing book Strays: A Lost Cat, a Homeless Man and Their Journey Across America. Thanks to Britt and her publisher we have THREE trade paperback copies of Strays to give away! To enter, simply leave a comment below with your email address. Winners will be selected by Random.org on Christmas Eve at noon eastern.

Mark Your Calendars for Kittydelphia 2018

Philly cat lovers, get ready! Kittydelphia, the city’s premier, and FREE, pop-up cat fair event, is set to take place on Saturday, July 28 & Sunday, July 29 at Power Plant (230 N. 2nd Street) in Old City.

Kittydelphia 2018 will feature cool vendors galore selling a variety of cat-themed apparel, toys, jewelry, art, housewares and more. You’ll also be able to meet lots of awesome adoptable cats and kittens from the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). The weekend will feature appearances by celebrity cats and guest speakers, too, as well as a cat art exhibit, and more feline-y fun and surprises are in store!

All donations at Kittydelphia, as well as all money raised from the sale of raffle tickets — and there will be scores of fantastic raffle prizes at Kittydelphia — will go to PAWS, Philadelphia’s 100% donor-supported no-kill shelter. Kittydelphia is free to enter, with a suggested minimum $5 donation at the door. Donating at the door gets attendees free raffle tickets; additional raffle tickets can be purchased during the event.

Among the Internet-famous cats making their debut appearances at Kittydelphia this year are some very special cats, all of whom might be considered “less adoptable” due to their medical conditions or appearance: Donny (@blossom_and_her_family), George (@mycat_george) and Cosgrove (@rvtechs) – find out more about all three at kittydelphia.com. 

This year’s vendors include Olive & Rye Cat Art (art & apparel), Polydactyl Cats (toys), Xenotees (apparel), The Dancing Cat (art & paper goods), Volana Kote (cat whisker jewelry), Darkside Cookies, Gothbasura (art), Lenny Mud (handmade ceramics), Kritter Kommunity (enclosures & beds), Handmade Cat Charms, Sleepy Cat Jewelry, Homocats (apparel), and others.

(Don't even get me started on how much I love these two cats, their baby sister Fig...and their humom's artwork!!!)

Kittydelphia was founded in 2017 by Laura Kicey, the Philadelphia area artist and designer behind Olive & Rye Cat Art and the popular Instagram account @oliveandrye, which features the daily antics of her rescue cats Olive, Rye and Fig (all adopted from PAWS). Kicey hosted the inaugural Kittydelphia last year in a tiny gallery space in Northern Liberties, and it was a big hit! Tons of people came out, and the event raised roughly $6,000 for PAWS and resulted in the adoption of 16 kittens and cats. This year they are hoping to raise even more money for PAWS, and get more kitties adopted, all while having a truly cat-tastic time!

Please note: Kittydelphia 2018 is happening at the air-conditioned Power Plant in Philadelphia’s gallery district. Please note that Power Plant is NOT ADA-compliant and that the event is on the third floor of the building. Please do NOT bring your own cat to Kittydelphia. 

The Purrfect 10: Fun Facts About Morris the 9Lives Cat

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MorrisKnowsBest #CollectiveBias

As a cat-obsessed little girl growing up in the 1980's, Morris the cat was one of my heroes. These were the days before celebrity cats took over the internet, and since Morris looked very much like Patch (my own cat at the time), who loved 9Lives® cat food, he was very special to me. I still have my Morris plush toy, his Christmas ornaments are on my tree every single year, and while combing through the basement recently I found a pair of old 9Lives treat canisters with Morris's handsome face on them that my parents had stuck on a shelf to hold nails! (Every now and then I'm thankful that I come from a long line of pack rats!) I dumped the nails, cleaned out the canisters, and they now sit in my kitchen. It's something most people would have just thrown away, but I cherish them and love looking at them every single day.

While brainstorming topics for our Purrfect 10 series, Morris was always at the top of my list, and today we're incredibly excited to present 10 fun facts about one of advertising's greatest icons...

1) The very first Morris (originally known as Lucky) was adopted in 1968 for only $5, a mere 20 minutes from being put to sleep, by professional animal handler Bob Martwick from the Hinsdale Humane Society, a Chicago-area animal shelter. That Morris died in July of 1978 at age 17 and was laid to rest near Mr. Martwick's home. His obituary appeared in newspapers worldwide. Since then, three different cats have gone on to play Morris, and in honor of the original all were rescued from shelters. Morris II, also discovered by Martwick somewhere in New England, retired after 15 years on the job and died in 1997. Morris III sadly only lived for a few years and was replaced by Morris IV, who currently lives with his trainer, Rose Ordile, in Los Angeles.

2) After making his debut in a mattress commercial, Martwick took the rescue cat to an audition for a 9Lives commercial in 1969. Morris was so charming that the art director exclaimed, "He's the Clark Gable of cats." "He jumped on the table ... and he walked right up to the art director, the big cheese, and bumped him in the head. And then Morris just sat back," Martwick said according to his 2001 obituary in the Los Angeles Times. The ad campaign was an overnight success and Morris became the face of 9Lives, starring in 58 commercials.

The very first Morris commercial, circa 1969!

3) Dubbed "the world's most finicky cat", Morris eats only 9Lives, and makes this preference clear with humorous voice-over comments by John Erwin when offered other brands. His fame became so great that he required a personal secretary to answer his fan mail and around-the-clock guards to protect him from kidnappers. His handsome face graced t-shirts, tote bags, coffee mugs and glass tumblers, plush toys, watches, buttons, calendars and Christmas ornaments.

4) A cat with Morris's talent and charisma couldn't be limited to the small screen. In 1973 he landed roles in the Robert Altman film "The Long Goodbye" with Elliott Gould, and in the movie "Shamus" with Burt Reynolds and Dyan Cannon.

5) The next medium for Morris to conquer was print, and he went on to author 3 books on cat care: The Morris Approach, The Morris Method and The Morris Prescription, and was the subject of another, Morris: An Intimate Biography published in 1974. He also appeared on the cover of Cat Fancy's 30th Anniversary issue in 1995 and on the cover of the 1996 book Good Mousekeeping by Ilene Hochberg.

6) Through the years Morris has become a media darling. In 1983, Time Magazine declared him "The Feline Burt Reynolds." US Magazine named him the "Animal Star of the Year" for 3 years in a row, from 1982-84. Morris has also been the recipient of a number of awards including a PATSY from the American Humane Society (the animal equivalent of the Oscar award) in 1973 and The Cats' Meow Award from the New York Animal Medical Center in 1992. One year earlier, he hosted "Morris' Salute to America's Pets," a primetime TV special sponsored by Heinz Pet Products that spotlighted amazing and heroic pets. He appeared on “Good Morning America,” “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

7) Morris ran in the 1988 and 1992 presidential elections on the Finicky Party platform, but lost both bids. He announced his candidacy once again in 2012, extending an offer to the well-known Mayor of Talkeenta, Alaska, Stubbs the Cat, to be his running mate. Morris pledged to give back to cats in need for the duration of their campaign, contributing one bowl of 9Lives cat food to Pets Are Wonderful Support, San Francisco (PAWS San Francisco) for every share of his campaign poster on Facebook.

8) In 2006 Morris led the 9Lives sponsored Morris' Million Cat Rescue adoption campaign, traveling the country in a specially outfitted bus with cats from local shelters on board to raise awareness and facilitate cat adoptions with a mission to find loving homes for one million cats. Morris kicked off the campaign by adopting Li'l Mo, a younger version of himself, from a Los Angeles shelter.

9) In 2015 Morris was included as one of the 10 brand mascots honored at “A Salute to Advertising’s Greatest Icons” at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, alongside Ronald McDonald, Mr. Clean, Tony the Tiger, Charlie the Tuna, The Keebler Elves, The Jolly Green Giant, The Raid Bugs, The Pillsbury Doughboy, and Snap, Crackle, and Pop.

10) Today Morris is a cat with his paw set firmly in the 21st century, connecting with his legions of fans via social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

One of the many things I love about Morris is that in spite of his fame he has never forgotten his humble beginnings as a rescue cat, and he won't rest until every cat finds a forever home. Now that spring is here kitten season is upon us, and animal shelters are full of hungry mouths to feed. My own local shelter recently transitioned to feeding the cats in their care a primarily wet food diet, so they're constantly in need of donations. Since 9Lives is one of the resident cats' favorite meals, I added a bunch of cans (and several packages of treats) to my shopping cart at Dollar General last weekend. Knowing how finicky cats are I selected a variety of formulas to satisfy every feline palate - 9Lives offers both Hearty Cuts with big meaty chunks, cuts, and shreds in a rich, thick gravy, and Meaty Pate with smooth ground meat, fish or poultry.

It's incredibly easy and inexpensive for all of us to help shelter cats in need simply by picking up a few extra cans of cat food each time we go shopping. Shelters depend on their local community for donations, and if each one of us did just a little bit, it would add up to a whole lot. Before heading to the store, make sure you check out DollarGeneral.com to find coupons and save on 9Lives wet and dry cat food! (valid until 5/31)

The cat you're helping to feed may not go on to be a worldwide superstar like Morris, but she will become the center of her adoptive family's world just like Mudpie became mine, and that's pretty incredible too!

The Purrfect 10: Siamese Cats in Pop Culture

We love reading and researching anything and everything about cats, and wanted to find a fun and unique way to share the interesting facts we learn with you! Since top 10 lists are very popular in the blogosphere, we created The Purrfect 10 as a way to present 10 educational or fascinating tidbits about a wide variety of cat-related topics, everything from health issues to cat breeds to famous felines.

Thanks to their distinctive looks and unique personality, Siamese cats have long been a fixture in popular culture. Since today is National Siamese Cat Day, we're shining a light on some of our favorite meezers in movies and books.

1) Si & Am in Lady & the Tramp: Probably the most famous Siamese cats on the silver screen, the devious duo wrecks havoc throughout Lady's home and then manages to lay the blame completely on her, all the while singing The Siamese Cat Song. (We are Siamese if you pl-ee-ee-se...)

2) DC (Darn Cat) in That Darn Cat!: When the irrepressible and always hungry D.C. (Darn Cat) turns up with a wristwatch for a collar, it becomes a tip-off to an unsolved robbery and kidnapping. The fur flies when an FBI agent who is allergic to cats is assigned the task of following D.C. to uncover the robbers' hideout. Syn the Siamese won a PATSY Award (Picture Animal Top Star of the Year) in 1966 for his role in the film!

3) Tao in The Incredible Journey: Syn was also the feline star of this 1963 film based on the novel The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford, following the adventure of three pets, Luath the Labrador Retriever, Bodger the Bull Terrier, and Tao the Siamese cat (Syn), as they journey through the Canadian wilderness to return to their home.

4) Shun Gon in The Aristocats: A member of Scat Cat's Alley Cats jazz band, Shun Gon plays the piano (sometimes with chopsticks) and a set of drums made mostly from pots and pans.

5) Cameo in The Wizard of Oz: This kitty's scene is brief, but pivotal! Dorothy is finally headed back home via hot air balloon when Toto spots the Siamese cat and chases after her. Dorothy goes after her beloved dog and the balloon takes off without her, leaving her stranded in Oz once again.

6) Koko and Yum Yum in The Cat Who... series: One of the most famous long-running cozy mystery series starring cats (and likely the first, beginning in 1966), The Cat Who... is a series of twenty-nine mystery novels and three related collections by Lilian Jackson Braun, featuring a former crime reporter named Jim Qwilleran and his Siamese cats, Kao K'o-Kung (Koko for short) and Yum Yum. Koko has a “sixth sense,” which enables him to assist Qwill in solving mysteries.

7) Pyewacket in Bell, Book & Candle: This Siamese is a central character (and scene stealer) in the movie, as he is the feline familiar of Gillian the witch. The cat's real name is unknown, but he won a PATSY award in 1959, and reportedly stole the heart of actress Kim Novak, going home with her upon completion of the picture.

8) Bucky in Get Fuzzy: It's impossible not to fall in love with the cynical Siamese star of Darby Conley's Get Fuzzy who shares an apartment in Boston with a dog named Satchel and their owner, Rob. Ears flat on his head and missing an upper canine tooth, Bucky lives in a dresser in the hall closet of Rob's apartment because he refuses to share a room with Satchel and rides around town in a strap-on "Bundle-O-Joy" baby carrier. He gets his kicks from insulting Satchel (even though these insults typically go over the poor pup's head), but we also get to see his soft side when it comes to his beloved teddy bear Smacky.

9) Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat: How did Siamese cats get their unique coloring? In this magical fable by Amy Tan a Siamese cat tells her children about their "great ancestor, Sagwa of China," a mischievous, pearl-white kitten who lived with her parents in the house of a greedy, autocratic magistrate. Her penchant for trouble lands her in a pot of ink, which stains her paws, nose, ears, and tail. The accident starts a chain of events that leads to the magistrate's tearful reformation, as well as to generations of cats that look Siamese but are actually Chinese. The book went on to be the basis of an animated television series, 40 episodes about a royal family of cats who have the ability to write with their tails.

10) Skippyjon Jones: Created by author and illustrator Judy Schachner, this beloved character is known as one of the most famous Siamese cats in children's literature. Now the star of a series of books, Skippyjon's story begins when his mother sends him to his room to think about what it means to be a Siamese because he's acting like anything but a cat. While jumping on the bed he looks in the mirror and imagines himself as a chihuahua, then steps into the closet which sends him on a series of adventures.

Do you have a favorite Siamese in pop culture? 

Have we missed any?

Tell us in the comments!

This post contains affiliate links.

The Purrfect 10: Fun Facts About the Kit-Cat Klock

We love reading and researching anything and everything about cats, and wanted to find a fun and unique way to share the interesting facts we learn with you! Since top 10 lists are very popular in the blogosphere, we created The Purrfect 10 as a way to present 10 educational or fascinating tidbits about a wide variety of cat-related topics, everything from health issues to cat breeds to famous felines.

The Kit-Cat Klock has been an icon of Americana for over 85 years, charming generations with it's swinging tail, rolling eyes and contagious smile. Not only is the clock a cherished item in homes all over the country, its history is fascinating, and we have the scoop in this month's edition of The Purrfect 10!

1) The Kit-Cat Klock was invented in 1932 by designer Earl Arnault for the Allied Manufacturing Company in Portland, Oregon. It was the height of the Great Depression, and the charming Kit-Cat brightened the lives of Americans during one of our country's most challenging times. These earliest clocks had metal bodies, metal clock hands and 4 toes on each of the 2 paws. They also had knobs on the front to start the motor spinning in the correct direction once it was plugged in. Allied Clock eventually began using plastic molding and moved their operations to Seattle.

2) During the 1940s and 1950s the clock exploded in popularity, earning its stripes as an American icon. The mid-50s also marked the only design changes the Kit-Cat Klock has seen in over 80 years: forepaws were added to hold the dial, the whiskers made thicker, and the tail curvier. The Kit-Cat Klock also got a dapper bowtie. The late 1950’s also brought "jeweled" versions into production. From 1957 to 1981 they had felt on the tail between two rows of crystals, but starting in 1982 they had only one row of crystals and no felt on the tails.

3) In 1962 Allied Clock moved production to southern California and was renamed the California Clock Company. In 1982 entrepreneur Woody Young took over as Owner & President, a title he still holds today.  By the late 1980′s, the American Made legacy of Kit-Cat was almost lost! In the span of a few years, American electric motor manufacturing was almost exclusively relocated to Asia, leaving Kit-Cat without a US motor supplier. Good old American entrepreneurship took over and the California Clock Company developed a new battery technology able to drive the mechanisms of the Kit-Cat Klock, giving way to the first battery-powered Kit-Cat Klock.

4) Although colored Kit-Cats have been manufactured since the late 1930s, the first Limited Edition color was made in 1992, including “Game Day Orange” and “Game Day Blue” to celebrate collegiate sports and "The Spirit of 76" series in red, white, and blue. Other colors ran from Hunter Green to Sapphire, as well as millennial clocks jeweled with Swarovski crystals. Since 1992 all colors have been limited editions with only the Classic Black in constant production.

5) A new member of the Kit-Cat family arrived in 1996 with the introduction of Kitty-Cat, a space-saving 3/4-sized clock. 

6) 2001 introduced the Lady Kit-Cat Klock, swapping out the bow tie for pearls and eyelashes.

7) 2007 marked Kit-Cat’s 75th anniversary, and was celebrated with The Great All American Road Show which lasted 75 days along the entire Route 66. It included the world’s largest Kit-Cat Klock at 75 inches tall and a 75-year-old Ford Deuce, specially painted to celebrate the clock.

8) 2012 marked Kit-Cat’s 80th anniversary, 50 years manufacturing all of their clocks in California, and 30 years with Woody Young as President. To celebrate this milestone, Kit-Cat sponsored the only 100% US grown commercial float in the 2012 Pasadena Rose Parade.

9) The Kit-Cat Klock has left its mark on American pop culture too, being featured in the opening sequence of 1985's Back To The Future, Katy Perry the Movie: Part of Me, and Taylor Swift's music video for We Are Never Getting Back Together.

10) After 85 years, Kit-Cat Klocks are now sold in stores all over the world. Outside the US, Kit-Kat Klocks are most popular in Japan, the UK, France and Germany. In fact, for the last 50 years, the manufacturer estimates that an average of one clock has been purchased every 3 minutes!

The Kit-Cat Creed

Put a smile on everyone’s face;

Love in everyone’s heart;

Energy in everyone’s body;

and Be a positive force in everyone’s life!

Does a Kit-Cat Klock hang in your home?

(If not, come back on Friday for your chance to win one!!!)

Photos Used With Permission from California Clock Company

Paw It Forward NYC, A Party for Cat People

Decked out in some of their finest cat-themed apparel, Paw It Forward NYC started in 2015 as a way to get the humans behind Instagram-famous cats together in real life. The event is now in its third year and has raised over $10,000 for cat charities. The team organizing the event is made up of five cat-focused Instagrammers with a total social reach of over 500,000 followers.

Included with your ticket:

• A 3-hour full open bar with cat-themed drinks such as the "meow-garita," "whisker-y sour," and the "Pink Panther
• 10 free raffle tickets to bid on the evening's prizes
• A free cat-themed "photo booth"
• A goodie bag worth over $35 including cat toys, treats, and coupons
• Meeting tons of like-minded cat people (including some of your faves from Instagram!)

100% of proceeds from ticket sales, raffle sales, and donations will benefit KittyKind, a no-kill, nonprofit, all-volunteer rescue group in New York City. KittyKind is the rescue that supplies NYC's first cat cafe, Meow Parlour, with their adoptable cats!

Check out the pawsome list of sponsors:

Event Details:

Paw It Forward NYC

Saturday, October 14, 2017, 7-10 PM
$50 advance purchase or $60 at the door

Dewey's Pub, 135 West 30th Street, New York, NY 10001

Ticket Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/paw-it-forward-nyc-2017-tickets-36455323855
Website: pawitforward.nyc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1414296078653896/

Who has plans to attend? 

If you do we hope you'll return to this post and tell us all about it!

Cats & Pop Culture Meet at CatFest, London's First Cat Festival

While corresponding with author Britt Collins about her amazing book Strays: A Lost Cat, a Homeless Man and Their Journey Across America, she told me about the boutique cat festival she's launching on July 14, 2018 in London, along with showbiz journalist, Chrissy Iley.

“My life has always revolved around music and animals, particularly cats, so Catfest was a natural progression," Britt said. "It’s a long-held dream, an idea that I’d been nurturing for 20 years when I was a music journalist constantly going to gigs and festivals. Most of the musicians that I interviewed or met—everyone from Paul McCartney and Morrissey to Ryan Adams and Pete Doherty—were often vegetarians and cat lovers. And I thought wouldn’t it be cool if there was a festival for cat lovers instead of the usual exploitive cat breeders shows. I want to create something stylish and entertaining, where cat-mad people can meet other cat-mad people while helping rescue cats and promote veganism.”

CatFest sounds like such an amazing event I'm wishing I was in a position to take a trip across the pond, but I hope with enough advance notice some of my friends in the US and around the world may be able to make plans to attend!

Shop & Play

A celebration of all things feline, CatFest makes its debut in London, showcasing buzz-worthy and hard-to-find cat products and quality food, cat-inspired accessories for people, art and books. Enjoy amazing veggie street food, kitty-themed cocktails and cakes and get glammed up at the Glamour Puss beauty bar while helping cats in need.

Learn & Adopt

See cat videos and films, listen to inspiring talks from bestselling authors Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson (The Nine Emotional Lives of Cats) Gwen Cooper (Homer’s Odyssey) and much more. Connect with feline experts and other cat lovers at one of the world's most exciting summer festivals!

Learn more about CatFest on their website.

Click here for tickets and venue information. 

A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit London rescue charity Feline Friends.

Kittydelphia is Coming!!!

Philly cat lovers, get ready…the first-ever Kittydelphia is coming! The three-day pop-up shop event and celebration of all things feline is happening Friday, July 7th through Sunday, July 9th at Gravy Studio & Gallery in Northern Liberties (910 N. 2nd Street).

Kittydelphia will feature cat artists, local cat-centric merchants, appearances by area celebrity cats, gift basket raffles, and lots more. All donations and raffle proceeds will benefit PAWS — Philadelphia's 100% donor-supported no-kill shelter, which will have adoptable cats on-hand at the festivities.

Kittydelphia is the brainchild of Laura Kicey, the artist and designer behind Olive & Rye Cat Art — custom cat portraits, plus cat-themed art, apparel and homegoods — which is named after her beloved calico and tortie kitties adopted from Philly PAWS in 2014. Olive and Rye's antics are seen daily on their popular Instagram @oliveandrye.

(Don't even get me started on how much I love those two cats...and their humom's artwork!!!)

Among the merchants and vendors appearing alongside Olive & Rye Cat Art at Kittydelphia are Polydactyl Cats (whimsical cat toys designed and handmade by Randi Warhol); Xenotees (hand-printed shirts, totes and other apparel crafted by Noelle Burke in her Philadelphia studio); and Kawaii Kitty Cafe (Philly's first cat cafe, located in South Philadelphia and partnered with PAWS to foster adoptable cats). Kittydelphia will also feature art prints from The Dancing Cat, feline bowties from Cherished Paws Gems, cat cookies from The Dark Side Cookies, and more.

Kawaii Kitty Cafe (759 S. 4th Street) will also be hosting Kittydelphia-related festivities that weekend in the cafe area, though reservations are still required to enter Kawaii’s cat room.

Three extremely delightful feline guests are scheduled to appear at Kittydelphia: Turbo Two Legs, a dapper Instagram celebricat who has rear-leg paralysis but lets nothing slow him down and is a terrific spokescat for adopting special-needs animals; Sophie the Model, an aspiring meowdel and outspoken ambassador for black cats; and Miss Raspberry, a beautiful 4-year-old Persian cat with an unforgettable face who's also quite the social media darling. Their humans will happily speak about the joys of rescuing/adopting cats and/or living with pets with disabilities.

If you're crazy for cats, you definitely won't want to miss Kittydelphia! Visit kittydelphia.com for updates!



RSVP on Facebook and visit Kittydelphia on social media:

Instagram: @kittydelphia
Twitter: @kittydelphia
Facebook: Facebook.com/kittydelphiashop

First Felines: 6 Presidents & Their Cats

Meows from Mudpie 

and 

Happy Inauguration Day!!!

No matter which side of the political aisle you're on the (hopefully) peaceful transition of power is always exciting to watch and Mommy and I will be glued to the couch for all the festivities.

With so much hoopla surrounding this historic day I asked Mommy what she knew about the former feline inhabitants of the White House, and she admitted that with the exception of Socks Clinton and President Bush's cats she didn't know a whole lot, so I asked her to help me do a little research so we could share a few of our favorite (and lesser known) stories today.

Incredibly, we could only find evidence of 12 Presidents that have been owned by a cat! (Wouldn't you think the most stressful job in the world could use loads of purr therapy???)

Photo: National Archives

We have to start with President Reagan. Although technically not White House cats (these two beauties lived at their California ranch), Ronald and Nancy had a pair of torties, Cleo and Sara! Apparently many cats lived at the Reagan ranch but they were photographed with the torties, so they must have been extra special!

Zazzle poster

Our 16th President Abraham Lincoln was the first to bring a cat into the White House. He actually adored cats, going so far as to feed his son's cat Tabby with a gold fork at White House dinners, and when asked if her husband had a hobby, Mary Todd Lincoln replied, “cats.” During the Civil War, on a visit to General Grant's headquarters in the middle of winter, he found three stray kittens in the telegraph hut. When he learned their mother was dead he made sure the kittens would be fed and a good home found for them.

Rutherford B Hayes reportedly owned the first Siamese cat to come to the United States. Siam was a gift to Hayes and his wife Lucy in 1879 from the American Consul in Bangkok. Several months after arriving Siam became sick and despite intervention from the president's personal physician she couldn't be saved.

Photo: National Archives

Officer Benjamin Fink holds Tige, the Coolidge's cat, at the White House on March 25, 1924.

Vermont's own President Calvin Coolidge and his wife Grace practically ran a zoo! Among their many cats were Mud (no pie!), Bounder, Smokey, Blackie, Timmy and Tige. Timmy and Coolidge's canary actually napped together! Tige traveled the White House around the President's neck and when he went missing, Coolidge appealed to the people by calling for their help on a radio address. After being found he was fitted with a special collar that contained his White House address, but after going missing a second time he was never found.

Teddy Roosevelt’s youngest son Quentin Roosevelt with the six-toed Slippers

Teddy Roosevelt's six-toed cat named Slippers loved to nap in the White House hallways, requiring the guests at a state banquet to detour around her on their way to the dining room! Their second cat Tom Quartz was named after the cat in Roughing It by Mark Twain.

Photo: National Archives

President Kennedy's daughter Caroline had to find a new home for her cat Tom Kitten (named after the beloved Beatrix Potter character) when it was discovered the president was allergic. He died at a very young age and was given an obituary in a local newspaper.

While we don't know when the White House will get a new resident feline, we do know that Number One Observatory Circle (the official residence of the Vice President) has two new kitty occupants - Mike Pence's two family cats Oreo and Pickle who were photographed on a plane last week headed to their new home in Washington DC. Rumor has it poor Pickle got sick on the plane! How embarrassing.

Thanks to @usairforce for a great flight to Washington, DC with Karen, Charlotte, Oreo, Pickle and our rabbit, Marlon Bundo. pic.twitter.com/zKzZYcI9OE

— Mike Pence (@mike_pence) January 9, 2017