It's Caturday!

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

This week, I got a new cat-themed iPhone cover, Kathy shared pictures from her recent trip to Japan where she visited a cat cafe and Hello Kitty's Kawaii Paradise, everyone went crazy for RC Tees new "Real Men Love Cats" t-shirt design, My Pet Savings offered us some fab tips on throwing a cat party on a dime, Kevin Rudd had his very own cat tea party, Black Milk released some new cat inspired swimwear, and we bid adieu to 2011 Petties award campaign (for those interested, the winners will be announced via YouTube on Friday, August 26th at 5PM EST.)

Also, be sure not to miss out on our latest giveaway for a Cascades Cardboard Cat Teepee! Click here for details on how to enter, and to check out Sir Charlie's glowing review!

Luna, Veda & Tiffany

This week we have two fabulous featured felines who have the cosmically delicious names of Luna Stardust and Veda Moonbeam!

Their glowing mama, Tiffany, writes in to tell us that Luna is a Siamese who's a little over six-months-old, and Veda is a four-month-old Bengal show cat. (She clarifies, "We aren't cat show people...she just happens to be a show cat.")

Tiffany says Veda loves water and climbing the curtains, while they both adore 'making biscuits' in their cats beds, and going in the car and riding places (although presumably not to the v-e-t.)!

She also sent over a bunch of beautiful shots of her babies, I'm excited to share with you, below!

Oooh, weee! Special thanks to Tiffany (who is totally gorgeous, btw!) for sharing her precious bebés with us this week! Luna and Veda are beyond adorable, and I can tell from these pics that they bring such joy and light into her life, which is the greatest gift our cats can give us of all!

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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!

Starry Cat

Starry Cat by Rag Aragno

Artist Rag Aragno created Starry Cat, inspired by The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh. I love all of the fine details in this painting, right down to the kitty's sweet yellow paw pads!

Last day to vote!

Charlie and Priscilla's Cat Hat Round-up & Last Day To Vote!

Well, this is it! Two cats, and twenty hats later, we've reached the final day in the 2011 Petties Campaign!

During the past three weeks, Charlie and Priscilla modeled some crazy hats for the cause, and I also visited Tabby's Place, where we met kitties like Kendall, Boots, Natalie, Tashi, and Twix, to show you where the $1,000 donation prize would end up going if I won. I have to say that no matter what ends up happening, I'm so thrilled to have been able to bring more exposure to Tabby's Place, and plan on continuing to highlight the sanctuary in the future.

That being said, I still want to bring home the $1,000 prize for them, so round up the cats and have them vote like crazy for Catsparella in the category of Best Social Integration Blog at http://www.dogtime.com/petties! There's no registration required, and you can vote in as many, or as few, categories as you'd like.

Please spread the word that TODAY, Friday, July 29th, is the LAST day to vote!

I truly appreciate all of your your votes, support, and amazing comments, and as a special thank you, here's a round-up of Charlie and Priscilla's Top 10 Looks, as determined by Facebook "Likes"! Also, don't forget to stop by the Catsparella Facebook page tonight, to see Charlie model one final, surprise look!

1. Surprised Charlie - 109 Likes

2. Hamburger Charles - 94 Likes

3. Panda Priscilla - 93 Likes

4. Charlie Potter - 85 Likes

5. Queen Priscilla - 84 Likes

6. Gator Charlie - 78 Likes

7. Business Charlie - 75 Likes

8. Tick Tock Charlie - 68 Likes

9. Mad Catter Prissy - 67 Likes

10. Strawberry Priscilla - 63 Likes

*Honorable Mention to 3 of my favorites that didn't quite make the list*

Meow-gartitaville Priscilla

Nyan Cat Priscilla

Princess Beatrice Priscilla

(Click here and scroll down to see all of the other looks!)

Thank you!

Black Milk Releases Two New Cat Swimsuits

Cat Got Your Tongue...

Earlier this month I posted the Le Chat Noir swimsuit by Black Milk, and now due to popular demand, the brand has just released two new cat-inspired one pieces to help you stay cool this summer!

"Cat Got Your Tongue..." and "Meow" are available in the Black Milk shop for $90.00 each.

Meow

Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd's Cat Tea Party

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

Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister, and current Minister of Foreign Affairs in Australia has briefly taken his focus off of politics to wage a battle of another sort: He's trying to win Twinings Australian Afternoon Tea Challenge, where one lucky winner will walk off with their own custom blend.

In order to dog out the competion, Rudd enlisted the help of his cat, Jasper, and pup, Abby, to stage an impromptu tea party, in hopes of convincing the masses that his blend, described by The Herald Sun as a mix of Russian Caravan, Irish Breakfast, and Ceylon Orange Pekoe, is the top choice of furry friends everywhere (for the record, there's no actual proof they're even drinking tea from the cup).

As Rudd also mentions in the clip, above while trying to get Jasper to sample the tea, another bonus of taking home the prize is that 10 cents from every tin sold will be donated to the RSPCA.

Good luck, Kev! You have our vote!

Via The Herald Sun

Custom Vintage Cat Portraits by Hot Digital Dog

Custom Vintage Pet Portrait

When I was young, my parents used to take me to those old-timey photo studios where you could dress up in vintage garb and be photographed in a sepia toned prints, just for fun (and yes, they still have those pictures hanging on their wall). It was those memories that came flooding back when I first laid eyes upon Cindy Jerrell's custom vintage cat portraits, for sale in her Etsy shop, Hot Digital Dog.

For $49.99, Jerrell will send you a "Fancy portrait of your darling in formal Victorian wardrobe, in beautiful sepia tones," that you can proudly display on your wall, and enjoy for all time!

Laughing Kitty

If your cat is a bit camera shy, she also offers some adorable ready made prints such as the Laughing Kitty, above, and Dolly Kitten, below. I have to be honest though, and say that some of my favorite portraits from her shop are of sweet little twin squirrels, Pearl and Earl!

Dolly Kitten

Be sure to stop by Hot Digital Dog to feed your vintage animal print fix!

Kittens Test Out Amazing Lego Cat Toys From Japan

legocat jpnprobe by peakfloods

When TV Tokyo asked viewers to create their own cat contraptions using only Lego bricks, who knew the outcome would be so cute? Watch as these kittens eagerly test out a mini-kitty car, motorized mouse, and a fully furnished house complete with its own built in amusements, while you ask yourself why you never created anything half as awesome with the colorful blocks when you were a kid.

Via BuzzFeed / Dailymotion

Cascades Cardboard Cat Teepee Review & Giveaway!

Cascades Boutique recently added Pet Homes to their expanded selection of innovative, eco-friendly products, which already include cardboard children's playhouses, cardboard coolers, and even a cardboard briefcase!

So when to help get the word out, they generously offered to send me one of their Cardboard Cat Tipis for review, I was super excited because it's way prettier than the cardboard boxes my cats usually hang out in, and I knew they would totally love it!

The teepee was created by Loyal Luxe, a company founded by two animal-loving industrial designers who aim to create unique and green product designs for pets and their owners. The Cardboard Tipi is not only super cool looking, it's also made out of 84% recycled cardboard, so it can be recycled when you and your kitty are finished using it.

For fluffy little critters!

The teepee arrived in a large, flat cardboard box, with this handy message printed on the front.

Let's do this!

Naturally, Charlie was ready to begin work on construction immediately.

Someone unfamiliar with the idiom, "Curiosity killed the cat."

The Tipi comes in two parts (top and bottom), and the instructions, printed directly on the box (instead of a piece of paper), indicated that it would take two minutes to construct. However, with my horrible track record of constructing cardboard edifices (See: Charlie's Playhouse of Sin), along with a meddling cat who would not stay off of the cardboard for two seconds, I'd say it took closer to ten.

Decisions, decisions...

The box also came with an extra sheet of cardboard accessories that can be affixed (one at a time) to the entrance of the teepee, so it can be tricked out to your cat's content. I scattered the selections over the floor, and let Charlie have his pick, before settling on the eagle, followed by the dreamcatcher.

Other choices included a feather, a tomahawk, a bull's head, and a banner, on which you can write the name of your "favorite animal." Of course this is the one that Charlie wanted the most, but given that my other "favorite animal" (Priscilla) was asleep, I didn't think it would be right to give him sole proprietorship.

You don't have to ask him twice

Chillin' in my teeps

Final verdict? The teepee is super cute, environmentally conscious, and Charles loves it! He popped in and out with no problem, but if you have a larger kitty (or dog), you can remove the inner circle around the entrance to make it even bigger. Also, if the Tipi isn't your style, Cascades also has a sweet Cardboard Cat Chalet, too!

Now for some extra special awesome news: If you would like a Cardboard Cat Tipi or Chalet of your very own, Cascades is currently offering a special where the first 10 readers who order any Pet Homes from their site will receive 25% off their order! All you have to do is enter in rebate code CATSPARELL at checkout to receive the discount, which is valid now through September 30th. Plus, as an added bonus, for every Chalet and Tipi sold during the month of July 2011, Cascades will donate $1.00 to the SPCA!

But wait..there's more!

Enter To Win!

Hold the phone, because one lucky Catsparella reader will also win a Cardboard Cat Tipi (Retail Value: $24.00) just like Charlie's, courtesy of our friends at Cascades!

To enter, leave a comment on this post with your name and some way to contact you (email, link back to your blog or profile, Twitter, etc.).

The winner be will chosen in a random drawing next Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011 at 5:00PM EST. Sorry, but this contest is open to readers in the U.S. and Canada only. One entry per person, please.

Good luck to all, and make sure to stop by Cascades Boutique to learn more about their earth friendly products, and like them on Facebook for updates on all of their latest offers!

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

Disclosure: Cascades provided me with one free teepee for review, and one to give away, however all thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.

[Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]

Throwing a Cat Party on a Dime

I'm a thrifty gal, always looking for a way to save a buck, so when our friends at My Pet Savings offered to do a guest post about throwing a fabulous cat party without spending a ton, I couldn't refuse! I love all of these cute and easy ideas, and will definitely use some of these tips when planning my next cat soiree!

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When your cats are like your children, it only seems right to throw them a little celebration for their birthday or for the holidays. Here are a few ideas on how to throw a cat-errific good time on a dime.

Avoid party-crashers

The Guests: Invite all of your cat lover friends and their felines to your fabulous cat party! It is best to keep the party relatively small and to only invite well-tempered cats and kittens. Of course, you can choose to just have your cat be the only cat there if having guest cats in your home makes you nervous.

Temptations treats and kibble provide the garnish on this cat food cake

The Food: A party is not a party without delicious food. There are several cat treat recipes online that are simple to make. For individual birthday cakes for cats, mix tuna and prawn together well. The mixture should be the consistency of mush. The mixture can then be layered thickly in a rectangular cake pan. Then take a water glass and use it to cut the mixture into perfect circle. Place the circle of tuna and prawn on a little plate and garnish with catnip or cat grass. Place a candle in the birthday cat’s cake. Also, if your town has a pet bakery, they may have several gourmet treats for your cat available for purchase.

Cupcakes decorated using M&M minis, mini Oreos, and pretzel stix

For the non-furry guest, delicious cupcakes can be decorated to look like your kitty’s face (Click here for more cat cupcake ideas). A litter box cake is a popular recipe that will be a hoot for all of the human guests. You can also serve goldfish crackers, tuna sandwiches, and Chex Mix labeled as “Cat Chow” or “Meow Mix”.

The Decorations: Decorate with pictures of your cat in affordable frames. You can also hang faux yarn balls from the ceiling. Just take Styrofoam balls and wrap with inexpensive yarn. Glue the yarn to the ball to resemble a yarn ball. Hang from the ceiling or place on the table.

Little pots of cat grass can decorate the table, while also acting as place settings and take home favors.

Priscilla always enjoys a good game of Cat-opoly

The Games: Set up obstacle courses for the cats to explore and enjoy. Owners and cats can have relay races through the obstacle course by having the owner lead their cat through a series of obstacles (such as climbing up the cat tree or running down a ramp) with the help of three kitten treats. Whichever team has the fastest time will receive a cat-related prize. The book 50 Games to Play With Your Cat may have several more cat related games to play.

Without the cats, the owners can enjoy cat-related games, such as cat bingo or Cat-opoly – a cat version of Monopoly.

Throwing a party for your cat or just a cat-themed party can be a lot of fun. There is no need to spend a lot of money, though. Look for fun cat toys at a local dollar store and make the food and decorations from resources you all ready have in your home.

This article was provided by My Pet Savings, which provides cat (and dog) lovers with the latest cat food coupons, freebies, deals, giveaways and more.

Special thanks to Kristy from My Pet Savings for sharing these great tips! Images courtesy of Priscilla's 10th Birthday Party, which you can read more about here.

Have some more ideas, or want to share pictures from your own cat party? Email me at catsparella@gmail.com!