CCTV Footage Implicates Woman in Catnapping Case

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but did one wronged woman go too far when she sought revenge by kidnapping the cat belonging to her husband's girlfriend?

Christine Hemming, wife of British Parliament member John Hemming, was found guilty of burglary this week in the case, where she was accused of catnapping the kitten from the other woman's home last year. During the trial, Hemming told jurors, "I had no intention of stealing a cat - either before I went on the property, when I was at the property, when I left the property, and subsequently," however the CCTV footage paints a very different picture as she enters Emily Cox's home and emerges shortly afterwards while very clearly holding the cat, named Beauty. There's still no word on if the cat was ever returned, but according to an entry on Hemming's blog last year, Beauty was six months old at the time, and was set to be microchipped soon.

Via The Guardian

CCTV Footage Implicates Woman in Catnapping Case

Cheezburger Tees for your Halloween Steez

I Can Has Candy?

I wasn't planning on posting anything Halloween related until October, but seeing as though we're only a day away, and I already had my first pumpkin donut of the season last weekend, there's really no reason to keep up the charade any longer.

The folks at I Can Has Cheezburger have stocked their aptly named LOLmart wif some adorbz seasonal shirtz that will put you in the Halloween spirit faster than a candy apple covered in baby spiders (huh?). While I love the cutie kitties on the orange candy tee above, my personal favorite is FLUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER shirt below! Yes! Any other old-school Buffy fans in the house? Let's hear it!

Fluffy the Vampire Slayer

Full Moon

Zombie Kitteh

Cheezburger Tees for your Halloween Steez

Catsparella 2011 Petties Acceptance Speech

Catsparella 2011 Petties Acceptance Speech

Thank you so much for voting Catsparella as Best Social Integration Blog at the 2011 Petties Pet Blog Awards! The awards ceremony was held virtually this year, so Dogtime asked us to record a video acceptance speech. I will also be presenting Tabby's Place with their $1,000 check tomorrow Catoberfest! Thanks again to everyone who took the time to vote, and to James from Monster Movie Media for helping me put together this video!

Catsparella 2011 Petties Acceptance Speech

Locketship Releases 'Good Cat Bad Cat' Jewelry Collection

While I've been told there's no such thing as a bad cat, there's nothing wrong with releasing your inner feline goddess with some edgy jewels celebrating good and evil, courtesy of Locketship.

Los Angeles-based jewelry designer Maria Ewing turns her original artwork and adorable photography into handmade pieces made of resin, and the Good Cat Bad Cat collection features chunky cat-themed necklaces, rings, and earrings festooned with bows, pearls, and glitter. (My personal favorite is the "Cat Club Necklace"). If you're looking for something a little less sinister, the bubblegum tinted confections of the Kitty Collection should help satisfy your sweet side, too.

I love the saucy images they came up with to help promote the new line (below), and am especially obsessed with the fact that the black cat looks like Charlie if he were wearing hair (fur?) extensions.

Click here to check out the whole jewelry collection!

Locketship Releases 'Good Cat Bad Cat' Jewelry Collection

The Amazing Acro-Cats Documentary

The Amazing Acro-Cats from Brett Whitcomb on Vimeo.

Samantha Martin knew she wanted to be an animal trainer since she was 7, and it was that continued passion as an adult that led her to the creation of The Amazing Acro-Cats.

The traveling show consists of one part circus act and one part rock show, where cats jump through hoops, balance on balls, and "The Rock-cats" take the stage playing tiny instruments. All of the "performers" belong to Martin, and many of them are rescues.

Each performance is a unique event based on the unpredictability of cats, and audience members are encouraged to wear kitty ears to get in the mood. This short documentary, shot by Brett Whitcomb and filmed at Super Happy Fun Land in Houston, Texas focuses on Samantha's unique lifestyle, and her talented troupe of kitties.

To learn more about The Amazing Acro-Cats, visit their website at circuscats.com, or follow them on Facebook to find a show near you. I've heard they're really great, and have my paws crossed for some East Coast tour dates!

The Amazing Acro-Cats Documentary

Cat Encouragement Card Offers Hairball Revenge

Inside: Is there anywhere I could hack up a hairball, like, say, on a former employer's head? Just wonderin'...

In a world where you can buy greeting cards for everything, including "Christmas Wishes To You and Your Cat," it should come as no surprise that Hallmark recently announced a new line of encouragement cards that take on some of life's more depressing circumstances, such as job loss. When I first heard about the collection, I was a little skeptical. I mean, if I lost my job, no card in the world would make me feel better. What it amounted to was a company trying to make money off of the fact that I was no longer making money. Hey!

However, after viewing some of the cards, my mind changed a little bit. Aren't cards supposed to express what we ourselves cannot always say? And isn't it unexpected events like illness and layoffs when it's hardest to find the right words?

While there are a few of the requisite "earnest" sentiments to be had, most of the greetings skew lighthearted, and I must admit that the cat card in the bunch even made me laugh. The cat is grumpy and flat-faced enough to be cute but not "cutesy," and the message is funny without being cheesy and overbearing.

Sure, the simple act of sending a greeting card doesn't make a situation like this any better, but it symbolizes a silent gesture of support during a difficult time in someone's life. Kind of like, "I'm here for you," minus the awkward conversations and clichéd platitudes, that in the end usually end up making no one feel any better.

Via Gawker / Hallmark

Cat Encouragement Card Offers Hairball Revenge

Ryan Gosling and the Case of the Disneyland Cats

Disneyland feral (parodyerror)

Last week, Ryan Gosling, a former member of The Mickey Mouse Club, appeared as a guest on Conan, where he opened up about his love/hate relationship with Disneyland.

He told O'Brien:

"There is a belief that Disney has been breeding an army of cats, and they're not just ordinary cats. They have a special set of skills. They're like commando cats and they live in barracks - cat barracks, I don't know what you call it - and they live on the outskirts of the park. And at night, when they close park under the cover of darkness, these cats descend into the park and they eat all the mice. Which is what I love about Disney because they're so weird and they think of everything. But what's so messed up and why I hate them, is that the whole empire of Disney is built on the back of one mouse."

As it turns out, Gosling's wild theory is not so far fetched. An army of 200 cats DO reside at the Anaheim, Calif. resort to help control rodents, but it's not as sinister as he makes it sound.

Lucifer (Just chaos)

Cats have been a mostly unseen part of Disneyland's history since the park first opened in 1955, and one story I repeatedly came across was the 1957 renovation of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, which revealed a colony of 100 cats living inside. While the cats were initially seen as a nuisance, the powers that be soon realized that they could form a mutually beneficial relationship with the furry squatters.

(Mulling it Over)

However, it wasn't until 2001, with the help of Best Friends Catnippers and FixNation that Disney began instituting a Trap, Neuter, Return policy to help manage the feral population in the park. The cats are caught and fixed before being released back onto the grounds, and kittens are all promptly adopted out. Cats that remain in the park receive food at five discrete feeding locations, as well as shelter, and in return they work as part of the nightly maintenance crew, keeping the non-Mickey mice in check.

(woofiegrrl)

Since the cats are feral, they shy away from human contact which is why they mostly remain hidden during operating hours, although I was able to find a few examples on Flickr of park guests able to capture some of the elusive felines on film.

Some of the cats even have their own favorite areas, such as the one above who was spotted outside at Hungry Bear Restaurant, and another named Lucifer who reportedly spends his time between the Haunted Mansion and Town Square.

I haven't been to Disneyland since I was a little kid, but if I ever return I'll be on the lookout for these guys! Have you ever spotted any undercover cats on your trip to the happiest place on earth?

Via Conan / mikecalahan.com / Alley Cat Allies / Best Friends Animal Society

Ryan Gosling and the Case of the Disneyland Cats

Get Inked with Temporary Cat Tattoos by Cattoo Design

I don't think I'll ever get a tattoo, but if I did it would be cat related. If you're commitment-phobic like me, Cattoo Design founder Kate Benjamin has just released a line of cat-themed temporary tattoos so you can get the look, without being inked for life (3 to 5 days is more like it). Individual designs like paw prints, tribal cats, and my favs, "Cat Mom" and "Cat Dad" are available for $5 each (for two sheets), or you can purchase the whole set (seen above) for $20.

Get Inked with Temporary Cat Tattoos by Cattoo Design

Amazing Two-Faced Kitty Shatters Guinness World Record For Longest Living Cat Of Its Kind

(Click here if video doesn't load)

You've probably seen stories about two-faced kittens in the news before, but they are rare, and their stories usually don't have happy endings. Not so with a cat named Frank & Louie, who at 12-years-old has earned the Guinness World Record for being the longest living Janus cat in the world, a term coined after the Roman God with two faces.

Frank & Louie was adopted by a veterinary nurse named Marty, after a breeder brought him in to Tuft's Veterinary School where she was working at the time. Instead of allowing him to euthanized, she decided to give the day-old kitten a home instead.

The cat has one head and brain, but is double trouble with two mouths, two noses, two seeing eyes, and one non-functioning eye that sits in the middle of his head like a cyclops. Marty tells the Worcester Telegram and Gazette that while people are initially taken back by his unusual look, "he's just so affectionate and sweet he usually wins (them) over."

Far from living a conventional existence, the world record shattering feline who celebrated his birthday earlier this month, shares his Massachusetts home with another cat, a dog, and an opera singing parrot.

On a personal note, I think this is the best story ever, and it totally made my day. Go Frank & Louie!

Frank & Louie

Via Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Amazing Two-Faced Kitty Shatters Guinness World Record For Longest Living Cat Of Its Kind

Limited Edition Hello Kitty Collection for Forever 21

Ok, I know what you're thinking. Forever 21 already sells Hello Kitty stuff, so what's the big dealio? Well, save up your pennies because the mega-fashion retailer and Sanrio have teamed up for the launch of a limited edition, fancy pants line that will feature women's apparel, intimates, hosiery, jewelry and accessories, priced anywhere from $3.80 to just under $30 bucks.

Please know that this cat blogger will be the first in line, as I already have my eye on several of the pieces that are set to hit stores and online November 18th. When it comes to cute cat fashion, who says you ever have to grow up?

Check out more of the preview looks over at Nitrolicious and Racked.

Limited Edition Hello Kitty Collection for Forever 21

Schoolboys Rescue Kitten Found Floating Down Canal in Pink Basket

In a scene straight out of a movie, (or at least an after school special), two 11-year-old boys heroically rescued a young kitten who they found floating down the Leeds Liverpool Canal while tied into a pink basket.

The nine-week-old cat, now named Moses (or "Mo" for short), was heading towards a certain death as the container started to fill up with water. Fortunately, the boys spotted her cruising by, and sprang into action. Mo is now safe at the Craven and Upper Wharfedale RSPCA, where she will be available for adoption after recovering from her ordeal.

Anyone with information on the incident is urged to contact the RSPCA. Check out more pics of the kitty in the basket here.

Via Yorkshire Evening Post

Schoolboys Rescue Kitten Found Floating Down Canal in Pink Basket

Cat Cupcake Tuesdays

Kitty cupcakes

This week's cupcakes are unique, in that instead of being topped with cats made out of fondant or frosting, they were decorated using stencils and confectioners' sugar! The moist, chocolate cakes were made by Rahel's friend for a farewell get-together, and she says that "In addition to looking wonderful, they were absolutely delicious."

Thanks to Rahel for sharing her pics! You can find her on Flickr, Blogger, and through her CD Baby page, too.

***

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

Cat Cupcake Tuesdays

Sarah Donner CD Set Giveaway Winners!

Thanks again to everyone who entered the Sarah Donner album set giveaway! I used Random.org to determine the two lucky winners, and it selected comments belonging to Helena (#6) and meowmeowmans (#2)! Both will be receiving three albums worth of awesome tunes sent their way!

Click here if you're interested in learning more about Sarah Donner, and don't forget to stop by and say hi to her (and me!) when she performs at CATOBERFEST this coming Saturday, October 1st at Tabby's Place in Ringoes, NJ!

Sarah Donner CD Set Giveaway Winners!

Willow the Cat Reunites with Her Long Lost Family on The Today Show

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

(Click here if video doesn't load)

The heartwarming story of Willow the lost cat who was found in New York City after disappearing from her Colorado home five years ago, has come to its natural conclusion after a week of intense media coverage.

The Today Show flew the entire Squires family out to NYC to reunite with the cat, who was understandably stressed after being dragged around town on a media tour that would be challenging for any human thrust into the national spotlight, let alone a confused calico used to living in anonymity.

3-year-old Lauren "Lola" Squires stole the show during the sit-down, as she waved and cooed over the cat, while the two other Squires children (who were actually alive when Willow first went missing) were relegated to the far end of the couch.

Willow and her family are glad that their story has brought attention to microchipping and finding lost pets, and were headed back to their Broomfield, Colo. home yesterday, with promises that they're going to keep the door closed from now on.

The exclusive interview ended with a sincere Matt Lauer, sincerely wishing the winsome cat good luck.

Via MSNBC

Willow the Cat Reunites with Her Long Lost Family on The Today Show

Google's Anti-Cat Policy

I'm not so put out by their postulation that cats could get stressed out at their offices, as much as I'm offended by the following statement:

Damn u, Google. Maybe they're just trying to be more like those dog sympathizers at Facebook.

(Kitty Cassandra)

Via mattchew03 / Google Corporate Code of Conduct

Google's Anti-Cat Policy

Realistic Turntable Scratcher Turns Any Cat Into a Pro DJ

First came DJ Kitty, followed by his kitten counterparts, and now it's time to prepare your puss to dominate the dance floor with this ultimate invention by SUCK UK. In what's probably the coolest cat scratcher I've ever seen (and I've seen quite a few, akshully), kitty can work up a sweat spinning the realistic wheel on a deck complete with poseable tone arm and "RUN DOG" stickers.

As the description notes, the philosophy behind kitty cat disc jockeys and their human counterparts isn't much different:

"Cats scratch furniture to mark their territory, exercise their muscles and for sheer pleasure. All similar reasons youths mix music, and if we are to cross over both those cultures we'd rather get cats mixing music than teenage boys bringing bedraggled birds back to your doorstep."

The scratchers will be available from SUCK UK for £15.99 (around $25 USD), but don't worry about coming up with your cat's DJ handle so fast, because they're not in stock just yet.

Via Chip Chick / OldCatsRule

Realistic Turntable Scratcher Turns Any Cat Into a Pro DJ

Anne Hathaway Has Ears, and Other Things Learned From New Catwoman Images

(Click image to enlarge)

Last month, Warner Brother's released the first official picture of Anne Hathaway in her new Catwoman garb, and this weekend some grainy images emerged from the set, revealing a little more about Gotham City's finest feline.

The main complaint about the last picture was, "WHERE'S HER EARS?", and while I'm happy to report that they've finally made an appearance, the faux appendages haven't done much to assuage fan fears. Some are even hypothesizing that Catwoman's mask is made out of Batman's mask (that might help explain her janky ears), but I don't believe that to be true, only because, c'mon, Selina Kyle would never do that. I'm also really into her hilariously high, stiletto boots that are perfect for fighting and running and whatever the hell else she's going to do in them.

As I mentioned before, I'm still reserving judgement until I see The Dark Knight Rises for myself, but for now I can at least opine that whatever is going on in the new pictures is still a million times better than this mess (sorry, Halle). In fact, many are likening the new look to Julie Newmar's Catwoman costume, which is anything but a bad thing at all.

Also a little cat humor for you: Someone on Oh No They Didn't said, "She needs a tail," to which another commenter replied, "Maybe she's a Manx?" And I laughed! Soo much! (too much!) Oh, cats.

Via Oh No They Didn't (More pics at the source)

Anne Hathaway Has Ears, and Other Things Learned From New Catwoman Images

It's Caturday!

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, cats with glowing eyes took over the streets of Barcelona, the results of the first ever attempted cat survey were revealed, kitten rescue went high-tech in Sweden, we saved and splurged on this season's hottest cat fashion trends, Charlie took a walk, I made some new feline friends at Anthropologie, Puss In Boots faced off against The Old Spice Guy, and we met one cool cat artist, Kitty Cassandra.

Also, don't forget I have a sweet giveaway going on right now to win a set of Sarah Donner's three albums, so click on over to check it out! I'm drawing two lucky winners this Monday, 9/26!

I'm also excited to announce that I'm starting a new advertising program on October 1st, so if you're interested in getting your product, shop, website, or blog noticed by a devoted community of cat lovers, click here for more information, or email me a catsparella@gmail.com for all the details!

Loki

This week's featured feline is catching some zzzz's in anticipation of his big Caturday debut!

Martha writes, "This is my kitty, Loki. He is an *almost* eight-year-old platinum Tonkinese and the most lovable and friendly cat. He is my buddy and I love him with all my heart!"

Aww, I think my heart just grew three-sizes bigger after reading that! Special thanks to Martha for taking the time to share her beloved buddy with us this week. I hope he's having furry sweet dreams under that cozy matching blanket!

***

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!

It's Caturday!

Puss In Boots is the Cat Your Cat Could Smell Like

Puss In Boots - "The Cat Haz Swagger"

Usually cats are the ones getting pulled into pop culture, but with this new promo clip for the upcoming Puss In Boots flick, it's the other way around. Watch Puss, "the cat your cat could smell act like," as he recreates the original Isaiah Mustafa "Old Spice Guy" commercial, and consider for yourself why a talking cat voiced by Antonio Banderas seems like the most perfectly natural thing in the world.

Dreamworks Animation's Puss In Boots hits theaters this November.

Old Spice - The Man Your Man Could Smell Like (Original)

Puss In Boots is the Cat Your Cat Could Smell Like

Walking with Charlie: RC Pet Products Cat Harness & Leash Review

Charlie Goes for a Walk

Charlie, at six, is still full of energy and up for any new adventure (or product review) that comes his way. While my two cats are both strictly of the indoor variety, I've been trying out different ways to bring some fresh air and excitement into their lives, and thought that he in particular would be a good candidate for leash training.

While we were inside, I put the harness on to let him get used to it, but when it became apparent that he wouldn't be walking anywhere (he was flopping around like a boneless creature), I decided to carry him outside to see if all of the wonderful new sights and sounds could entice (distract) him into going for a stroll.

Fortunately, it worked, and after convincing him to stop eating the grass for two seconds, we were on our way.

There are a few cat-only leashes and harnesses on the market, but we tested the RC Pet Products cat leash and cat harness in "Pirate Cat" print. While I love the cool patterns they offer, more importantly I was glad that both items were very sturdy, which made me feel comfortable that Charlie would be secure on our walk. If you're interested in learning more, or trying it out for yourself, you can search online, or check out the RC Pet Products website to find a retailer near you.

Disclosure: RC Pet Products provided me with a Pirate Cat Leash and Harness to review, but the opinions expressed in this post are our own. Meow!

Walking with Charlie: RC Pet Products Cat Harness & Leash Review

Splurge or Save on 7 of Fall's Hottest Feline Fashion Trends

splurge:// charlotte olympia smoking cat flats, $660

save:// happy kitty mary jane shoes $25

splurge:// see by chloe cats jumper, £220.00

save:// lace cats women's printed t-shirt, $24.00

splurge :// lanvin cat & logo print washed silk dress, $1,730

save:// cat and ca-doodle dress, $47.99

splurge:// see by chloe cat print scarf, $150

save:// kitty slicker scarf, $15.99

splurge:// anita ko 18-karat gold cat mask ring, $3,315

save:// mask on gold plated chain, $52.50

splurge:// lanvin printed silk twill top with jabot detail, £1,010

save:// right meow top, $37.99

splurge:// marc by marc jacobs miss marc & the scaredy cats tee, $88

save:// fashionista cat top, $14.90

Splurge or Save on 7 of Fall's Hottest Feline Fashion Trends

Anthropologie Hosting Nationwide Pet Adoption Events

Sweet lil' bros Tom & Jerry are available for adoption at SAVE

Every time I visit an Anthropologie store, I'm pretty much ready to pack up all of my things and set up shop in one of their amazing displays. So what could make the mecca of dreamy bohemian vintage chic even cozier and more welcoming? Throw some kittens, dogs, and cupcakes into the mix, and I just may never want to leave.

The upscale women's chain has been hosting Pet Adoption Days and Supply Drives this week in many of their stores across the country, where they are inviting local animal rescue groups to come in for a few hours to help raise awareness, and show off some of their dogs and cats, in hopes of getting them adopted.

Sit. Stay. Love. ♥

Today I volunteered at the event at my local Anthropologie, with my local shelter, SAVE A Friend To Homeless Animals. Unconcerned with the perils that slobber, pee, and pet hair could potentially bring to their beautiful store (luckily, everyone behaved themselves!), the staff were extremely friendly and welcomed us in with open arms. I was surprised by how much traffic we were able to generate on a Thursday afternoon, and enjoyed watching customers light up as they saw us at our table. In addition to getting lots of attention for the dogs and cats, it was also a wonderful opportunity to tell people about the shelter, and promote their upcoming Stroll for Strays Dog Walk and Pet Fair, coming up on October 29th (if you live in the Princeton, NJ area, please come out!).

I never miss an opportunity to photograph cupcakes

SAVE had three animals for adoption at the event, including a sweet hound mix named Clancy, and two black kittens, named Tom and Jerry. Of course I was instantly smitten with the two baby brothers, and wanted to smuggle them home immediately! They were super sweet and mellow, and spent most of the time napping on each other in cute poses. While it's possible for them to be adopted separately, you can tell they were really attached, and I hope these little babies can find a home together.

Clancy looking dapper in his "Adopt Me" vest

Surprisingly, I was also quite taken with Clancy...the DOG! Everyone commented on his unique "leopard" like markings, and his multi-colored eyes (one blue, one green). This guy is a year-and-a-half old, super chill, and loved sitting on my foot and leaning back on me like I was his own personal chair! He was also really into being pet, has super soft ears (!!), and wanted nothing more than to be friends with the kittens, who would let out a few half-hearted hisses from their cage, every time he came over to investigate.

Frankie the Pit Bull, one of the shelter's success stories, also dropped by in his SAVE t-shirt!

Amid racks of lovely merchandise, we were able to spread awareness about the shelter, collect some donations, and even hopefully got a few new volunteers on board along the the way. Thanks to Anthropologie for holding this cool event, and donating their time and space to helping animals in need. There are a few more events like this happening at stores now through Saturday, so check out their website to see if there's one near you!

Anthropologie Hosting Nationwide Pet Adoption Events

Mysterious Moving Box Stumps Cat Lovers Everywhere

kitty in a box

I'm told my friend Weeble Hamish is in this video, but I just don't see it..

Mysterious Moving Box Stumps Cat Lovers Everywhere

One Cool Cat Lady: Kitty Cassandra

Peanut Butter & Jelly Kitty

Artist Cassandra Graus, otherwise known as Kitty Cassandra, is a self-proclaimed cat painter, inspired by her flat-faced exotic felines. Graus creates her art on commission, but also has an online print store filled with cute and quirky creations of her signature rounded cats.

She lives in Virginia with her husband Joe ("the father of her cat-babies"), and their four kitties, Walnut, Caruthers, Fergie, and Templeton. While currently working a regular day job, Cassie hopes to one day devote all of her time to cat painting, "and making the world more absurd and ridiculous -- absurcuous -- one custom painting at a time."

With nearly a year long waiting list for her commissioned work, an appearance on Animal Planet's Cats 101, and a published children's book under her belt, I'd say this emerging talent is well on her way!

Cassie recently agreed to sit down and answer some of my questions, and we talked about everything from how she became a cat artist, to why food figures so prominently into her work!

Read on for more!

Cat Nap

Hey Cassie! Please tell us a little bit about how you got started painting.

I had always painted as a kid, what with my father being a painter and artist, I suppose it's in my blood. I had even drawn cats as a kid, but I really got into painting cats my last semester of college, when my coursework was winding down and I could finally take up a hobby!

So I had my husband (fiancee at the time) drive me to Michael's (I didn't have a car) to buy brushes and two canvases, and I sold those first two paintings a week later for $100 to a nice lady on a Persian cats forum, and I just kept practicing and painting from there!

Cats is Peeple Too

With a million zillion infinite possibilities in terms of painting subjects, what made you decide to become a cat artist?

If nothing else, the internet has shown me that I am not alone in finding anthropomorphized cats to be hilarious, so I knew there would be an audience. Cats are so human-like, even the worst parts of humanity, from killing things for sport all the way down to general, everyday mischief-making.

But on the other hand they're pretty harmless and lack the mental and physical faculties to purposefully ruin anything too important, so the contrast between inner evil and the inability to do any real harm is funny to me. And I've always wanted to make people laugh, so I thought that painting would be a good way to channel that! The feeling I get from people pointing and giggling at something I've created is the best ever.

House Cat

Tell us about your cats!

I have four cats, Walnut, Caruthers, and Fergie (all girl exotic shorthairs) and Templeton (a himalayan male). Walnut is extremely lazy and sleeps in Joe's spot on the bed (with her head on his pillow) while he's away all day like she's holding vigil; Caruthers is just dismayed at most things and looks disapproving all the time (but the only time she ever meows is when we clip her nails, because it's the worst thing she will ever experience); Fergie is shy and reserved and would rather watch you from a dark, hidden place; and Templeton is a holy terror -- a very vocal, hyperactive little boy who antagonizes his poor sisters and loves every minute of it.

Nice Things

How are the cats involved in your creative process? Are they allowed in the room where you paint?

It's funny you mention that, because I always have to lock them up in the bedroom while I'm painting, I call it "losing their privileges." If I don't, they will stomp in a puddle of paint, step on my canvas if it's laying flat, storm onto the table I'm painting on, wisp their tail across a wet canvas and leave a couple hairs behind -- it's a disaster. I have more than once had to wash paint off of cats' paws so they won't lick it off and poison themselves. Chances are there are several cat hairs in every painting I've done.

Meatball & Kitty Sub Sandwich

I'm in love with all of your work, but some of my favorite paintings are your food related pieces like Peanut Butter & Jelly Kitty, Kitty Sundae, Meatball & Kitty Sub Sandwich, etc. What inspired these kitty culinary creations?

I am a foodie at heart and take great joy in eating, maybe more than most people, so food is often top-of-mind for me, so I guess that manifests itself when I'm sketching random things to paint. I think putting cats on/in food is also an ode to surrealism (which I've always loved, especially Magritte and Botero) combined with that evil element: if a cat could comfortably curl up in a cat-sized, warm meatball sub, it totally would, and ruining your meal would just be an added bonus in their mind.

What was it like being featured on Cats 101? (Click here to watch the clip)

It was really neat -- I've always been into show business and fascinated by TV/film behind-the-scenes stuff, so to have a camera guy, sound guy, producer, and production assistant come into my home and put a mic on me and just tape for like 5 hours was like a dream come true. When CATS 101 first messaged me through my Etsy page telling me about how they're looking for an "off-beat" story about someone who works with exotic shorthairs, I -- and especially my husband -- thought it might be a scam, but I gave them a call and my naïveté finally paid off.

What's up next for Kitty Cassandra?

I would really like to work with a big publisher on a funny storybook, either for kids or adults, or work for a greeting card company, and just keep doing custom work of people's pets!

If someone wants to buy or commission a painting from you, how can

they go about doing so?

They can send me an e-mail through my website, www.kittycassandra.com, and let me know exactly what they want. It might take a year at least, though, as I have a bit of a waiting list... :)

***

Thanks so much to Cassie for taking the time to answer my questions! If you'd like to learn more about her, commission a painting, or order a print, visit her website for more information! She also has a Facebook fan page where you can follow her latest updates, and a brand spankin' new blog, too!

One Cool Cat Lady: Kitty Cassandra