This week's featured felines are a cuddly pair, who sure know how to work it for the camera! Niki writes: Jessi & Gia together make quite the duo. You have the perfect balance of the energetic trouble maker and the lovely, responsible Gia. Being an animal lover these girls light up my life tremendously, and I would like to make them happy by letting people see what special girls they are! They are loving sisters who turned one on May 7th. We adopted them from a shelter when they were 6 weeks old, and their opposite personalities shined through right away. Jessi Jessi thinks she’s a model--she is a sassy little thing who loves the camera, and loves giving “face” in her pictures. She also loves to have her belly rubbed and will climb the edge of the carpet like a tug of rope (but she will only do this with her dad). She eats like a bird, her “meows” are more like talking, and she will stand near things until she gets our attention. She’s full of energy and super playful, but gets spooked very easily. Gia Gia is more adventurous--she will be the first to snoop outside if a door is left open, which is a “heart attack” for me! She loves playing with “da bird” toy and sleeping. She's very loving and loves to brush her teeth, unlike Jessi. They are really special girls that are our lives!! Special thanks to Niki for sharing these cuddle bunnnies with us this week! They are absolutely adorable, and she is so lucky to have found them!
Need a dose of cat fancy in your life? Canadian twin bros Dean and Dan Caten aka Dsquared2 have you covered from head to paw with their chic collection of feline-themed threads, featuring an adorable Siamese who graces everything from keychains and beanies, to tees and button-ups. The highlight of the line is the bewhiskered cat flats ($395, available in black and leopard print), but this cartoon kitty looks cute on just about anything. Prices range from $135 for an enameled pin, to $596 for the signature tee. Click here for details on where to shop.
Cats Score Big Time with Target HAUL So you know that thing where you go to Target to pick up a few things, and end up leaving with a new sundress, crap from the dollar bin in the front, and whimsical owl tumblers? Britney and Lizzy's human recently took a trip to the bullseye, resulting in a splendor of riches for her sassy talking teen kitties -- and some hilarious catfights over collars, treats, and catnip. With thanks to my friend Caren from Cat Chat with Caren & Cody for the find!
Catula Women's Tee I recently became obsessed with Sharp Shirter after coming across their striking "Catula" and "Persian Queen" designs, which grace everything from tees and posters, to cards and iPhone cases. Persian Queen Women's Tee Sharp Shirter was founded in 2004 by Dan Lachman, the same year his dad told him to stop playing videogames and do something productive with his summer. What started as a way to keep his father off his back has now blossomed into an expansive company that offers much more than just awesome t-shirts.
Killer Kitty Tee The S.S. mission is to make you look better, by offering clothing that focuses on the relationship between animals and humans. The animals in question include bears, sloths, cardinals, sharks, and of course kitties -- who appear across their range of merch and American Apparel tees, that ship out of DC. Meowmore Poster YOLO x 9 Tee Feline-themed options include the aforementioned Cat Dracula who "vants to drink your milk" and the regal Persian cat on her throne, along with a feline recreation of Mount Rushmore, a Killer Kitty, Sir Catspian, and a cat who knows you only live nine times. Sir Catspian Women's Tee Catula iPhone 5 Case Enter To Win!
Dan has generously offered one lucky Catsparella reader the chance to win the cat shirt of their choice from the Sharp Shirter shop! Choose from: Catula Persian Queen Meowmore Killer Kitten Sir Catspian YOLO x 9 Most shirts are available in Men's and Women's sizes, S-2XL. Click here to browse the kitty tees. To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me your shirt choice, along with your name, and some way for me to contact you if you win (email, link back to your blog or profile, Twitter, etc.) The winner be will chosen in a random drawing next Wednesday, July 3 at 5:00PM EST. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. One entry per person, please. Good luck, and be sure to check out Sharp Shirter on Etsy, and follow them on Facebook for news and updates on all of their latest designs! (If you have trouble leaving a comment, please email me at catsparella@gmail.com) [Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]
Amore I always love a good kitten proposal story, and the latest comes to us from Fairview, N.C., where Ryan Bentley used an adorable 2-month-old tabby to guilt his future wife into saying yes (just kidding, I'm sure she would have accepted no matter what!). Bentley and his fiancée, Emily Beckett, had been dating for three years, when he decided to put a ring on it. Knowing that his intended loved cats and kittens, he secretly visit local shelters, and with the help of her mom, was able to pick out the perfect kitten to carry out his plan. When it came time to pop the question, Ryan took Emily to the resaurant where they had their first date, and then brought her home to meet their furry new family member. Her initial confusion turned to shock and joy, when Ryan told her to look at the tag around the kitten's neck, which was engraved with the words, "Emily, Will You Marry Me?” “I began to cry,” Beckett tells Black Mountain News. “Ryan then said he wanted to name our little boy ‘Amore’, and I thought that was the perfect name." “Amore has been so much fun and the source of many laughs. He is such an energetic and loving kitten. He will always be a reminder of our love and our engagement.” Via HuffPost Weddings / Black Mountain News
The yummy vanilla cupcakes were topped with caramel icing, and decorated with Twizzlers, slivered almonds, sprinkles, and dark chocolate caramel wedges from Trader Joe's! You can read more about them here.
Thank you to Carine for sharing, and Happy Gotcha Day, Texas! *** 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!
Welcome back for another edition of Caturday, where we catch up on the week's latest cat news, and get to meet some of your amazing kitties! This week, we celebrated "National Bring Your Pet To Work Day"with some kitties who enjoy spending time at the office, the "Perez Hilton Of Cats"took to Craigslist in search of his next intern, Charlotte Olympia cat boots stomped their way into stores, a chill bodega kitty starred in a "Classy Cat" sketch, Morris the Cat eyed the top spot in a Mexican mayoral campaign, illustrator Lottie Pencheon delivered a feline-themed make-up tutorial, we checked out an award-winning maneki neko cat cupcake, Royal Canin kicked off their 40,000 pounds in 40 days summer pet food drive, and a cap/cat mixup led to the greatest graduation cake gaffe of all time! Kiki and Rum This week's featured felines are a pair of lovely ladies who are lucky enough to live in a very cool catified home, featuring a "cat superhighway" of shelves, inspired by Jackson Galaxy! Asami writes: I love love your blog and would love to submit a picture of my kittens, Kiki & Rum. They are both female. 1 yr old. They are rescue cats. They are from different parents but they're like real sisters. They play/eat/sleep together. Kiki Rum They are my babies and love them crazily! I thought I was a dog person but now I'm a crazy cat woman :)
See more pics of their cool house here. Special thanks to Asami for sharing her pretty kitties with us this week! She is a professional photographer, and you can check out more gorgeous pics of Kiki, Rum, and her handsome new foster kitty Dante, on her Giggly cats blog.
When I first heard about National Bring Your Pet To Work Day (which is today, Fri. June 21), my first thought was, "That's great for dogs, but is anyone actually bringing their cats to the office?" To my surprise, the answer was a resounding "Yes!", and Purina even put me in touch with one of their own employees, who brings her kittens to work on a regular basis. Lisa Pacatte is a Senior Brand Manager for Purina Pro Plan, who works at the Nestle Purina Petcare headquarters St. Louis, MO. Thanks to Purina's pet-friendly office policy, her two adorable kittens, Fletcher and Finley, are able to join her at work at least once or twice a week. I had a million questions for Lisa about how she makes the Pets at Work program work for her. We covered everything from car rides and cat trees, to what happens when it's time to use the litter box! Read on for more!
Lisa and her furry office assistants, Finley and Fletcher. Hi Lisa! Please tell us a little about your cats.
I have two male Siberian kittens, Fletcher (9 months) and Finley (8 months). Previously, I had two cats that both lived to be almost 17 years-old. Chelsie passed away a year and a half ago, leaving Cali, who passed away just last November. After Cali passed, I began my search for the next generation of cats that we would welcome into our family. Although they are not litter mates, they are the best of friends.
Not all cats are cut out for office life. When did you start socializing them, and how did you know they were ready to go to work? I had never adopted a cat through a breeder until I got Fletcher and Finley, and the breeders I worked with are conscious of socializing cats early in life. They introduce their kittens to a lot of things before they adopt them to families, and it’s well known that exposing kittens to as many experiences as possible can be good for their development. So they were fairly social by the time I brought them home. Anxious for my coworkers to meet the adorable new additions to our family, I didn’t wait long before I brought them to work. So in mid-January they came to Nestle Purina for the first time. I could tell right away bringing them to the office was going to work out. They were not shy around my coworkers – in fact, they enjoyed all the extra attention. What about the car ride? As for the car ride, they are both very content – spending the time sleeping, grooming each other or looking out the window. Both of them had spent quite a bit of time in the car with me when we brought them home for the first time. They don’t associate car rides with a trip to the vet, which I believe makes many cats nervous during car trips. For the first couple trips to the office, I had them in separate cat carriers. Finley’s carrier, however, only allowed him to see out the front and back, and he would cry during our commute. I realized that he was missing his “brother” Fletcher since he was not visible. I then tried switching Finley to a carrier that allowed him to see out on all four sides. He was much happier when he could see Fletcher sitting in the carrier next to him. But carrying two cat carriers plus my computer bag into the office was difficult. I had my hands full! So I scoured the internet to find an extra-large rolling pet carrier that would accommodate the both of them. They love this even more – it’s tall enough for them to be able to sit up, move around and best of all, be together. And the carrier allows for me to buckle them in safely. How often do Fletcher and Finley join you at the office? I bring them to work once a week on average, sometimes twice a week. What benefits do you think come from being able to bring them to work? I believe Fletcher and Finley enjoy coming to work. It gives them a change of scenery and I like to think they enjoy spending the day with me vs. being at home by themselves. Plus they are very social cats, and enjoy all the attention they get from my co-workers. For me, it’s such a pleasure to have Fletcher and Finley here with me all day. Studies have shown that employees who bring their pets to work tend to have lower stress levels and are more relaxed and happy. I can definitely attest to that. It definitely helps with my stress level and makes work more enjoyable. I’m in my “happy place” when I’m around them and it’s terrific that Nestle Purina encourages its employees to bring their pets to work. Having Fletcher and Finley in the office also brightens the day for a lot of my co-workers, who drop in from time to time to play with them and chuckle at their kitten antics. What supplies do you recommend having on hand? I want to make my office an enjoyable space for them – like a home away from home – with plenty of toys for them to play with and soft places for them to sleep. When Fletcher and Finley come to work with me my office gets transformed to a kitty play land – full of tiny balls to for them to chase and feather wands for them to stalk. But their favorite is the six-foot tall cat tree I recently added. They love their tree at home and I thought it would be a great way to help them exert their energy in the confined office space. They love to perch on the very top and look out at all the activity happening around the office. They also love to taunt the dogs that are on the floor. Other necessities include keeping a supply of their food on hand, bowls for their food and water, and scratching posts. I even have a cat bed, although Fletcher normally chooses to sleep in the lid of a copy paper box. How does litter box duty work? I keep the litter box under my desk and out of view for my co-workers. Plus it provides them some privacy when they need to do their business. It’s important that I clean the litter box frequently, and I keep fresh litter in the office at all times. When they’re not here I take a trash bag and cover up the box so that it’s not exposed. And don’t forget to have air freshener handy for when they use the litter box. They’ll usually decide it’s time to use the litter box when I am having a meeting with co-workers in my office. I have to admit, this is somewhat comical, but also a little embarrassing at the same time. Do you have any other advice for people thinking about bringing their pets to the office? For my cats it’s important that I have an enclosed office vs. an open-air cubicle. And you have to be prepared to keep your office door closed, which is not always ideal in a workplace. I tried several ways to keep my door open and use baby gates and other taller barriers to contain my cats, but they quickly learned to jump over them. Remember to be respectful of people who suffer cat allergies. Even though Siberian cats are believed to by hypo-allergenic, I will always ask co-workers if they would prefer to have a meeting elsewhere, besides in my office. I totally understand. But luckily, those with allergies have had great luck being around them and even petting them without any problems. Give your cats lots of things to do and keep a lot of toys in your office, or they will be bored. And start bringing them to work when they’re young so they get used to the car and the office environment at an early age. We have a lot of tips and suggestions for people to help create a welcoming, pet-friendly program at their workplace at www.PetsAtWork.com. It works for a lot of people here at Purina – we’ve been doing this for 15 years, and we usually have hundreds of dogs and cats on our campus every week. We encourage pet lovers who can’t bring their pets to work to speak to their employers and see if they’ll try it on Friday (June 21), which is “National Bring Your Pet to Work Day.” As pet lovers, it would be great to help spread this movement throughout the country. *** Special thanks to Lisa for taking the time to answer my questions! With these two cuties around, I'm not sure I'd be able to get anything done!
A fame-seeking feline by the name of Mr. Panther Pants recently posted an ad on Craigslist looking for an intern that will help take his online profile to the next level. Mr. Panther Pants, the self-proclaimed "Perez Hilton of Cats," is described as "catty, sassy, and completely snarky. He always has an opinion where other cat or dog fashion is concerned. He has his own style." The unpaid internship will be one day a week in Marina del Ray, Calif., and is targeting students and recent grads with a passion for cats and social media, who want to learn what it takes to build a brand from the ground up. Job responsibilities include creating content for the Mr. Panther Pants blog, managing his presence across social media, and figuring out how to turn him into the biggest goddamn cat in the world. The "ability to provide snarky fashion commentary would also be beneficial," but thankfully, is not a deal-breaker. As part of the application process, potential candidates are being asked to submit a cover letter and resume, along with a description of why they think cats are the preferred species. Also, if you want to up your street cred, you might want to mention that you recognized this little rapscallion right away from his Rover fashion shoot.
The evolution of Charlotte Olympia's ultra-gorgeous (and ultra-expensive) line of kitty shoes continues this fall, with the release of the Pussy Cat Velvet Boots. The $895 leather booties, which are available for pre-order from luisaviaroma.com (with an Aug. 31 arrival date), include a side zip closure, gold embroidered cat face, and a shiny, whip-like tail that wraps around the back (insert Puss in Boots joke here). Olympia's feline footwear hasn't undergone such a drastic makeover since April, when the designer collaborated on a punk rock version of her popular kitty flats in honor of the Costume Institute's “Punk: Chaos to Couture” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do. One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over mew.
Local Empire - Classy Cat ♫"Classy guy and a classy cat, two classy fellas, chompin' rats!"♫ Michael Molina, one of the creators and writers of New York-based sketch group Local Empire, recently passed along the group's latest video, starring a classy resident bodega feline who uses his powers of purrsuasion to win over a skeptical customer.
Bodega cats live in the small corner grocery shops of NYC, where they guard against rats, and are often caught being photographed in cute poses. To learn more, check out a mini-documentary about them here.
Fat Cat politicians are nothing new, but they're not usually quite as cute and cuddly as Morris. The 10-month-old black and white kitten, who was adopted by Sergio Chamorro last year, recently announced his run for mayor of Xalapa, Mexico. His campaign slogan? "Tired of Voting for Rats? Vote for a Cat."
Watch the mayoral candidate in action Chamorro and his friends decided to launch the campaign after becoming disillusioned by local government. He argues that his cat is uniquely qualified for the position because, "He sleeps almost all day and does nothing, and that fits the profile of a politician."
In just a short period of time, the four-pawed policymaker has made headlines around the world, and inspired an impressive social media following on Twitter and Facebook, to the tune of 131,000+ human, feline, and even canine fans. Just a few of Morris' fans showing their support: Technically, a kitty can't officially register as a candidate, but that hasn't stopped Morris' team from urging would-be voters to write-in his name on July 7, or draw a picture of a cat's face on the ballot to "send a message to authorities." As an amusing side note, Morris isn't the only animal hoping to paw their way into office come election day. Throughout Mexico, other furred and feathered hopefuls include Chon the Donkey, Tina the Chicken, Maya the Cat, and Tintan the Dog - although the AP notes that their campaigns "are not as well organized" as Morris'. Via ABC News / Jezebel / Images: Facebook (El Candigato Morris.)
Make-up Tutorial by Lottie Pencheon Feeling frustrated by hard to follow make-up tutorials that only make you feel worse about yourself (and your eyeliner applying skills)? Check out UK-based illustrator Lottie Pencheon's hilariously adorable cat comic about mastering the purrfect beauty routine. You can follow her on Tumblr here.
True story: When I graduated from college, I made my own embellishment to the cake: A small Hello Kitty figurine that I fitted with its own little cap. If only I had known that other, far less boring options were available, I too could have rejoiced in a little cat cap of my own. When Laura Gambrel graduated from Indiana University last month, her mom Carol decided to order a cake with her picture on it to celebrate. In addition to specifying that the cake should include Laura's school colors (red and white), she also requested that the decorator try to draw a "little cap" on her daughter's head. In a hilarious miscommunication torn straight from the virtual pages of Cake Wrecks (in case you're not familiar with the site, their tagline is "When professional cakes go horribly, hilariously wrong"), the bakery employee mistook her request for "cap" as CAT, and thus the legendary baked good was born. The image of the glorious cake, featuring Laura's head topped with the tiny icing cat, has now gone viral on Reddit, Gawker, and even appeared on Good Morning Americathis A.M. Fortunately, the graduate and her family had a good sense of humor about the whole thing ("I could not stop laughing," she says), and insisted that the feline chapeau stay. As one Gawker commenter helpfully points out, "Remember, after you've received your degree, you flip the tail from the right to the left." Via Gawker / Good Morning America / Reddit
Maneki Neko Cupcake I'm obsessssssed with this incredible maneki neko (beckoning cat) cupcake by Un Cupcake, l'Addition. It should come as no surprise that the fortunate feline was one in a set of six amazing, Japanese-themed cupcakes that took the top prize in the cupcake competition at Expo Tarta 2013 in Madrid. Via Facebook (Un Cupcake, l'Addition) / Un Cupcake, l'Addition *** 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!
The Royal Canin 40 Day Challenge is on! From now (June 17) through July 26, their goal is to donate 1,000 pounds of pet food each day – ultimately donating 40,000 pounds at the end of 40 days to Banfield Charitable Trust. To help accomplish this herculean task, they're asking the public to visit their Facebook page to participate in daily challenges, which include reading and sharing stories like the one below, of pet owners who have directly benefitted from pet food assistance programs. The summer pet food drive will ultimately help keep pets and their people together, because no one should have to give up their beloved companion because they can no longer afford to feed them.
Rich After health problems forced Rich into an early retirement, he found himself struggling to care for his two cats, Mr. Rain and Ms. Misty. Luckily, thanks to Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society and its Pet Aid program, he is able to keep his kitties at home, where they belong.
Rich hadn't intended to retire anytime soon, but health issues forced him to stop working. In 2008, he adopted two kittens who had come from a home where 75 cats lived in pretty bad conditions. One of Rich's friends provided foster care for the surviving kittens from that home, and after frequent visits, Rich became attached to two kittens in particular, Mr. Rain and Ms. Misty. "I'd never had a pet before. When I saw them in foster care I decided to adopt them. Then illness changed my life. Now I'm around the house most of the time and the cats keep me company." Unable to work, Rich turned to the local survival center for help and was afraid his financial situation might force him to give up Mr. Rain and Ms. Misty. "It was tough enough to stretch the money to cover food, housing and medical care for myself. When I added in the cost of pet food, it looked almost impossible to keep my cats." But then Rich learned about one of the survival center's community partners - Dakin Humane Society - and its Pet Food Aid program that provides food for client families' animals. Rich was glad to hear about the service because he was faced with making ends meet on a suddenly limited income. "Once a month my son drives me over to pick up food for me and my cats. That extra help lets me keep Mr. Rain and Ms. Misty at home." Last year, Dakin Humane Society provided over 45,000 pounds of pet food to partner service agencies throughout the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts to help keep companion animals in their homes. Visit the Royal Canin Facebook page (facebook.com/royalcanin.us) today through July 26th, to find out how you can help provide pet food for people like Rich so he can keep his cats, Mr. Rain and Ms. Misty. Their goal is to donate 40,000 pounds of food in 40 days with the help of Banfield Charitable Trust.
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, Simon's Cat offered up a rude surprise in "Flower Bed," Katy Perry teamed up with crime-fighting kitties in wigs for Popchips, Choupette Lagerfeldgraced the cover of German Vogue, Friskies offered $25k in cash prizes for the best cat videos of the year, Emily baked up big-eyed kitty cupcakes, we reviewed theCat's Whiskers KeepCup from Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium, and a rare two-faced kitten named Deucywas born in Oregon (and sadly, passed away a few days later). Strider and Celeborn This week's featured felines are a sweet pair who are still getting to know each other, and a special kitty who went over the bridge last year. Jessica writes: I wanted to share some photos of my kits, Celeborn, Strider, and Galadriel. Celeborn Celeborn is around 16-years-old. He loves looking out the windows and enjoys rolling around in catnip. He also loves to sleep on my chest. He is a big baby. Strider I recently just got another cat, named Strider. He is a kitten and loves playing with toys and running after the laser pen. He also loves watching the birds and playing under the covers, as you can see in this picture where he has his head through a hole in our comforter! They are my babies and I love them so much. Celeborn is finding his way trying to get along with Strider, but he is older and sometimes does not want to be bothered with a kitten who always wants to play and run. Galadriel
Unfortunately, Galadriel pasted away last year around March. She loved birds and cacaling at them. She also loved paying with the laser pen and drinking water. She would go crazy when I would fill up a cup for her. Special thanks to Jessica for sharing her precious babies with us this week!
