Grumpy Cat & Cat Videos Collide At The Friskies 2013 Video Awards

I met Grumpy Cat!

Last night I had the honor of attending The Friskies, an award show dedicated to honoring the best new internet cat videos of the year. Host Michael Ian Black, along with special guests Angela Kinsey, Henri, le Chat Noir creator Will Braden, and Mick Szydlowski (Oskar the Blind Cat's human), presented golden catuettes and $25,000 in cash prizes to four lucky winners -- Oh yeah, and I met Grumpy Cat, too!



The celebration was held at Arena in New York City, an event space just outside of Times Square. 

As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by colorful flower arrangements on every table, accented with felt kitty toys and pictures of the night's lifetime achievement award recipient, Grumpy Cat. 

I was thrilled to finally meet Henri, le Chat Noir creator, Will Braden!

Not to brag (I am totally bragging), but I was beyond excited to mix and mingle with some of the biggest names in the cat world, including Will Braden, creator of the brilliant Henri, le Chat Noir videos. Braden, who traveled (sans Henri) to the show from Seattle, couldn't have been nicer (and no, he isn't really French!).

The Friskies winners posed alongside Michael Ian Black, Tabatha Bundesen & Grumpy Cat, and Angela Kinsey.

I also had the pleasure of meeting host Michael Ian Black. I introduced myself as a "cat blogger and big fan," to which he thanked me and shook my hand before posing for a pic. Black killed it in his duties as the night's emcee, and even referenced his kitty Alfalfa, who was surely watching back at home.

Grumpy Cat's owner, Tabatha Bundesen, was always by her side making sure she was happy and comfortable.

And then there was Grumpy Cat. I could barely sleep last night because I was still so excited from meeting her! I don't know how else to put it, except to say that she is even tinier and more precious in person. 

Catventure category winner Joanne McGonagle, with her husband Paul and their catuette.

Of course, no cat event would be complete without my fellow cat bloggers, Tamar Arslanian from I Have Cat, Robin Olson of Covered in Cat Hair, and Layla Morgan Wilde from Cat Wisdom 101. We were all very proud when our friend, Joanne McGonagle of The Tiniest Tiger, accepted an award in the Catventure category for "The Tiniest Tiger's Snow Adventure." The video starred her beloved kitty, Gracey, who sadly passed away in May, and the honor was a fitting tribute to her legacy.


I was also very excited to meet Rita (and her mom, who took this pic!), who was one of my ticket giveaway winners!

Thank you again to Friskies for inviting me to take part in the biggest cat-stravaganza of the year! It was fun finally meeting some of the famous faces (human and feline) that I've been blogging about for so long, and I will never get over the fact that I got to hold Grumpy Cat!

I shall never be grumpy again.

In case you missed it, you can catch the recorded live stream of the show at thefriskies.com.