Renowned Comedian and Cat Owner Michael Ian Black to Host “The Friskies” Award Show in New York City

Calling all cat video creators: “The Friskies” is back!

It’s time to capture your cat’s funniest or most adventurous moment and enter “The Friskies” for your opportunity to win a $5,000 cash prize and a custom-made gold plated Friskies Catuette, and take part in the live Award Show in New York City this fall.

Visit www.TheFriskies.com to learn more about how to enter now through July 15, 2013.

Debuting in 2012 as the major award show for the best new Internet cat videos of the year brought to you by Friskies® cat food, “The Friskies” returns for a second year to celebrate the pop culture phenomenon of cat videos and the cats who inspire them. Renowned comedian and cat owner Michael Ian Black will host the Award Show on October 15, 2013 in New York City to award $25,000 in cash prizes to winners in four categories and the popular Fan Favorite from 12 finalists. Category winners will be determined by public vote, and Fan Favorite will be chosen by public text vote on the day of the Award Show. The show will be broadcast live on TheFriskies.com. Friskies also will award more than 250,000 cans of Friskies cat food to 20 cat charity organizations nationwide as part of the program.

“We’re thrilled to bring “The Friskies” back for another year. The Contest celebrates the creativity and quirkiness of cats, and rewards those who showcase these unique qualities through the art form of cat videos,” said Shawn Brain, Friskies assistant brand manager. “We’re expecting thousands of entries this year. Cat video creators and viewers may participate by entering their videos in the Contest, voting for and sharing their favorites, helping our 20 cat charity partners earn donations of Friskies cat food, and tuning in to see Michael Ian Black host an all-new award show live from New York City.”

“Films may have the OSCARS®, but cat videos have ‘The Friskies,’ and I can’t wait to host the show,” said Black. “It’s going to be unlike anything you’ve ever seen. ”

“The Friskies” Contest Overview and Judging Panel:

The Call for Entries is open now through July 15, 2013. Cat video creators may upload videos up to two minutes in length at www.TheFriskies.com in one of four categories:

• Cat Comedy: Your cat(s) in an humorous situation
• Catventure: An indoor cat adventure
• Rescue Cat:  Your cat(s) adopted from a rescue group or shelter enjoying life
• Pursuit of Food/Treat: Your cat(s) pursuing or engaging with their cat food or treat(s)

All entries will be evaluated by an eclectic panel of judges with strong ties to popular cat culture. Judges will evaluate each entry using the following criteria to select 20 Semi-Finalists, five from each category: originality & overall artistic impression (25%), audience appeal & entertainment quality (25%), sense that there’s a story being told (25%), and portraying cat’s perspective (25%). The 2013 “The Friskies” judging panel includes:

• Will Braden: Creator of “Henri le Chat Noir”
• Mick Szydlowski: 2012 “The Friskies” Grand Prize Winner for “Oskar’s First Toys”
• Abbie Moore: Executive Director, Adopt-a-Pet.com

The 20 Semi-Finalists will be awarded a one-year supply of Friskies cat food and Friskies® Party Mix brand cat treats. The Semi-Finalists will be announced August 6, 2013 to kick off the public voting phase of the Contest. Cat video fans will have the opportunity to view, share and vote (limit one (1) vote per entry/per person/e-mail address per day) for their favorite Semi-Finalists’ videos through noon ET September 16, 2013. Based on the popular public vote, the top three from each category will be named Finalists, and will win a trip to New York City to take part in the Friskies Award Show October 15, 2013, live from New York City. One winner from each of the four categories will be announced during the show, and will receive a Friskies Catuette and a $5,000 cash prize. One Fan Favorite will be named based on public text vote on the day of the Award Show, and will receive a Friskies Catuette and a $5,000 cash prize.

Contest Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., 18 years of age or older at the time of entry (19 years of age or older if a resident of AL or NE.) Entry period ends at 12:00:01 p.m. ET on 7/15/13. See Official Rules at www.TheFriskies.com. Sponsored by Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, Checkerboard Square, St. Louis, MO.

About Friskies

The Friskies® brand offers a complete line of great-tasting cat foods, including more than 60 wet, dry and treat varieties. Friskies is manufactured by Nestlé Purina PetCare, a global leader in the pet care industry. Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. The North American headquarters for Nestlé Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis; Mo. Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A. – the world’s largest food company.

Here are the first entries for the Easter Frosty Paws Contest. What Easter contest, you say?

The one being hosted by Frosty Paws and ThoughtsFurPaws.com. You could win (the coolest pet treats around) Frosty Paws loot courtesy Purina (think stuffed animals and ice cream for dogs!), and PetSmart prizes (treats, toys, etc.) courtesy ThoughtsFurPaws.com!!!!

Please send up to three photos (AT ONE TIME) to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com with “Easter Contest” in the Subject Line. Pictures will be posted for viewing only; Administrators will make the final call on winners for this contest. You are welcome to leave your votes in the comments; READER VOTES WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. You have until the day before Easter at 6 pm to enter photos.

And without further delay, here are Bailey, Benson and Jester:

Bailey and His “Peeps!”

Bailey is “Eggcited” about Easter!

Benson Likes to “Hug” Jester…!

Jester and Benson, from left to right, in their ducky hats!

Benson in his ducky outfit!

My totally crazed cats can’t get over the new Yeowww!® catnip toys that we received in the mail for review about two weeks ago.

They have been hovering over them like hoarders ever since they came out of the box and hit the counter (I couldn’t even get the tags off the toys OR get the toys off the counter onto the floor before Max had strutted off with the fancy red heart toy in toe).

Since that very evening, Max has been attached to his red Yeowww!!® Heart like a starry-eyed lover. He never lets it go. He carries it around in his mouth and he gets the zooms late at night when no one is around and “me-yells” at 1 a.m. into the empty hallway in the dark because he wants someone to play with him!

Sasha prefers the rainbow. Every single night – all night – I mean from like the time I get home from work at 6:30 until I go to bed at 11 (and apparently during the afternoon – or so I hear) since we’ve had it, Sasha is rubbing her neck and little long-haired black body all over that rainbow like it’s filled with tuna. It is adorable because Sasha NEVER plays with toys. But she LOVES the Yeowww!® rainbow and the plain catnip, too!

Tate prefers the hard stuff. HE likes it when I just put the plain Yeowww!® Catnip down on the scratching post for him to eat and roll around in. He’s hard core considering he’s the teeny-tiny, itty-bitty-kitty-committee-kitty cat. He takes all six pounds of his body and throws himself at the nip on the post like he’s diving into a pool. It makes such a loud sound – I wish I could convey how funny this is because it’s so out-of-character for him, especially when people are around!

I swear, Yeowww! Catnip and catnip-filled toys are like crack for cats.

Some might scoff at that analogy, but I can’t think of a better one. It’s like an addiction to them – they can’t control it, they want it 24/7 and they think it’s the best thing since minced tuna.

I think it’s the best invention in the pet industry since the pooper-scooper. The catnip is SUPER-potent – you can smell this stuff from a mile away… and the cats can from two miles away.

All three of them keep trying to break into the cabinet where we keep it (on the bottom shelf); they go in there and knock the container around until someone comes and gives them some! SMART CATS

The award-winning Yeowww!® Catnip and cat toys are heaven-sent. They keep our kittehs busy for hours, and we don’t have to worry about something being unhealthy or harmful to them.

Like it says on the Yeowww!® website (DuckyWorld is the company that owns them…), they are catnip toys that ACTUALLY WORK!

Our old and new Yeowww! cat nip products!

To me, DuckyWorld and Yeowww!® products stand out amongst competitors for two reasons:

1. DuckyWorld stands out in the pet industry because of its especially potent catnip and the toys that are stuffed with it.
2. DuckyWorld also stands out because of their commitment to quality products.

All of their toys are made in the USA and are 100% stuffed with only the finest, organically grown catnip.

From the site: “DuckyWorld closely works with private farmers to grow, manage and harvest the best organically grown catnip on the Earth. We also obtain samples from additional professional growers each year to ensure that we are offering the highest quality based on freshness, color and aroma. No chemicals or pesticides are used in cultivation, which means Yeowww!® Catnip is completely safe for cats and humans. The signature all leaf and flower top blend ensures Yeowww!® Catnip to be the most effective on the market that no competitor can compete with!”

You can find Yeowww!® Cat toys and other products at most local pet stores, independent stores, boutiques and gift shops; the company does not sell to ‘big box’ retail stores.

You can also order online at www.duckyworld.com. I highly encourage you to visit the website and read more about their products, order some up, and then sit back and watch and enjoy your cats FREAK OUT over them!

ThoughtsFurPaws.com gives Yeowww!® a rousing four-paws-up with gusto!

I’ve got great news… another awesome new app just hit the market and it’s totally going to dominate the pet app market I bet… It’s called Oh Kitty and it is bundles of fun, just like your kitties themselves.

Released with perfect timing for holiday cat pictures to be taken, Oh, Kitty! is a fun free app for cat owners and their friends that provides tons of amusement. It allows you to virtually dress-up and accessorize your cat! MOL! How neat! After sending some family members some creations they are all asking me about it!

With Oh, Kitty! you can:

• Magically bring your kitty into the App using the eraser tool.
• Virtually dress your cat with over 400 items such as wigs, hats, glasses and more.
• Place your kitty in backgrounds ranging from The Eiffel Tower to the beach and more.
• Give your kitty a voice using text bubbles.
• Share your creations with family and friends using Facebook and email.

For more information and to download, head over to www.ohkittyapp.com right now!

Available on the App Store (Link to App Store Download ) Oh, Kitty! is bound to be a hit with cat-lovers the world over.

This kewl Oh, Kitty! YouTube video shows a great reel of how it’s done and how customizations can be made to a cat picture using the App and your phone. MOL again!

Furthermore – coming soon, you’ll be able to purchase keepsakes of the creations you’ve made on items such as iPhone and iPad cases, mugs, t-shirts, posters and more. How cool is that?

I highly encourage you to download Oh, Kitty today. I have it and it’s so much fun. I can’t’ stop sending my sister and cousin and best friend my silly cat pictures.

Pets Add Life. Period.

That’s all you need to say.

They add life, meaning, love, laughter and so much more to your home, so I’m sharing with you how Pets Add Life in my home!

However, I first want to alert you to the wonderful things that PAL is doing recently.

1. First, don’t forget about the PAL poetry contest for kids, sponsored by PAL and the American Pet Products Association. Your child could win a monetary prize for himself or the classroom!
2. Second, remember the National Get a PAL for Your Pet Day, which is November 19^th. Check the Facebook page for information about this.
3. Finally, The Facebook voting for a shelter to win a $10k donation ends soon so get your vote in!

So now back to how pets add life in my household.

Well let me tell you about the funniest thing Maxwell (aka Maxxy, aka Mad Max, aka Swelly-Belly) has done when I wasn’t looking in as long as I can remember…

(Although last night he did steal a raw green bean from the counter to play with that had absolutely vanished 15 seconds later…. And a few nights before that he stole a ring of mine that was on the table and I haven’t seen it since {it’s a very large flower ring that cannot be swallowed} – this is the funniest thing). (My point is that I think he has a hiding spot for his “treasures” that none of us can find.)

So what’s this first-mentioned funniest thing that he did?

He took over my laptop.

I can just imagine him saying to me as he looked up and keys were being hit all over the place “Tis very warm for snuggling Mom… thanks”

This is not the only funny thing that Mad Maxwell does.

He has what we call his “baby.” It’s a very large gray mouse (as big as his acorn head) that I found at a pet store in Kanab, Utah near Best Friends Animal Sanctuary when I volunteered there this summer.

Max apparently has some nights when he doesn’t want to come up and go to bed with Mommie so he takes his gray mousie, his baby, but ONLY after midnight, and makes this God-awful cat-calling noise with it IN HIS MOUTH. So he is meowing hella’ loud while the toy is lodged in his mouth.

IT’S HYSTERICAL. A few times I’ve come into the hallway to call him and he goes racing up the stairs WITH THE TOY still in his mouth, still cat-calling.

Another funny thing that Mad Maxwell, the swelly-belly Cat does? Well, considering he is food-obsessed…

(Last Thanksgiving he sat and guarded the turkey like it was the most important thing he had ever seen in his life and like it was going to stand up and walk off on its wobbly-hobbly dead legs….) (see picture to left…)

He will sit in the kitchen and meow fanatically until someone comes in at dinner time (or ten minutes before) to feed him.  He has an internal clock, I swear, that tells him that it’s 5:00 pm. Some days I start dealing with this at 4 pm while I’m trying to work still in the family room at my laptop. He will stand on the couch behind me and stand up and put his paws on my back and drag them down; or he’ll paw at my head until I take note of and mentally record his presence.

Max also loves cardboard boxes. So what could be more perfect than one that carries food in it? (See picture to right. It’s Max laying on a pizza box!)

Max is a blessing in my life and I couldn’t imagine it without him. He adds energy, life, dash and all those other good syllables like vim and vigor that none of us use on a regular basis but would if they were in our everyday vocabulary…!

This post is sponsored by the Pets Add Life Campaign and the American Pet Products Association. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the benefits and joys of pet ownership. Please follow Pets Add Life on their website, Facebook page, Twitter account and hilarious YouTube page.