Community Corner
Carroll County Cats Use Social Networking to Become Celebrities
Two cats have won recognition in Bissell's Most Valuable Pet contest. One will learn at the end of April if he is the grand prize winner.
Kringle and Tigger have become quite popular thanks to Catster.com, a social networking site for cats.
The two cats, who live in Taneytown, are attracting some attention, and potentially some major prizes. Kringle and Tigger are both finalists in Bissell's Most Valuable Pet (MVP) Contest.
The winner of the contest will bring home more than a blue ribbon or a trophy for the mantel. The grand prize is $10,000 to be donated to a favorite pet charity, a $500 pet shopping spree, a Bissell pet vacuum or deep cleaner, and the winning pet's photo on a Bissell box.
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John Pollack, the owner of both prize-winning Taneytown cats, explained that he found out about the MVP Contest on Catster.com. Catster is reminiscent of Facebook, but instead of people, the profiles are of cats. Pollack said he currently has seven accounts for each of his four cats—Tigger, Kringle, Squeaker, and Blizzard (aka the Catfather).
The Bissell contest involves 12 rounds, and first through fifth place are awarded in each, along with a $25 Visa gift card for all five pets. The top winner of the week will also receive a Bissell pet vacuum or deep cleaner.
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The weekly rounds are now finished, and Pollack and his cats are eagerly awaiting news about the grand prize winner, which is scheduled to be announced by the end of the month.
“The five winners of each round are entered to win the grand prize,” explained Veronica Hunt, a Bissell representative. Kringle won first place in Round 12, and Tigger placed second in Round 10.
According to Pollack, this competition is the first experience with pet fame for both felines.
When asked if there will be a celebration if one of his cats wins the grand prize, Pollack responded, “Oh yes!!! They will get a special dinner, and all their Catster friends will be with them online.”
So what does it take for a household pet to become a household name (or household picture on the Bissell box)?
“The animals are selected through online voting–popularity of the animal and photograph submitted,” Hunt said. “All animals are welcome–besides cats and dogs, people have submitted birds, horses, rabbits etc.”
“The contest contributes to Bissell’s pet-loving community outreach,” Hunt added. “The contest is also part of the company’s long-standing partnership with PetFinder.com, which aims to find caring homes for abandoned animals across the United States and Canada.”
Pollack said, “I will use the $10,000 to help Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary build a shelter.”
The Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary is a non-profit in North Carolina that offers shelter to blind cats and cats with certain feline disesaes. Their motto is “Help Blind Cats See a Future.”
The organization’s cause has a particular appeal to Pollack.
“I have another cat named Squeaker who’s blind in one eye and Tigger has feline leukemia,” Pollack explained, “so it makes it very near and dear to my heart.”