Meet the #MEOWSCARS: Awards for Instagram Cats

The first annual #MEOWSCARS awards ceremony recently took place on Instagram.

“And what exactly is a MEOWSCARS?,” you might ask? Good question!

Because of the way cat pictures and videos dominate social media, a group of professional feline fanciers brought a bunch of people together and honored those fine kitties who sparkle on the social media screen. Just like magic, the MEOWSCARS were announced, complete with a cat-butt-tastic flyer:

Five categories were up for grabs, then two more were added because of popular demand. Entries were open to the public and facilitated via the savvy use of hashtags. The judges included renowned Instagram stars such as Fancy and her Friends, Porkchop and Beans, George and Wheezy, Gremlin, and Séamus and Angus to ensure that entrants were held to only the highest of shared cat photo standards.

Here are your winners.

Best-Dressed Cat

Envelope please… ✉️ The winner for #BestDressedCatAward, and recipient of the amazing Kitty Lounger Mini from @PeachPetProvisions, is @ingmar_purrrgman!! ???? Congratulations!!!! Your unique fashion style brought a new trend to the red carpet and we love it! ??❤️ Please DM me your address to claim your prize. ————————————– Don't forget to check out @heresfancynfriends, @seamus_n_angus, @_porkchopthecat_ & @gremlinthecat to see the winners of the other categories. ————————————— Thanks so much to everyone for participating! You made the first annual #MEOWSCARS a huge success! See you next year! ???❤️??

A photo posted by Tina. George & Wheezy (@tinaf78) on Oct 4, 2015 at 6:13pm PDT

The victor of the Best-Dressed Cat category went to the appropriately-named Ingmar Purrrgman. This foppish feline just loves to dress up in the fanciest finery in all of the land, and also apparently has a thing for “laying around in old shoes.”

Best Cat Actor

Welcome one and all to the first annual #MEOWSCARS award ceremony! Due to the overwhelming response, we've added one additional category. I'm thrilled to announce our first winner is #BestCatActor @juiceecat for their outstanding performance in #watchmewhip Nae Nae! You won your choice of #carebear mug! Please DM me for details. ????????? To see the winners in other categories check out the other hosts @tinaf78, @_porkchopthecat_, @gremlinthecat & @seamus_n_angus. And stick around for to see who won our other categories! #AcatemyAwards #RedCarpetTime #?

A photo posted by Marzipan (@heresfancynfriends) on Oct 4, 2015 at 5:43pm PDT

This hotly contested category was bested by a charismatic cat called Juicee. “I am very happy that I managed to put a smile on your faces with my videos,” she said in her very gracious acceptance speech. You can check out some of Juicee’s most poignant work in her “Watch Me” video.

Best Director

Our final envelope please….? The winner for the #BestDirector category is…@TheSauerKrautKitty for their remake on a classic, #JAWS! You won a #hepperpod from @hepperhome. Please DM @for details. ????????? To see the winners in other categories check out the other hosts @tinaf78, @_porkchopthecat_, @gremlinthecat & @seamus_n_angus. And stick around for to see who won our other categories! #MEOWSCARS #AcatemyAwards #RedCarpetTime #?

A video posted by Marzipan (@heresfancynfriends) on Oct 4, 2015 at 6:44pm PDT

Ever wondered what a cat-centric version of the movie Jaws would look like? Allow Ms. Sauerkraut Kitty‘s epic directorial vision to provide the answer. Spine-tingling stuff indeed.

Best Cat Loaf

Envelope please… ✉️ The winner for #BestCatLoafAward, and recipient of the amazing @lovethybeast teepee, is @cornelius_and_friends!! ???? Congratulations, your baking skills are unparalleled! We loved both your entries but this perfect little gingerbread loaf captured our hearts and got our mouths watering! ?❤️ DM me to claim your prize. Don't forget to check out @heresfancynfriends, @seamus_n_angus, @_porkchopthecat_ & @tinaf78 to see the winners of the other categories! Thank you so much to everyone for participating, we've had so much fun and it's been a wonderful evening! ❤️? #AndTheAwardGoesTo… #AcademyAwards

A photo posted by Gremlin (@gremlinthecat) on Oct 4, 2015 at 6:07pm PDT

With the cat loafing phenomenon showing no signs of slowing, it’s only right that the discipline’s foremost artists are honored at the MEOWSCARS. It would not be inappropriate for you to literally stand and salute Cornelius’ outstanding gingerbread loaf.

Best Cat Villain

AND THE WINNER OF THE #BestCatVillainAward goes tooooooo………. #DrumRoll…… Envelope please ✉️ ?@EvilCatCoco ?? Congratulations DAHHHHLING!!! The way you bitch slapped your roommate was soo moving, that it brought me to tears and made my roommate practically pee her pants! #Justalittle ?? You are the grand prize winner of a MEGA meowbox from our friends @meowbox AND the awesome Exploding kittens game from @TheOatmeal! (no kittens are actually exploding people, so #CalmYerTits) Please DM me your address ASAP ? #ThugLifeVillain #ZeroEffsgiven #OurTypeofVillain#Thuglife _________________________________________________________ Don't forget !!! To see the winners in other categories check out the other hosts @tinaf78, @gremlinthecat, @heresfancynfriends & @seamus_n_angus. _________________________________________________________ THANK YOU ALL for participating in the first #Meowscars Awards and we will see you next time on the red carpet!!

A video posted by Pork & Beans + TT PiSTACHio (@_porkchopthecat_) on Oct 4, 2015 at 6:32pm PDT

A life of devious deeds and shady shenanigans beckons when you’re named Evil Cat Coco — so it’s only right that this feisty tuxedo kitty took home the Best Cat Villain award.

Best Video

Envelope please….? The winner for the #BestVideo category is…@OMGDeeDee for their nail biting, edge of your seat production! You won a custom illustration! Please DM @ssaannttiinnoo.cat for details. ????????? To see the winners in other categories check out the other hosts @tinaf78, @_porkchopthecat_, @gremlinthecat & @seamus_n_angus. And stick around for to see who won our other categories! #MEOWSCARS #AcatemyAwards #RedCarpetTime #?

A video posted by Marzipan (@heresfancynfriends) on Oct 4, 2015 at 6:13pm PDT

Gary the bearded cat is a real deal silver screen star in the making (and we’ll have an interview with him very soon). Thanks to his turn in this eerie “edge of your seat production,” he was always a sure thing for the prestigious Best Video category.

Cutest Couple

Check it out guys! We won the #cutestcatcoupleaward at the #meowscars! So super excited! #instafamous #chico #zoey #ilovemycat#catlover #love #cute #funny #cat #gato #gatito #catsofinstagram #cats_of_instagram #catsofig #instacat #Repost @seamus_n_angus ・・・ {Seamus and Angus rip open the envelope} We were mesmerized and quite honestly, touched, by the love @chacha_and_chico showed in their #CutestCatCoupleAward video. The music, the choreography, the desire to be together…their love is undeniable. Thank you so much for entering this year's #MEOWSCARS! You are our GRAND PRIZE WINNER! ?? You will receive a @peachpetprovisions Pet Pillow to snuggle together on!! Please DM me with your address! CONGRATULATIONS!! THANK YOU SINCERELY to all the amazing contestants!! We ❤️d looking at all the ❤️ that was shared. It was not an easy decision! Be sure to check out the other judges for the remaining winners! @tinaf78 @_porkchopthecat_ @gremlinthecat @heresfancynfriends

A video posted by @chacha_and_chico on Oct 4, 2015 at 6:29pm PDT

Ready your handkerchiefs: The footage of ChaCha and Chico, cruelly separated by a glass sliding door, is a tender tear-jerker for the ages. Their role in a remake of Titanic is surely a given.

To check out the rest of the this year’s nominees, delve into the #MEOWSCARS hashtag via the wonders of Instagram.

About the author: Phillip Mlynar writes about cats, music, food, and sometimes a mix of all three. He considers himself the world’s foremost expert on rappers’ cats.