LA’s Biggest Cat Event is Back: CatCon Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Where can you learn about feline health, build your own cat bag charm, have your cat’s fortune told, meet your favorite “celebricats,” and even adopt a new cat? CatCon, of course! LA’s massive cat-themed convention is back for a tenth year of celebrating all things feline, and this year promises to be better than ever.

Since it was founded in 2015, CatCon has welcomed over 100,000 cat lovers and overseen 1,400 adoptions at its signature “Adoption Village.” This year, the convention takes place August 2nd and 3rd at the Pasadena Convention Center.

To help us get a sense of this fun feline event, CatCon’s founder, Susan Michals, took the time to answer a few of our burning questions.

Know Before You Go:

CatCon takes place on August 2nd and 3rd at the Pasadena Convention Center in LA. On the event website, you can peruse the jam-packed schedule, which includes workshops on common cat health and behavior problems, meet and greets with “celebricats” like Adventure Cat Max, Nuggie McGlasson, Sponge Cake, One Eared Uno, Cat Named Calvin, One Eared Uno, Lily Rose Adventures, Maple Cat, and Squeaker, and even a cat-inspired fashion show (adorably named Purroject Catwalk).

We asked Susan to tell us about her favorite CatCon activities, and she pointed to the fortunetelling popup (World’s Best Cat Litter’s ‘Oracle,’ where you show pictures of your cat and receive their fortune), as well as a DIY your own bag charm booth, the fashion show (featuring local designers and “cat lady chic ensembles), and the many veterinary workshops.

Tickets are available online and start at $11.42 (for children) and $47.93 (for adults). Children under 5 are free when accompanied by adults.

What Inspired CatCon?

Susan points to her years of experience in LA’s entertainment and journalism industries. Back in 2014, she launched Cat Art Show, a show that features, as you might expect, all kinds of art about cats. The four-day show was a huge success, drawing 4,000 visitors.

Susan explains, “With that turnout, I realized that a younger demographic of cat lovers—a massive, passionate community—were being completely overlooked and underserved. At the time, the prevailing image of ‘cat people’ skewed toward the tired trope of the crazy cat lady. But the Cat Art Show audience proved otherwise: stylish, smart, culturally curious, and deeply devoted to their pets.”

CatCon’s Adoption Village

One of the centerpieces of CatCon is the Adoption Village, where you can meet and adopt kittens. Run by Pasadena Humane, the village features 200 kittens in need of homes. The regular event ticket includes access to this adoption area, where you can meet kittens, get connected to adoption counselors, and complete all of the paperwork. Best of all, they’re reducing the adoption fees for this special event: only $40 for a single kitten and $60 for a pair.

How Does CatCon Give Back?

Every year, CatCon picks a different cat-related charity to support. This year, the charity is Pasadena Humane, which has been busy finding homes for the many animals displaced by last January’s Eaton Fire. CatCon has pledged $1 from every ticket purchased for Pasadena Humane.

Over the years, CatCon has donated almost $400,000 to different animal welfare organizations.

Ready for Some Feline Fun?

Ready to head to this year’s CatCon? You can pick up tickets at Eventbrite and find all the event details at the official website. Sadly, you can’t bring your cat into the event, but you can certainly bring pictures, and feel free to dress up!

If you make it to CatCon, we would love to hear about it! Drop us a comment with your favorite parts or what you’re looking forward to.

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Images courtesy of CatCon | Featured image: Molly Morrison

Did You Know? 

Contents

• Know Before You Go:

What Inspired CatCon?

CatCon’s Adoption Village

How Does CatCon Give Back?

Ready for Some Feline Fun?