Meow Meetup Chicago Review

I have a confession to make.  I had never heard of Meow Meetup before, even though I'm a self-proclaimed conference expert.  From BarkWorld to BlogPaws, I thought I knew about all of the events that are geared towards pet lovers as well as pet care professionals.

While attending the Cat Writers' Association conference a few months back, a fellow attendee inquired if I had ever gone to the meetup as it takes place in Chicago which is sort of close to where I live.  Okay, it's actually a five hour drive to the Windy City, but I still consider that close.  I had no clue what my table mate was talking about.

Naturally, I raced back to my hotel room and grabbed my laptop.  A quick Google search took me straight to the Meow Meetup homepage.  The two day conference boasts presentations from industry experts, workshops, an adoption lounge, and meet and greets with some of the Internet's most famous cats.  I immediately purchased tickets.

My suitcase was packed a full week and a half before the conference.  Can you tell I was excited?  I made sure to pack all of my cat-themed shirts (including my Lil Bub tee), my cat BOBS by Skechers shoes, and every piece of cat jewelry I owned.  I wanted to be prepared.

Donning my cat ears, my husband and I started day one of the meetup.  It was amazing! We attended several presentations given by Dr. Melissa Bain.  I loved learning about simple and affordable ways to catify our house.  We also took in the exhibit hall that featured local rescue groups, vendors, and more. 

My cat ears are on and I'm ready to go!

Priscilla told us all about The Paw Project movement.

Look at this gorgeous Sphinx cat!  He was so soft! 

Did someone say shopping?  From cat toys and tees to exclusive Lil Bub merchandise, there was definitely something for every cat lover.  You can never have too much cat stuff, right?

My absolute favorite part of the conference was the meet and greets.  I got nervous and started fanning out before each session.  My husband laughed at me.  Clearly, he doesn't understand how awesome these cats are!  Being able to pet and pose with Internet royalty was such a thrill.

Chuck the Duck is too adorable...and sleepy!

Sinbad wasn't too sure if he should leave his carrier.

I couldn't believe that Eddie Meowster jumped onto my shoulders!

Selfie time with Mike and Lil Bub!

The adoption lounge was my weakness.  There were so many adorable adoptable cats and kittens!  If only I could have hidden a kitty in my purse.  I hope that they all found loving homes.

This adoptable kitty was fast asleep.

Loving this definition of what it means to adopt an animal.

Another highlight was the Cat Video Festival hosted by none other than Instagram stars Cole and Marmalade.  The collection of adorable and hilarious videos made me laugh and cry.  The ending featured the true adoption journey of one nearly-dead kitten.  There wasn't a dry eye in the room!

On day two, Matt and I decided to partake of the Pampurr Parlor.  We both got cat tats!  While I'm not brave enough to get a real tattoo, I was proud to show off my black cat cutie. 

Me and Matt rocking the cat tats!

We ended the conference by attending The Story of Lil Bub presented by Lil Bub and her Dude, Mike Bridavsky.  Matt and I are long-time fans of Lil Bub.  We first met her at the Yeti Art Gallery in Aurora, Illinois.  Then we met up with her again at Animal Planet's Woofstock.

I have to say, this was a very intimate event.  Mike was very open and honest about his life and what led him to adopt Lil Bub.  I feel like this is the most powerful Lil Bub event we have ever attended.  The accompanying slide show contained previously unreleased footage of Lil Bub doing adorable (and hilarious) things...like attacking a plush of herself!

Mike also hosted a question and answer session after the presentation.  Except, he didn't talk at all.  Questions were to be directed to Lil Bub as it was her show.  While Mike pretended to be on the phone, he would type the answers to the questions onto his laptop that not only appeared on the screen for everyone to read, but made real Lil Bub sounds with every tap of the keys!  Matt and I couldn't stop laughing!

As a special treat, Mike gave Lil Bub her favorite food:  yogurt.  Attendees were allowed to snap pics as Lil Bub happily snarfed up the delicious delicacy.  Could there be anything more precious than yogurt dripping off of Lil Bub's nose?

Lil Bub, you have something on your nose!

Lil Bub enjoys the yogurty goodness.

Matt and I enjoyed every moment of Meow Meetup.  We will definitely be back next year.  To learn more about the event, please visit their official website at:  https://www.thecatniptimes.com/meow-meetup-chicago-2018/

Cat Writers' Association Conference 2018

Ding!  My iPhone announced the arrival of a new e-mail.  Unlocking the phone, I read "CONGRATULATIONS!" in the subject line.  My heart pounded as I read the message.  "You have won a ticket to the Cat Writers' Association annual conference."

A million thoughts began to swirl around in my mind.  I actually won?  I'm going to Houston, Texas?  How much vacation time does my husband have left?  What type of clothes should I pack?

With just a week before the conference, my house bustled with activity.  From booking the hotel, to packing, to going over the eight page care guide for our fur babies with my parents, there was so much to do.  Being an active member of the Dog Writers Association of America, I could hardly wait to see what the CWA had in store.

We made the 12 hour drive from Illinois to Texas in record time.  The hotel had its own restaurant and we decided to give it a try.  While we waited for our food, a friendly female hotel guest walked over and complimented me on my cat shirt.  I soon found out that she was also attending the CWA.  We immediately began talking about our blogs and cats.  These are definitely my people!

We made it to Houston...with no problems!

The schedule for the conference was packed full of great sessions.

The CWA members were so welcoming.  I felt like I was chatting with friends I had known all my life.  We shared photos of our fur babies and talked about our blogs, books, and passion for all things cat.

The first session was entitled Research:  First, Last, and Always.  The panelist did a wonderful job explaining why research is crucial to all types of writing.  They even offered some special tips and tricks along with wonderful resources to help make research a breeze.

Panel experts Amy Shojai, Patricia Fry, Arden Moore, and Lea-Ann Germinder.

Cozy mystery author Mollie Hunt took to the stage for her session entitled:  Changing the World Through Fiction:  7 (plus 1) Techniques to Effectively Promote Your Point of View.  She delved deep into the world of fiction writing while stressing the importance of maintaining values as an author.  I loved how passionately she spoke about introducing one's cause into his/her writing.

Author Mollie Hunt spoke about adding values in fiction.

The CWA Conference keynote was delivered by none other than America's Veterinarian, Dr. Marty Becker.  His presentation focused on the Fear Free brand that he created to help pets (and their humans) take the stress out of going to see the vet.  Dr. Becker offered up great strategies for attendees wishing to build their own brand.

America's Veterinarian, Dr. Marty Becker!

Marketing guru Lynn Thompson shared her knowledge of branding in Brand Yourself!  Presenting a Unified Image Online.  Following a quick break, author/blogger Amy Shojai took to the stage for her presentation:  The Hybrid Author:  Publishing Print, Ebooks, & Audio.  Amy gave great advice as well as links to websites and services that she uses to publish her books.

Amy Shojai breaks down the world of publishing.

The final presentation on Friday was one of my favorites.  Photographer Rick Reichenbach shared his secrets to taking awesome cat photos in:  Cat Photography Made Simple.  I was blown away at how simple taking photos of my cats can really be.  Reichenbach did a fabulous job of keeping the photographer jargon to a minimum.

As a special treat, CWA attendees were invited to El Gato Cat Cafe.  Having been to Mauhaus Cat Cafe in St. Louis, Missouri, I was eager to attend.

El Gato Cat Cafe in Houston, Texas.

This cafe is amazing!  The staff was beyond friendly and the cats were simply adorable.  I love the layout and design of the cat rooms.  They are definitely catified.  Jackson Galaxy would be proud.

Check out these adorable photos of the gatos!

This dedication wall is amazing!

I fell in love with this gorgeous muted calico.

Toothless dominates the cat bridge.

Saturday's sessions were equally amazing.  Editor Janiss Garza gave an amazing presentation about adventure cats.  She even had her gorgeous cat, Summer, with her.  Summer even performed tricks to the smitten crowd.

Summer dazzled the crowd with her tricks.

The final session was presented by Lea-Ann Germinder, President and Founder of Germinder + Associates.  She gave a very informative presentation about storytelling methods that work for brands both on and offline.  

CWA attendees were also allowed to attend the CFA Cat Show taking place on the main floor of the hotel.  This was my very first cat show and I absolutely loved it!  All of the owners were more than happy to gush about their cats.

Meet Aharon!  Can you believe that this showstopper was left outside by his previous owners?

This pretty kitty has only one coat of fur!

A judge inspects a kitty contestant.

I had a fabulous time at my first CWA conference and cat show.  I'm in the process of completing my CWA application and hope that I will be able to join this group of amazing cat writers soon.  To learn more about the organization, please visit:  http://catwriters.com/wp_meow/

Thank you, CWA!