2022 CatCon: Everything You Need To Know, Highlights, & Haul
If you’re the type of cat parent who ain’t afraid to represent (i.e. has more than one cat t-shirt in your wardrobe), or better yet loves all things cat (cat tote, cat kitchen towels, cat mug …), Life will likely lead you to CatCon.
What is CatCon, you ask? Or, if you are a CatCon veteran of yesteryear, how is the 2022 CatCon? Allow me to give you an insider view.
CatCon, short for Cat Convention, is an annual event sponsored by Royal Canin that brings together brands that make products for cats and their people. The event also features workshops plus meet-&-greets with cat world influencers like Hannah Shaw (aka Kitten Lady), Sterling Davis (aka The Trap King), Nathan the Cat Lady, etc.
This year’s CatCon is a two day affair (Oct 1-2) in Pasadena, California.
What to know before you go
Logistics:
Tickets - You can purchase one or two day passes online or in person at the door. For vast majority of people, I would say 1 day is enough. There’s a lot to see, but we were able to visit every booth (and chat with the makers/vendors, some even multiple times), in less than 3 hours. If you want to get in line for all the meet-&-greets and listen to all the talks/workshops, you could certainly make a full day out of it. I always like to pre-purchase my tickets online ($43.56 including tax for 1 day) just to have the reassurance, but there were plenty of staff at the registration desks and next to no lines, so buying tickets at the door shouldn’t be an issue.
Parking - Parking at the Pasadena Convention Center is surprisingly easy. There is a decent sized lot directly below the convention center ($15), and if that is full, there are several other lots within a few blocks. There is also street parking to be paid via an app, but many of these had a time limit.
What to wear - People totally dress up!!! And not just don on cat ears. People went all out. In fact, the people watching is one of the best parts of CatCon.
Covid safety - Less than 10% of people wore masks, and it definitely gets crowded. The walkways between the booths are not wide to begin with, and if you are in one of the lecture booths, people will be VERY close to you. No hand sanitizer is provided, so go with your own PPE per your comfort level.
Accessibility accommodations - Given the narrow lanes between the booths and high traffic, as well as number of steps from the parking area, those in wheelchairs or otherwise differently abled may have a hard time navigating CatCon. Perhaps reach out to the coordinators to see if there are/can be any accommodations? This is an area of suggested improvement I have for next year’s organizers.
Bio needs - There is one water station and one and restroom area, both outside of the exhibit halls (close to the registration desks). You get a wristband at the registration desk that give you in-and-out privileges. There are no food vendors onsite, but Pasadena offers so many delicious eats nearby (we went to Popping Yolk Cafe for a super hearty brunch beforehand. Paper Rice also looked delicious)
Cats - There are indeed cats! However, as we cat people know, huge noisy crowds of unknown people in an unfamiliar territory is … not most cat’s jam. So, the two locations where cats were blessing us with their presence was separated with dividers and had a line to get in. These two areas were (1) adoptable cats and (2) meet-&-greet famous cats. I also saw a few people bring their cat via a travel backpack. Not sure this was particularly enjoyable for the cats …
On the workshops & lectures:
The talks and workshops took place in the exhibit hall within designated booths (as opposed to in conference rooms adjacent to the exhibit hall), which is convenient. However, this also meant that with the clamor of all surrounding booths and the background music that was being played in the exhibit hall, it was hard to hear the presenters, so I very quickly gave up. The line-up of speakers was fun, though!
On the exhibitors:
The vast majority of stuff was geared towards cat people, not to/for cats, which is the opposite of what I expected. And about 80% of this stuff for humans were cat illustrations on post cards, t-shirts, and other knickknacks (e.g. jigsaw puzzles, keychains, coasters etc.). In terms of cat parent gear, there were only caps that called out Cat Dads, nothing for Cat Moms. Humph! We goin’ change that! :D
The stuff for cats was mostly litter (made from everything from tofu to stardust :) and food/treats (not sure if the food was developed with/by feline nutrition specialists, but as you can see, Junipurr ADORES the Nacho treats. In fact, I dare say this may be her #jackpottreat. The puddle of drool she left in my hand after eating this was … oceanic.
To my slight disappointment, there were not many cat toy (I saw two: “The best cat whip” and Whimsily Ever After’s catnip toys) or cat furniture (I saw three: Cait Vesper cat trees, Smile Paws cardboard scratchers, and the imminently launching brand Wild Cat, which has colorful mid-century style scratchers and bed) booths
Some exhibitors, esp. the bigger brands, offered a CatCon only discount, usually in the 10-20% off range. Many required you buy that day and/or share your contact info, follow the brand on social media etc.
Best Exhibitors:
Now for the fun part … the Junipurr Studio Awards of Best Exhibitors! (Note: This unofficial award is purely for fun and reflective of my own humble opinion. I am not affiliated with CatCon or any of these brands.)
Most Unexpected Products for Cats: Yoga mat for cats. I’m pretty sure the appeal of my yoga mat to Junipurr is my “bizarre” motions and the delicious power she feels being where she knows she shouldn’t be. Nonetheless, such is a cute idea :D
Best apparel with a message: HomoCat/www.homocats.com/ #ProgressiveAF
Most memorable illustrated character: Panty Cat. ‘Nuff said
Highest quality cat furniture: Cat Essentials’ cat beds, which are admittedly not my preferred aesthetic (and the price is a bit steep at ca. $350), but the mattress is so comfy. It’s like Tempur-Pedic for cats. Not that I know what Tempur-Pedic for humans feels like :D
Prettiest cat scratchers: WildCat’s tone-on-tone Mendocino scratchers have an on-point Mid-Century Modern vibe
Cutest litter box design: Michu, one of several tofu litter companies, had a new litter box in which the handle has a designated attachment spot. What’s cute about this is it looks a little like a tail when attached
Sweetest love-for-all-animal product: “I Brake For Critters” bumper sticker by HeidiRoo
Illustrators: So. Many. Fabulous. Postcards/Posters! My fav was Goyangii, whose illustrations had a gentle forlorn-ness + sense of humor about adulting, all while being super cute
Junipurr’s Favorite: Chef Bobby Flay’s Nacho brand treats! Who knew?! Up until now, Junipurr has been very Spartan about treat — “Treats? Don’t like them. Just give me more food as treats.” — But she is presently ripping apart our kitchen cabinets looking for more of Chef Bobby Flay’s Nacho brand cat treats.
Haul:
What I bought! Since a picture is worth a thousand words …
Voilà, there you have it - the Junipurr Studio guide to CatCon 2022! Got any questions? Let me know in the comments below!
