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CatCon is a socially acceptable way to admit that you love cats and be around other people who also love cats, at least until L.A.'s first cat cafe opens this fall. CatCon L.A. is happening in downtown Los Angeles on June 25 & 26, and it really is an unparalleled spectacle of all things feline. It is like if Stefon from SNL described a cat convention. There will be adoptable cats, celebrity cat guests, human celebrities, merchandise, an escape room, cat fashion and cosplay, the Kat Von D beauty bar, and the option to get a caticure. What the heck is a caticure? Well, it's an express mani that comes complete with cat decals, obviously. About 15,000 people are expected to attend and revel in their Toxoplasmosi together. And lest you think I am poking fun, I am going to go and pet every cat.
Julie Newmar, who played Catwoman in the 1960s Batman is going to be there, signing books and photos. Actress Mariel Hemingway will host a seminar with former Oprah producer and A Letter To My Cat creator Lisa Erspamer, and L.A. treasure Dr. Paul Koudounaris will give a lecture on cats in history. And A-list cat celebrity Lil BUB and her human, Mike Bridavsky, will host a show with various surprise guests. Fellow It Cats Pudge and Nala Cat will also be in attendance.
You will also be able to get a caticature, which is when your own face is merged with that of a cat. So, if you've ever wondered what you'd look like as an Animorph, now's your chance.
Perhaps most exciting to this writer, Animal Planet has put together an escape room from the POV of a cat. Guests will have to assemble giant cat toys and solve clues to get out of a cat's natural habitat: a cardboard box.
Maybe you don't even have a cat, but you'd like one. Well, there will be 100 cats and kittens available for adoptions, all sourced from spcaLA.
Over at The Ace, there will be a cat-themed hotel run by Purina called the Whole Body Health Hotel, full of various cat amenities. You may also consult with some cat health experts, who may perhaps explain to me why my tuxedo cat is super into licking walls lately, despite constant access to food and water. There will also be a screening of cat videos hosted by comic Andy Milonakis at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Food trucks will be outside the venue, and no alcohol will be sold on site.
CatCon is Saturday, June 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Reef, located at 1933 S. Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. Tickets are $25 per day, or $40 for the weekend. You must buy separate tickets for the cat Meet & Greets or the CatVideoFest. A portion of the proceeds will go towards FixNation, Kitten Rescue and Lil BUB's Big Fund at ASPCA.
Related: Photos From The First Ever CatCon, AKA Comic-Con For Cat People
