The Internet Cat Video Festival is Back!

If you're local to Oakland, Calif., (and the Bay Area), grab your furry feline friend and head to the Bay Area's premiere of the Walker Art Center’s Internet Cat Video Festival benefiting the East Bay SPCA on Saturday, May 11 from 3-10 PM PT on West Grand between Telegraph and Broadway. Grab your ticketes here!

Cats and kittens will be on hand for adoption and visitors can learn about fostering felines as well. Additionally, festival-goers will be able to enjoy bands playing cat-themed music, visit pet product vendors, pick up some grub from local food trucks, enjoy the work of local artisans and much more. The night will conclude with a screening of what everyone on the Internet loves - super amazing cat videos - all projected on the Great Wall of Oakland!

Not local? Don't fret! You can still enjoy cats at their finest by watching a few of last year's favorites or by sitting through our adorable You've Got to be Kitten Me! playlist - which, not surprisingly, features kittens at their cutest.

It's Party Time at Animal Planet HQ with Cleo the Cat and Sandy the Dog

 

Prepare yourselves. Get ready to see the most AMAZING cat-dog dance duo of your lives. Thank you, Fab.com for introducing us to this fabulous pair, Cleo the cat and Sandy the dog — these are the coolest speakers you will ever own!

Just plug your iDevice into one of these guys, play your favorite tune (or, the song playing in the video) and watch them get down. Their hips don't lie. Watch:

 

 

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Betty Chu is a Digital Media Executive Producer for AnimalPlanet.com. Follow her on Twitter @beddychew or Facebook for the cutest animal posts EVER.

Take a Break: It's Time for a Cat Nap

It's that time of day again. Where you find yourself reaching for your fourth cup of coffee but the caffeine just isn't doing the job. You're ready to curl up under your desk and take a nap.

Nope, we've never been there. Not at all.

So, because we all know you can't REALLY crawl under your desk for a nap, take 15 minutes to watch these adorable clips of animals getting some much-needed shut-eye. Yeah, you'll be jealous, but they're so cute, chances are you'll be laughing and awwing before you know it - and before you can talk yourself into just five minutes of resting your head on the desk...

Enjoy!

WATCH: It's CATurday!

Cat lovers unite! We're turning Saturday into CATurday for all you feline fans out there. Tune in for your cat-favorites and more! The cat fest begins at 6AM E/P!

Here's the complete line-up (all times E/P):

6AM: Big Cat Diary
7AM-9AM: Must Love Cats
9AM-11AM: Cats 101
11AM-4PM: Too Cute Kittens
4PM-9PM: My Cat From Hell (New episode at 8PM!)
9PM: Too Cute Kittens
10PM: My Cat From Hell: Scratch Tracks (New!)

See what's in store for you on My Cat From Hell:

 

WATCH: Cat Not Good at Following Directions

 

I think we've all realized by now that cats basically do what they want. Especially when you don't want them to do it. That's why this video of Gizmo is so perfect. Uploaded by margery222 on YouTube, you can hear what we're assuming is his owner give him specific instructions NOT to touch the hazelnut. Watch the rest to see what happens!

We also love his choice to just chill in a box. Gotta love cats!

See another sneaky cat in action!

WATCH: Cat Accompanies an Accordion

 

I'm a sucker for anything cat-related. Videos, photos, you name it. This video of cat who just wants to sleep, thank you very much, while someone plays an accordion is adorable and just what I needed on a gloomy Monday. He might be accompanying him or he might be asking him to kindly stop. You never know with cats!

Want more musically-inclined cats? Enjoy this video of cats yodeling from Must Love Cats!

GOOOOOOAL!!! Cat Breaks All-Time Record of Cat Goalie Blocks

 

Move over, Beckham!

Watch this nimble feline make some impressive stops both on the ground and mid-air! As a self-professed dog lover, this video may make me an official cat enthusiast too. May. 

I've been so consumed by the brilliance of dogs (which are still by far superior) all my life, I'm only now learning as an adult how fascinating and skilled kitty cats can be. Check out a couple other super talented cats:

Animal Planet and Internet Cat Video Fest Play at SXSW

 

 

Animal Planet staffers with Jackson Galaxy and representatives from the Walker Art Center at Animal Planet's SXSW happy hour.

 It’s not the internet without cats, right? So you can’t possibly have the largest interactive festival in the country without a few, too. That’s why Animal Planet, in conjunction with the Walker Art Center, originator of the Internet Cat Video Festival, presented “The Cats Live Here” happy hour this week at South by Southwest. 

The goal? To highlight the best of internet cat videos –and bring some cat-loving, cocktail drinking folks together for one [my-cat-from]-hell of a night. Guest appearances by Jackson Galaxy, host of Animal Planet’s “My Cat From Hell,” and musician Emily Bell rounded out an evening filled with some of the most famous cat videos of all time, including the “Henri” series (below), Maru and one of the oldest internet cat video legends, Keyboard Cat.

 Here's what Jackson had to say:

 

Ten Cats Not Afraid to Show You Some Attitude

 

These cats have had it with this week and aren't afraid to let you know it.

Want to share your pet with us? Send in your photos and your pet could be featured on The Wall of Fame!

1) Nina

Very Diva-like. Submitted by Angela H.

2) Pacaya

Pacaya was enjoying her Christmas present, a large cat tree, and was staring down rather menacingly towards the other cats. Submitted by Hannah R.

3) Carla

She's a one-year-old cat. She eats lettuce and cantaloupe and has an extra toe on each foot. Submitted by Darrell T.

4) Roxie

My name is Roxie. I won't meow but I can roar like a big cat! Submitted by Belinda

5) Marsha

Marsha greets me at the door everytime I come home, loves a good game of fetch, and is absolutely amazed by water! Submitted by Betty S.

6) Foggy

Submitted by Nicole D.

7) Delilah

She is a 10 month old kitten who loves to play, but relaxes most of the day. I love this picture because this is the "You're not taking my picture AGAIN, are you?" face.

8) Yoshi

Yoshi is a sweet and adorable feline. He is the most beautiful cat in the world. He likes to hang around with his best buddy, Wendy who is a 5 month old puppy. His lime green eyes makes him one of a kind.

9) Shady

He's as testy as he looks, and twice as spoiled!!! Submitted by Sheila K.

10) Sasha

Sasha is tired of getting her picture taken. Submitted by Kimberly N.

Now check out the tiniest little kitten with attitude: Belle, from this week's episode of Too Cute! (premiering Saturday at 8PM E/P!). She's not afraid to tell Pucci the chihuahua to quit his yapping!

Too Cute Tuesday: Bashful Enjoys Some Donny Hathaway

 

So, do you all remember cute little Bashful from our first wonderful cast of the live kitten cam?

I'm sure you do. She was one of the cutest!

But I'm a little biased because I happened to adopt Bashful (now Etta) and Sleepy (now Otis). Taking them both home was perhaps the best decision I've made because they make life a lot more fun.

For example, here's Etta enjoying a little bit of Donny Hathaway on vinyl. It's good to see that she's got the same soul as her namesake (Etta James).