BW0429 FEB 10,1998 20:27 PACIFIC 23:27 EASTERN
( EW)(WHISKAS-VITALIFE-AWARDS) Cat Award Nominees Named On Same Day
as Academy Award Nominees; Stefanie Powers Announces Top Felines
Vying For WHISKAS Vitalife Awards
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Lifestyle Editors
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LOS ANGELES--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Feb.10, 1998--Following a
six-month search for the nation's top felines, the nominees for the
first annual WHISKAS Vitalife Awards were announced Tuesday in Beverly
Hills, Calif., by actress and cat lover Stefanie Powers.
The nominees were selected from thousands of entries that poured
in from devoted cat owners around the country in response to a WHISKAS
nationwide "cat call."
After reviewing scores of photographs and moving letters
describing beautiful, unique and heroic cats, a panel of top pet
writers and cat fanciers cast their votes for their nominees in the
following categories of Most Heroic, Glamour Puss, Most Agile,
Healthiest/Fittest, and Oldest. Additionally, three celebrity felines
were nominated for Most Popular TV or Film Cat.
"As a long-time cat owner and animal lover, it is truly an honor
to be a part of the WHISKAS Vitalife Awards," said Powers. "The public
has been calling for a cats-only award show to honor America's most
popular pet for years. I'm glad that the people at WHISKAS are
sensitive to public sentiment and have created this great event."
All proceeds will benefit the Society for Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals of Los Angeles (SPCA/LA).
The nominees for Most Heroic are:
BUFFY, a 4-year-old Tabby from Lewisville, Texas -- This quick
thinking kitty averted a potential fire by putting out a lit cigarette
that was dropped by her owner when he suffered a stroke. Owner: Les
and Pam Britton
LANIE, a 2-1/2-year-old Tabby from Branford, Conn. -- Found
abandoned in the snow with her kittens, Lanie continued to nurse other
sets of abandoned kittens even after her own were adopted. Owner:
William Ryan
PALANCE CIAGA, an 11-year-old Seal Point Siamese from New York --
An inspiring survivor of a shooting, beating, and months of nightmares
-- and still a sweet, loving creature to all he meets. Owner: William
Neville
The nominees for Glamour Puss are:
ZHUZHU MEOW, a 14-month-old Scottish Fold from San Jose, Calif. --
A pretty kitty whose huge, innocent eyes charm everyone she meets, and
whose beauty spot is just like Cindy Crawford's! Owner: Wei Huang
GUIDO, a 3-1/2-year old domestic short hair from Paw Paw, Ill. --
Extremely handsome and perhaps a touch vain, Guido demands that his
sleek coat be brushed upwards of 50 times a day! Owner: Roseann Para
C.C., a 3-year-old Birman from Bethlehem, Pa. -- This frisky
feline with penetrating blue eyes enjoys playing hide-and-seek in the
woods near her home. Owners: Stephen and Maureen Hribick
The nominees for Healthiest/Fittest are:
SUZY CAT, an 8-year old mix from Milwaukee -- A "tom" cat with
lots of vigor, Suzy likes chasing and tackling other cats in her
neighborhood while sporting her Green Bay Packers uniform. Owner: Jane
Tojek
DONKA, a one-year-old Russian Blue from Key Largo, Fla. -- This
fabulously fit feline jumps 5 feet in the air to obtain sprigs of
baby's breath, which he then presents romantically to his owner.
Owner: Angi Botero
SUNNY, a one-year old part Siamese short hair from Anaheim Hills,
Calif. -- Among his many charming feats, this good-natured kitty opens
doors with his paws ... just like a human! Owner: Chris Francisco
The nominees for Most Agile are:
SCARLET, a 3-year old domestic short hair from Dallas -- This
lovable "sky walker" climbs huge trees and balances on the smallest
limbs with the greatest of ease. Owners: Robert and Sheri Kowalski
JANGLES, a 1-1/2-year old Siamese short hair from Los Angeles --
This cat is a real show-stopper. The "Mary Lou Retton" of cats, this
feline's gymnastic gyrations make for pure entertainment. Owner:
Lawrence Garcia
KI, a 3-year old short hair from Santa Fe, N.M. -- Sure and fleet
of foot, Ki scales walls, balances atop fence posts and does flying
leaps to catch grasshoppers in mid-air. Owner: Charlene Shildmyer
The nominees for Oldest/Most Senior are:
LUCY, a 25-year-old Black Manx from Fort Worth, Texas -- Her
owner marvels at this special feline who has been a loyal companion
throughout her 25 years. Owner: Pamela Ellis
GRANDPA, a 33-year-old short hair mixed breed -- This feisty
"phenom" of nature has been ruling the plains of Texas since 1964.
That's more than 231 cat years! Owner: Jake and Judy Perry
LUCKY, a 24-year-old Calico from Farmington, N.H. -- Still spry,
this mature feline just learned how to stand on her hind legs. Unlike
a dog, you can teach an old cat new tricks! Owner: James Patry
The nominees for Most Popular TV or Film Cat are:
SALTY -- Lea Thompson's lovable companion on NBC's "Caroline in
the City."
SALEM -- Melissa Joan Hart's special cat on ABC's "Sabrina the
Teenage Witch."
PANTHER -- The newspaper-fetching feline featured in the opening
of CBS's "Early Edition."
The nominees for the Lifetime Achievement Award are:
Patty Davies -- Animal Rescue & Care Fund Inc., Portland, Ore. --
Despite her diminutive stature and advancing age, Patty will go
to any length to rescue and rehabilitate abused and abandoned
cats -- even climbing ladders and standing up to bullies. In
addition to providing food and shelter and medical care at her
own expense, she also spends long hours finding the right home
for each of her charges.
Jo Charest and Karen Hermans, Sanctuary Hollow Rescue Network,
Norristown, Pa. -- Sanctuary Hollow provides food, shelter,
fostering, population control and veterinary care for abandoned
and abused felines. Through the singular efforts of Jo and Karen,
more than 500 cats and kittens have been placed in loving homes.
Amy Shojai of Sherman, Texas -- Amy founded and nurtured the Cat
Writers Association to promote and reward accurate and
informative writing on cats, a service most appreciated by cat
owners across the country.
The winners in each category will receive a golden "Vita," a
graceful feline statue, plus a year's supply of WHISKAS food for cats.
Additionally, one overall "top cat" will receive an all-expenses-paid
trip for two to the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition in
Leicestershire, England.
The extraordinary felines and their owners will be flown to
Beverly Hills for the WHISKAS Vitalife Awards on Tuesday, March 3,
1998. Presentation of the awards will be made by Powers during a
star-studded event at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Jewels for
the nominated cats will be on loan from Tallarico of Rodeo Drive.
"The Vitalife Awards were created to honor healthy, happy cats
who exemplify WHISKAS vitality," explained Alice Nathanson, WHISKAS
brand spokesperson.
"The awards were open to anyone who owned a cat. We were
astonished by the volume of correspondence sent in by owners from
across the country describing the virtues and accomplishments of their
cats -- the majority of whom eat WHISKAS food for cats. It's
encouraging to see that so many cats are enjoying the benefits of
WHISKAS products."
Diet is the hallmark of good health for cats, and only WHISKAS
contains Vitalife, a proprietary nutritional package of more than 40
vitamins and essential nutrients developed by the experts at Waltham.
WHISKAS helps more felines live long, happy lives than any other food
for cats in the world.
--30--TJJ/la TJM/la
CONTACT: Murphy/O'Brien Communications
Rob Devor, 310/858-5750
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