Meow Meet Up 2019 - The Midwest's Premiere Cat Convention

I love attending cat conventions. There’s just something about being in a large space filled with cat lovers that makes my soul happy. I’ve been lucky to have been able to attend Cat Camp three times, as well as Catsbury Park and I’ve always enjoyed myself immensely (and I always come home with bags of goodies! I’m a sucker for cat-themed merchandise.) 

A group of cat blogging friends, some of my favorite friends in the world, decided we wanted to get together again so we’ve made plans to meet in Chicago to attend Meow Meet Up. When I was contacted by Lauren Meile, founder of The Catnip Times (a blog I absolutely love!) and Meow Meet Up to talk to my readers about the event, I was more than happy to oblige. I had a lovely conversation with her on the phone as we shared our passion for cats, rescue, and blogging. Her enthusiasm for the event was contagious! (Stay tuned till the end, because there’s a special ticket offer for Lola The Rescued Cat readers!) 

What is Meow Meet Up? 

Meow Meet Up, the Midwest’s first and largest cat-themed convention, is an “immersive experiential event” where cat lovers can don their cat ears and cat attire with pride while they mingle with like minded people. It’s jam packed with educational sessions, workshops, fun activities, and shopping galore!  Founded in 2018 by Lauren (who has a background in marketing), their inaugural event drew in 2,300 attendees from 27 states. Right now the number of tickets sold for this year has doubled, with still 23 days left for people to get the tickets! 

When I asked Lauren where she got the idea for Meow Meet Up, she told me that the event actually stems from her blog. “When I started Catnip Times seven years ago, I didn’t think anyone would read it. But then I had 1 million followers! I noticed there were no events in the Midwest, so I took a leap to see if anyone wanted to celebrate cats. I just took off from there.” 

Lauren Miele and pal

Why You Should go to Meow Meet Up

Well, it’s all about cats, so why not?! Lauren told me that through running The Catnip Times, she realized that cat people have a stigma from society. “When someone says they’re a cat person they get kind of a weird look and people don’t understand you. I hate that idea.”  [At Meow Meet Up], she continues, “you’re surrounded by people who share your passion about cats." 

Last year the response from the community was “overwhelmingly positive.” 98% of attendees said they had a great time and would recommend the event to a friend. And this year will be even better. They’ve added some fun and different things, such as painting sessions and more vendors. The cat café will have a French theme this year, and an animal communicator will be in attendance who will be presenting as well as conducting sessions. Lauren enthusiastically told me “we’re focusing on education and having fun!”

Fun Activities: 

There are interactive activities, vendors galore (if you’re flying make sure you have room in your suitcase for goodies), and educational sessions. Here’s what you can expect this year (there is an extra fee applied to events with an asterisk; everything else is included with your general admission).

• Vendor Village - Expo Center
• Kitty Yoga Studio*
• Cat Café*
• Kitty Adoption Lounge with cats and kittens from Almost Home Foundation
• Kitty Bingo*
• Pampurr Pawlor (free temporary cattoos and kitty nail decals)
• New! Paint Your Pet 
• Live Clicker Training Demonstrations
• After Party

This year’s adoption lounge is being run by Almost Home Foundation. This organization depends 100% on events to adopt their cats out because they rely on foster homes to house their cats. Here’s some exciting news – if you adopt a cat this year your general admission ticket will be refunded! 

The after party will be held Saturday Caturday night from 7pm to 9pm at Joe’s Live, across the street from the convention center.  Enjoy cat-themed drinks, heavy appetizers and live music You must have a general admission ticket to purchase a ticket to the after party and you must be at least 21 years old. 

Celebrity Meet and Greets: 

A cat-themed convention wouldn’t be complete with celbri-cats! Some of the famous cats you can meet include Moe Grey The Cat, Eddie Meownster, Sinbad, and the Cat Blogosphere’s one and only Summer. 

Photo Courtesy Sparklecat.com

Presentations and Workshops:

The scheduled presentations and workshops this year sound very interesting, and I’m really looking forward to them. I hope I can fit them all in!

Presentations:

• Feline Leukemia, Danielle Case
• Alternative Therapies for Cats including Acupuncture, Dr. Daphne Thompson, DVM
• How Cats Help Humans, Dr. Anne Beall, author, researcher
• The Healing Power of Pets, Dr. Linda Harper
• Animal Communication Explained, Linda Roberts, Animal Communicator
• Fear Free: Be the Change, Steve Dale, certified animal behavior consultant
• Understanding Pet Loss Grief, Dr. Linda Harper and Dr. Lori Coughlin
• Fat Cats: Enriching Your Cat's Indoor Life, Steve Dale
• Workshops
• Cat School is in Session!, Clicker Training Demonstration, Julie Posluns, Founder, Cat School
• “Helping Community Cats Through TNR,” Sarah Liss
• Cat School is in Session!, Clicker Training Demonstration, Julie Posluns, Founder, Cat School
• “Tails from Chicago’s Urban Cat Underground,” presented by “The Chicago Cat Chicks” – Jenny Schlueter, Liz Houtz, and Erica Roewade
• Cat School is in Session!, Clicker Training Demonstration, Julie Posluns, Founder, Cat Schoo
• “The Animal’s Messages – Insights from an Animal Communicator,” Linda Roberts, Animal Communicator
• Cat School is in Session!, Clicker Training Demonstration, Julie Posluns, Founder, Cat School
•  “Your Purrsonal Purrfume and How It Affects Your Cat’s Health,” Rachel Augusta

The $35 General Admission Weekend Pass includes all presentations, workshops, demonstrations, Pampurr Parlour, Adoption Lounge, Exhibit Hall, and Meet and Greets with Celebri-cats. 

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Win Tickets (And a Discount Code!)

Whether you’re a veteran cat-themed convention goer or a first timer, Meow Meet Up won’t disappoint! Lauren is being very generous to our readers and gave us a special code for two free weekend passes. If you’re interested in getting the free passes, let us know below. (We’re also sharing this on our Facebook page, so first come first served! Don’t delay!) 

But that’s not all! Lola The Rescued Cat readers will receive a $5 discount off adult admissions. Just enter the code LOLACAT at checkout. You can purchase your tickets here.

Let me know if you're going to the event because I'd love to meet you in person!

Have you ever been to a cat-themed convention? Tell me about it in the comments.

Dawn



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