What to know
- CatVideoFest packs roughly 200 funny, cute and unusual cat clips into a big-screen compilation at Toronto’s Fox Theatre.
- Four screenings are scheduled for Aug. 7, 8, 9 and 13, with tickets starting at $11.50 for children.
- Ten per cent of ticket proceeds will go to Toronto Cat Rescue, which says it rescues more than 2,500 cats each year.
- Festival director Will Braden says CatVideoFest has raised more than $1 million for animal organizations over the past decade.
If you can’t get enough of adorable meow meows on the internet, Toronto’s CatVideoFest is your purr-fect excuse to gather with fellow cat lovers and celebrate all things cat, one funny video at a time.
What is CatVideoFest?
Most of us watch cat videos alone on our phones — sometimes when we’re supposed to be working. CatVideoFest wants Torontonians to do it together on the big screen instead, while helping real cats in need.
Festival director Will Braden says he watches around 20,000 cat videos every year to select roughly 200 clips for the annual compilation.
“It’s about 75 minutes, and I pack about 200 separate clips in there. It’s every single thing you can imagine for cat videos. There’s like the classic sort of silly ones, animations, music videos, little mini documentaries, news segments, like pretty much, if there’s a cat in it, I will consider putting it in there,” Braden told Now Toronto.
CatVideoFest is a movie-like experience featuring the latest and funniest cat videos, while raising money for cats in need through partnerships with local charities and cat shelters.
How did this idea come to life?
Braden shared that, to his knowledge, the first version of this festival was the Internet Cat Video Festival in 2012 in Minneapolis at the Walker Art Centre.
“13,000 people showed up. It was huge, and a video that I made won the Golden Kitty Award that year,” he said.
So in 2016, Braden took over and has been running it from Seattle, U.S.A., ever since.
“We all watch cat videos. We all do it sort of solo at home, and when we’re supposed to be working, we might as well just bring everybody together, so it’s not just about watching catvities; it’s about watching catvities together,” he said.
Where can I watch CatVideoFest in Toronto?
The event is placing its paws at Toronto’s Fox Theatre for a 70-minute presentation of cat videos, and Braden says to bring anything and everything cat-themed.
“Wear your funny cat sweater. Wear your cat ears. Paint your face… You are amongst cat friends, so do whatever you like, and everyone will enjoy themselves,” Braden said.
While the cat videos may not all be Toronto felines, if you arrive early, you will catch a cat pre-roll of Toronto cat photos submitted to the CatVideoFest.
Catch one (or all four) cat video representations:
- Aug. 7 at 7 p.m.
- Aug. 8 at 4 p.m.
- Aug. 9 at 1 p.m.
- Aug. 13 at 7 p.m.
Tickets cost $11.50 for children and $ 17.50 for non-members. 10 per cent of ticket proceeds will be donated to Toronto Cat Rescue.
Braden chose to collaborate with local shelters, such as Toronto Cat Rescue, to directly help cats in the community.
“It’s important for us to provide the cat videos, but trust that the shelter knows what’s best for the community,” he said. “We’ve raised over a million dollars in the last 10 years, and it’s a really great feeling to know that all you have to do is watch cat videos, have some fun, and know you’re doing good at the same time.”
“The Toronto Cat Rescue is a no-kill animal rescue charity that saves over 2,500 cats every year,” Dave Goslyn, fund development manager of Toronto Cat Rescue (TCR), tells Now Toronto.
TCR rescues cats from situations of harm, abuse, neglect, and abandonment and finds them “forever homes.”
Cats likely to face euthanasia in overcrowded and underresourced shelters are also saved.
The volunteer-powered organization also follows a foster-based model, so cats’ health doesn’t deteriorate in shelters.
How do these proceeds help the Toronto Cat Rescue?
All proceeds will help cats’ medical care.
Goslyn explained that, despite a cat’s adoption fee, it doesn’t cover the cost of veterinary care associated with rescuing every cat.
Currently, the shelter is experiencing kitten season and is in need of fosters and adopters.
“Our rescues are full to the brim because of kittens needing somewhere to go. It has an impact with people hoarding and breeding,” Goslyn shared.
So, events like CatVideoFest help beyond raising money by inspiring others to volunteer, foster and “adopt, don’t shop.”
Whether you’re alone or there with other cat lovers, CatVideoFest is there for all your feline needs.
