Gordy was able to sqweeze me into his hectik napping skedule for an interview. He jenerussly provided some behind-the-seens looks at what goze into a winning World’s Coolest Cat Contest entry:

SKEEZIX: What was the inspiration for your winning costume and photo for the 2007 World’s Coolest Cat Contest?

GORDY: Most kitties on Catster know that I wanted to be a PIRATE for Halloween for the 2 years that I have been alive. Pirates are cool, right? Well, I have a lunatic for a mom and she thought it might be “CUTE” *hack* if I was a MUMMY instead and got her mind set on getting me all wrapped up in this mess of an outfit. My 2nd birthday was at the end of July and my AMAZING Catster friends got together and bought me a race car bed as one of my birthday presents! A lightbulb went off above my mommy’s head and she got daddy to custom build a pair of wooden crutches for me. Mommy went to find her “prop glass” (she’s in the movies) and a winning idea was born. So, in a roundabout way, it was my Catster friends who sent me my race car bed that inspired my winning picture! Without that bed, I would have been the stay-puft marshmallow mummy or something.

SKEEZIX: How many photos did your mom take to get the winning shot?
GORDY: Honestly, mommy got VERY lucky with that picture. It took her all of 3 minutes and perhaps 8 snaps of the camera.

SKEEZIX: Yer mom’s a reel pro, Gordy! I think the Food Lady took a hundred fotos of me to git just one usable shot. Tell me, when you submitted yer entry last year, did you have a gut feeling that your photo was a winner?
GORDY: ABSOLUTELY NOT. I thought I had a pretty good shot at the finals, but no way did I think I was a shoo-in to win a category, much less the whole shebang!

SKEEZIX: For the 2006 contest, your “Sleeping Baby” photo was one of the finalists in the Sleeper category. How much time did you spend honing yer napping skills for that shot?
GORDY: The “Sleeping Baby” pose was perfected by hours upon hours of practice sleeping in comfy blankets, mommy’s arms and soft cushy down pillows. Anything and everything that I could close my eyes on, I would. I am now proud to say I have achieved the rank of 14th degree black-out in the art of NapZZZ.

SKEEZIX: I kinda hate to bring this up, but at one point during the 2006 contest, Rocky accused you of illegal use of the Photoshop kyoot filter in that amazing Sleeper shot. How do you respond to such akyoozations?

GORDY: My photo was UNTOUCHED. Rumors that my photo was enhanced have since been rescinded and proven false. ANY kitty who DOES intend to use the Photoshop cute filter to enhance their photos in the WCCS-2008 should keep in mind that you cannot achieve such results with that tool no matter what it promises you. Your photo is always going to be cuter than what any illegal filter can do for it. Keep your photos real, kitties!

SKEEZIX: Of all the prizes, which was your favorite?
GORDY: Oh so hard to say. Catster Plus membership, Zealies, Photo book, $$$ to the shelter, FREE LITTER!, toys, free food, kitty beds – who can choose?

SKEEZIX: How did winning the contest change your life?
GORDY: Well, I travel everywhere now in my own private Gulfstream G5. Mind you, I only drive it on the highway — I’m not allowed to actually take off in it (I can’t reach the pedals AND see out the cockpit window) but still, it’s a status thing, and it’s all about the ladies. If I actually DID get to fly the thing, I’d get to physically meet all the cats I’ve met through Catster from ALL OVER THE WORLD since winning. Seriously! I have friends in Africa and the Middle East and Asia and Australia and Europe and South America and it’s amazing! How else could a little baby kitty who was living on the streets and days from death rise to such fame? Catster! That’s how!

SKEEZIX: What advice do you have for this year’s contestants?
GORDY: 1) Trust your moms or dads with their ideas and have fun with it. Don’t let them push you though. Let them know your limit BEFORE breaking out the claws. 2) GOOD, NATURAL LIGHTING is MORE IMPORTANT than the flash!!!!! You’ll get shadows with the flash! 3) Get down on the floor with your kitty to take the picture or be on the same level as your kitty for the best shots.

SKEEZIX: That’s grate advice, Gordo. Anything else you’d like to share?
GORDY: Some kitties who have expressed their concern that I may have been mistreated for my photo ( I received a lot of mail about that). My whole “Stunt Kitty Outfit” was NOT worn and I was NOT standing on my back legs for the picture. It’s all “smoke and mirrors,” kitties!

I am sitting down on my butt with my FRONT legs in the LEGS of the outfit. The “arms” of the costume are in fact just sticking out and have two hairballs of fluff in the openings where my “paws” would be. The neck is loosley fastened with Velcro on my collar to keep it up in front of my body. The crutches are in fact just leaning up on my chest. The wrapping on my head is just sitting on my head. The broken glass is fake- it’s silicone. I honestly sat there without bother for about 2 minutes while my mommy and daddy fussed with the camera. I got up once to inspect my beloved race car to find out why it was upside down, but then I sat again for the last 40 seconds or so until mommy took the winning shot. The whole thing took no more than 3 minutes. I was not forced to pose on my hind legs propped up with sticks under my front legs. I didn’t have wires holding me up. If I COULD walk on my hind legs, you’d better believe I’d be flying that G5!

Mommy and I believe that if the fine people who were voting and more importantly JUDGING the WCCS thought for one moment that any animal was in distress for even a second, the photo would have been pulled and the entry disqualified. We’re all just having a little fun!

SKEEZIX: Well, thank yoo so much Gordy for this in-depth behind-the-seens interview! The 2008 Werld’s Coolest Cat Contest is offishully open, so good luk to evrywun! In the coming weeks the Cat’s Meow staff will provide a lot of tips and triks and interviews with past WCCC winners, so stay tuned!

See related Cat's Meow entries:

• Meet Piper Serendipity, the World’s Coolest Cat
• Interview with Joey, the World’s Coolest Outdoor Cat
• Interview with Solace, World’s Coolest BAD Boy!
• Interview with Pixel May, World’s Coolest Daredevil
• Interview with Curly, World’s Coolest Crazy Tail Winner