In recent months, Catster and Catblogger peeps have been stepping out from behind their web personas to meet longtime online friends. This week I’m spotlighting some of those meetups.

The 4th of July was celebrated in Michigan by a group of Midwestern Catster moms who’d had two previous meetups. Catster mom Terry gives the report:

It was the magic of Catster friendships that brought 5 lovely kitty moms (moms to Madison, Lily, Piewackit, Tessie and Ginny) together from across the nation for a wonderful extended 4th of July weekend. And, this was not the first time and surely not the last.

The ladies all enjoyed the company of five kitties at Madison’s house, which was much needed as we all missed our babies while being away. Madison truly is a miracle kitty, for she came very close to losing her eye. Thanks to the love, devotion and determination on her mom’s part, Madison is keeping her eye and is doing nothing but getting better and better. The Power of the Paw and great friendships is truly magical.

This was our third “crazy cat lady” get together, which was further extended when Piewackit & Ginny “dangerous beans” moms went to visit Flowie’s mom in Illinois (photo at right). Yet ANOTHER purrfect visit and wonerful time!

The Catster mom get togethers started last summer in Chicago, when our friends decided on a whim to get together, as we all got along so well on line and our kitties all love each other on Catster! Our second visit was at Lily’s house in Minnesota, with this most recent group event at Madison’s house in Michigan. There is already another Catster parent meeting planned in Canada between Isis’s mom and Ginny “dangerous beans” mom; we’re going international!

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• Kitten Narrowly Escapes Compactor Death at Dump
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In recent months, Catster and Catblogger peeps have been stepping out from behind their web personas to meet longtime online friends. This week I’m spotlighting some of those meetups.

In March, Guido’s mom invited me, Chai, Sugar and Little Bit’s mom and Luci’s mom to a dinner in her San Francisco home, and yowza! what a great time we had. (Funnily enough, I had worked side-by-side with Chai Latte’s mom back in the Pleistocene era and lost touch. Catster reunited us! In fact, she’s my cat Rocky’s “godmother,” and was with me when I adopted Rocky.) Vino and cat stories were flying, and everyone got a chance to socialize with Guido, Yolo and Baci. (In the photo above, from L to R: Chai”s Mom, Skeezix, Guido’s Mom, Guido, and Luci’s Mom.)

Inspired by the success of that meet-up, after reading about 27-pound feline Maitre’d Mr Higgins on The Cat’s Meow, Guido’s mom, Chai, Sugar and Little Bit’s mom and Luci’s mom joined South Bay Catster moms belonging to Galin, Aislen, Alana, Sausage and Meatball at Eddie Rickenbackers in San Francisco to meet Mr Higgins. (In the photo above, L to R: Mr Higgins, Chai’s Mom, Galin’s Mom, Luci’s Mom, Guido’s Mom, and Meatball’s Mom.)

Guido the Itlian Kitty reported on the meetup in his diary:

A whole buncha cat chat! What a fantasticat time weeza all had in San Franfuncisco Saturday when 5, yep that’s Cinque in EyeTailYun or Cinco in EspanYole, uh huh I meanza 5 Catster mommas redezvouzed to meet the famous MR HIGGINS Maitre D cat at Eddie Rickenbackers Restaurant. He’s not just a kitty, heeza a humungous dude weighing 27 whopping pounds. He hangs on da bar Momma said and picking him up for a foto op was like working da biceps furza herza.

Myza furiends mommas are catzowey! Wee’za had a visit from SAUSAGE and MEATBALL’S Pink Monkey Momma – sheeza purrty and hugza likesa she mighta be EyeTailYun! And da purrty momma of my MY 3 SAN JOSE CalEyeFurKneeYah Meowster Pals Galen, Aislen, Alana hugged me too. And and, well derza more, da purrty momma of CHAI LATTE, SUGAR AND LITTLE BIT well, sheeeza a molto bene meowster hugger too. Oh Basta Pasta derza more news and mews cuz my friend LUCI sendsa her exPURRt hugging momma too so can you in yurza 9 lives imagine da cat chat that was going on at Mr Higgins’ ristorante? UndoubtaCATically he purrobably excused himself to go and catnap !

I couldn’t attend that event, but I met up with Guido and Chai’s moms recently to meet Mr Higgins myself. I can confirm that he is one big hunka love mancat, and yes, you should strap on a hernia belt before you pick him up.

We declared Eddie Rickenbackers to be the de facto Catster Mom meetup spot in San Francisco by virtue of its resident cat, proximity to BART, and great beers ‘n’ burgers. (If you go, order the chicken; Mr Higgins visits the table of every diner who orders chicken, and asks only that you toss a few chunks his way.)

See related Cat's Meow entries:

• 28 Catster Cats Bring Their Moms Together in Michigan
• Catsters are Meeting Up Across the Country!
• Mr Higgins Living the Good Life after Katrina
• Do You Live in One of the U.S.’s Top 10 Cat-Friendly Cities?

In recent months, Catster and Catblogger peeps have been stepping out from behind their web personas to meet longtime online friends. This week I’m spotlighting some of those meetups.

Earlier this month, in an event more hotly anticipated than the new Harry Potter movie, the moms of catblogging superstars Jeter Harris and Daisy the Curly Cat met for brunch in Florida with Sarge Charlie and Auntie Bee.

I don’t know how it started, but Sarge Charlie and Auntie Bee are frequent visitors to the cat blogs (perhaps because their lifestyle doesn’t permit cats), and everyone just loves ‘em, including me.

By all reports, it was a raucous good time and Jeter Harris’ mom left flat-cat versions of Jeter behind with Daisy’s mom and Auntie Bee. (L to R in the photo above: Daisy’s mom, Sarge Charlie, Jeter Harris’ mom, and Auntie Bee [seated].)

In June, midwestern Catsters and catbloggers met at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.

(L to R: Moe and Carmella’s Mom; Victor and Nina’s Mom; Pearl, Bert and Jake’s Mom, Rosie & Cheeto’s Mom, Chey and Gemini’s Mom; Sly’s Mom; and Isis, Stinky Pete, Daphne, Chloe, & Spooker’s Dad.

Chey’s mom (who travelled from Washington state for the event) describes the meeting:

“On a sunny day in June, cat bloggers from around the Midwest met at the Lincoln Park Zoo. While road construction on I 90 scared off a few from Wisconsin and matters of new babies kept others away, 9 people showed up to join in the fun at the zoo. The meeting was less a first time meeting than it was old friends catching up after a long absence. Michigan cat bloggers spent the night near Chicago to be part of the meeting. The only draw back was a little confusion on the meeting area. We also realized that it would have been nice to have a sign because not everyone was immediately recognizable!”

Stay tuned this week for more stories of meetups between online cat moms and dads.

Remember to follow best practices for meeting online friends:

• Meet in a public place.
  
• Bring a friend with you.
  
• Be wary of “new best friends” who form immediate Super-Glue bonds with you or ask for money.
  

See related Cat's Meow entries:

• Suncoast SPCA Gives Pet Food to Needy
• Man Blames Heinous Crime on Cat
• Shelter Euthanizes Wrong Cat in Mixup
• 28 Catster Cats Bring Their Moms Together in Michigan
• Catsters are Meeting Up Across the Country!