CatCon 2015: First convention for kitty lovers held in Los Angeles

Cats rule the internet but on 6-7 June cat fans from across the world met in Los Angeles for the first time ever to celebrate their furry friends at CatConLA. The cat-themed fan convention with over 100 vendors offered cat enthusiasts everything from robotic cats and toys to extra-strong cat nip. A series of talks were held including Photographing Cats – It Looks Easy, But It's Not and You Can Be A Cat Guy And Still Be Cool.

Fans could also meet Simon's Cat animator and writer Simon Tofield and cat celebrity Lil Bub with her owner Mike Bridavsky.

More than 10,000 cat lovers attended CatCon over two days and organiser Susan Michals said she was very happy with the outcome, especially because Best Friends Animal Society, who offered cats for adoption during the event, managed to find 73 kitties a new home.

Michals got the idea for CatCon when she put together a cat-based art show in LA in 2014: "I was introduced to a lot of groovy people there [cat fans of course] who were really into chic and hip cat fashion, furnishings and art. I realised there was an opportunity to take the attention to detail and craftsmanship of the artists and apply that to other products, like furniture and clothing and design."

She said CatCon raised a substantial donation for FixNation, a charity providing free spaying for homeless, stray and feral cats.

The most memorable event at the convention for her was children being able to meet Lil Bub. "Bub is a beacon of goodness, and her dude [Mike Bridavsky] is one as well. They are champions for the underdog – or in this instance, the undercat."

Michals added that there are plans to expand the concept to other cities and CatConLA 2016 was already in the works. According to her, many of this year's vendors and speakers have already agreed to participate again.