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Karen
Member
09-07-2004
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 8:50 am
LINK Cats to compete in reality TV show in New York NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ten cats in search of owners will spend the next 10 days in a New York store window, their every move caught on camera for a reality TV show on which they will compete for best sleeper and mouse-catcher. The show is the creation of a petfood company and will be shown on cable channel Animal Planet, as well as on the Web site www.MeowMixHouse.com where viewers will be asked to vote off one feline contestant each day. The cats, chosen from shelters around the country, will compete for loudest purr, most prolific sleeper and who can catch the most toy mice. Kitties who get the boot will be adopted into permanent homes. Meow Mix, owned by Del Monte Foods Company, hopes the show will promote cat adoption -- as well as their products, which will be the only thing on the menu. Passerby taking a gander though a specially rented storefront on Madison Avenue in midtown Manhattan can watch the cats lazing about a luxuriously outfitted cat-sized house that includes scaled-down sofas, beds, a fish tank (with fake fish), kitchen and a porch, all put together by an interior designer. "It's a Disney World for cats," said Meow Mix's Ryan Reed, in charge of ensuring the cats are well-cared for and well-behaved. Volunteers from The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are also on hand to attend to the needs of the kitty stars. Enjoying their final day of obscurity on Monday, the cats seemed unfazed by attention from visiting media -- most of the cats were asleep on the set, which will be unveiled to the public on Tuesday. A cat named Sam, from Dallas, Texas, stood guard on the home's welcome mat while Romeo, a Los Angeles native, lazily stretched out his six-toed paws before swatting a toy. In the tradition of reality shows, the company will hire the top cat as "Feline Vice President of Research and Development," responsible for taste testing and product feedback. Biographies of the cats play up their personalities, but in reality, they're all pretty mellow, if not a bit dazed from all the attention. "In real life they're all very sweet," said Meow Mix's Keith Fernbach. "But we try to give them a personality for TV."
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Eeyoreslament
Member
07-20-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:02 am
How are we supposed to see any action, if they've all been fixed? It's like watching BB with a bunch of married people in there! Sex sells!! Just kidding of course. As much as I love kitties, this looks pretty stupid. Although the webcam is a neat idea. I can only see the hind quarters of a single cat though. I think dogs would have made a better show. Cats really can be the most boring animals.
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Eeyoreslament
Member
07-20-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:06 am
It's almost like the BIOS were written by people who DON'T own cats!! I've read more "true to life" writings in our own cat thread here at TVCH! I can't believe that I am suggesting that CATS need better WRITERS. *rolling eyes*
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:13 am
If it helps get a homeless animal a home, I am all for it! Also just cuz a kitty or a dog is fixed, does not mean they do not want or have sex. I have a fixed male cat that "gets together" with our female fixed cat every single day!!!
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Bonzacat
Member
07-08-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:15 am
They have lovely furnishings and accessories.

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Mizinvanccouver
Member
02-22-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:17 am
I wish there was more than one screen to choose from. Like BB, where there are 4 screens to choose from. It does look very 'posh' in that house. lol
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Nancypj
Member
08-17-2001
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:36 am
:::practicing for BB::: Ellis still sleeping Woman wearing crop jeans is seen doing something in room with Ellis, but we can't see what because she is being shot (unflatteringly) from the waist down. Finishes task and leaves room. Ellis still sleeping. Has moved one hind leg in the past 5 minutes.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:38 am
Oh cool. Live feed postings from the Meow Mix House! LOL - Is one of the cats named Will?
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Mizinvanccouver
Member
02-22-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:41 am
LOL...way to go Nancy! I just figured out how to view 4 screens at once! http://www.meowmixhouse.com/episode.asp Then click 'View All Cams'!!
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Mizinvanccouver
Member
02-22-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:41 am
Hey...there are people in the cat house!! How dare they!! LOL
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Mizinvanccouver
Member
02-22-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:43 am
Oh, it's ok...they're giving the kitty's luv!! Lots of pets and seem to be enjoying it. I guess if they're going to be adopted they'll need to have lots of interaction with people and not just the other cats.
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Nancypj
Member
08-17-2001
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:47 am
Oh, EXCELLENT, Miz! All four at once! You can even see all the people outside the windows looking in (And yes, I really should be working on all of my work for the summer so I can watch BB at the office while still "producing" projects )
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Bonzacat
Member
07-08-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:47 am
Quadcam.... LOL

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Nancypj
Member
08-17-2001
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:51 am
The woman in jeans just woke Ellis, who walked away in a huff. She put a ladder right where he was snoozing. Maybe they are just getting things ready for the "official" June 16 launch. Kinda like how we get glimpses of the BB house just before they let the HG in. Only this time, we get to watch the fuzzy HG early 
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Mizinvanccouver
Member
02-22-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:52 am
Sleepy kitty's...lol...they got fresh water and food! :-)
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Bonzacat
Member
07-08-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:56 am
I'm looking for Sam..... I picked him for the win.

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Bonzacat
Member
07-08-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 10:04 am
Oh, so cute.... life is good!

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Nancypj
Member
08-17-2001
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 10:04 am
Wonder if your Sam is on the bed. There is a white kitty with its head just out of range with an orange striped tail lounging on the bed with a tabby. Oh, how tongues will wag... Me, I've taken a shine to Ellis, the big fluffball. He's stalking his spot but that jeans lady keeps messing with it. Seems to have put a fan or something right smack dab in the middle of it. Poor Ellis... Time for lunch. Be back later! 
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Mizinvanccouver
Member
02-22-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 10:07 am
Bonza...good screencap! Like the stretching kitty. Don't know their names yet, but very cute. lol
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Bonzacat
Member
07-08-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 10:12 am
Thanks, Mizin! Nancy - I thought the white cat on the bed was another stuffed animal until it rolled over. LMAO But I do think it could be Sam.
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Eeyoreslament
Member
07-20-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 11:09 am
I love the live feed transcripts. I sort of think that the site wasn't ready for their press release. The link that you found Miz was not there before. I hate that this excites me. I haven't picked a favorite yet. Hard to do in the first week!! Soooo.....will the reward challenges be for CATNIP?
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Bonzacat
Member
07-08-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 11:17 am
I found Sam. I think he's going to be into everything! I him. I hate that this feels as fun as BB live feeds... I had so much to get done in June!

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Nancypj
Member
08-17-2001
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 11:35 am
Aw...my buddy Ellis is playing with a human lady! She's got one of those toys on a stick and a string. That does it. I've gotta finally learn how to do screen caps.
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Nancypj
Member
08-17-2001
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 11:38 am
:::snicker snicker::: Sam is using the green litter box Guess the producers of this show don't subscribe to the same notions of privacy that Arnold and Co. do 
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Eeyoreslament
Member
07-20-2003
| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 12:02 pm
I wish the webcams showed more kitties than humans.
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