programming

Nov. 1-2 • 11 AM - 5 PM

marcatplace

Featuring all kinds of merch available for purchase, businesses with the latest and greatest products for your cat, and nonprofit organizations that care for cats in need sharing their work and how people can support their mission. See the full vendor list.

workshops

Hands-on sessions with cat experts and advocates will help you better understand and connect with cats and learn about supporting cats in need. Topics range from enhancing play, to feline first aid, to clicker training, and more! Full workshops schedule & details here.

cat adoptions

The VCF is thrilled to partner with Critters 4 U Rescue, a nonprofit animal rescue organization, to offer cat adoptions at the festival! People interested in adopting a cat are encouraged to review the adoption requirements in advance.

meet & greets

Meow! Stop by to say hi and take some photos with entertainers, like Moshow pictured here, in the MarCATplace throughout the day. In addition to entertainers, there will be some PAW-some cats available to meet & greet for those that want to give some pets!

Costume purrade

Cat-themed costumes are encouraged! Each day will end with a costume PURR-ade to give participants a chance to shine. Please keep in mind this event is family friendly and costumes must comply with the following guidelines: no revealing or suggestive attire and no weapons of any kind (including toys).

activities & games

Part of our mission is to cultivate community among our cat-lovin’ attendees. The MarCATplace will feature an activity and game area where people can hang out and enjoy the coloring station, cat-themed board and card games, and more!

jellicle Ball

Saturday, 8:00 - 10:00 PM • Additional Ticket Required

Come one, come all! The Jellicle Ball features music, dancing, drinks for purchase, and special entertainment. It’s another chance to socialize with fellow cat lovers and don your most CAT-tastic apparel. A Jellicle Ball ticket is only valid in combination with a VCF Badge.

catvideofest

Saturday, 8:00 - 9:30 PM • Entry included with any VCF Badge
Venue: Williamsburg Regional Library Theater

CatVideoFest is a joyous, family friendly reel of the latest and greatest internet cat videos! This event is held in a different venue, noted above, and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

SPECIAL GUESTS

Experts and entertainers joining us to celebrate all things cats!

Arden Moore happily wears many collars in the pet world. She is a best-selling pet author, an in-demand Fear Free certified speaker and host of the Oh Behave show, the longest-running pet podcast. Known as America’s Pet Health and Safety Coach, Arden teaches thousands all over the world in her veterinarian-approved Pet First Aid 4U program as a master certified pet first aid/CPR instructor. Joining her once again at the Virginia Cat Festival is the confident, charming Pet Safety Cat Casey. This orange tabby is a proud shelter alum and a certified therapy cat who travels all over America with Arden. Learn more at www.ardenmoore.com and www.petfirstaid4u.com.

Charmaine Freemonk rescued kittens first when she was about four, with her mom of course, and has nearly always had a kitty companion. She has been training cats since joining the touring group, The Amazing Acro-Cats aka Rock Cats Rescue. Clicker training and other forms of positive reinforcement training are fascinating, useful and fun and she quickly became hooked on using the simple practices to teach complex behaviors to her cats. She has worked on multiple commercial and short projects sets with Amazing Animals and enjoyed a run working with the canines on the set of the feature film Think Like a Dog. Charmaine is also a musician and circus artist! Find her on her on social media for more: @catladycabaret.

Drennon Davis has made a name for himself as one of the most innovative minds in today’s comedy scene with bits ranging from bizarre impressions and absurd sketches, to provocative songs, puppets and animation. A favorite at music and comedy festivals all over the world, his shows receive rave reviews, including best comedy duo (with Karen Kilgariff).

He’s had the pleasure of performing his outlandish songs on Conan multiple times and has appeared on various Comedy Central and NBC shows, including Adam Devine’s House Party & Bring the Funny. His viral series about his talking business cats has attracted millions of fans over all platforms. Find him on social media for more: @drennondavis.

Kate Benjamin has been writing about cats and design since 2007. She is the founder of Hauspanther, a lifestyle brand for design-conscious cat lovers. She designs and manufactures handmade cat toys, beds and other cat products at her studio in Phoenix AZ. You may have seen her guest appearances on Jackson Galaxy’s show My Cat From Hell where she helped Catify homes to satisfy both cats and their guardians. Kate and Jackson co-authored two New York Times bestsellers, Catification and Catify to Satisfy, the ultimate guides to designing a cat-friendly home. Kate’s passion and mission are to use design to make the world a better place for cats and the people who love them.

Moshow was born and raised in inner Baltimore, MD. He defied the odds to build a name for himself as the Internet’s premiere Cat Rapper. He now calls Portland, OR his home with his 5 spirited cats - Black $avage, Strawberry Lemonade , Lil Parmesan, Fried Onions, and Crab Cakes.

Moshow is on a mission to inspire the world, sharing with others the lessons he has learned. He reminds us to never give up on ourselves, and to follow our dreams, no matter where they take us! Find him on social media for more: @iAmMoshow.

Laura Cassiday is a certified cat behavior consultant living in Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career with Maryland SPCA, where she served as the cat behavior coordinator, implementing enrichment programs and initiatives to improve the welfare of shelter cats. In 2021, Laura founded Pawsitive Vibes Cat Behavior and Training, focusing on addressing behavior issues in private homes to prevent cats from entering shelters. Through remote and local sessions, she resolves aggression, destructive behavior, and litter box concerns while empowering caregivers with a deeper understanding of their feline companions. Laura is also actively involved in advocacy efforts, such as supporting the Maryland Anti-Declaw Bill, is a published author of The Complete Guide to Adopting a Cat, and serves as Feline Division Chair of the Pet Professional Guild.

workshops

Hands-on sessions with cat experts and advocates!

Each workshop will be offered once during the festival. Click on the + next to a workshop title for the full details.

Saturday, Time TBA
Presenter: Charmaine Freemonk
A starter guide to clicker training with cats! Step-by-step directions to get clicking quickly. We will be talking treats–the different ways to reward with food, mark training and uses, high-fives and hoops, and the most important question: what does your cat want?
We will delve into clicker vs voice and how to use each one effectively, why diet is important to mind with treats, how to respect your cat’s boundaries, and all of the scenarios (and then some) where the training could be useful.
Live demo with one or more of the resident meows, and if we are really lucky, Big Eye Tuna will play her piano!
Saturday, Time TBA
Presenter: Kate Benjamin
Learn about the basics of Catification to help you create a cat-friendly home that doesn’t scream crazy cat lady.
Saturday, Time TBA
Presenter: Arden Moore
In this workshop, Arden Moore dishes out lots of practical “foods for thought” on issues surrounding mealtime for cats. This Fear Free certified speaker and former Catster magazine nutrition columnist will identify what is happening mentally and physically to cats based on our food choices and kitchen routines.
Arden will reveal three factors that determine a cat’s willingness to eat and explain how stress can spark hunger strikes and trigger some medical diseases. She will share tricks to get your cat to drink enough to stay hydrated and to accept pills more easily. Joining her to provide the feline perspective is Pet Safety Cat Casey.
Sunday, Time TBA
Presenter: Laura Cassiday
This workshop will cover easy, budget-friendly play enrichment ideas you can start the moment you get home to get (and keep) your cat playing. Topics will include:
- How to use food puzzles, including how to make your own from trash/recycling/household objects,
- Troubleshooting cats who don't want to play, cats who can't get enough play, modifying play for senior cats, etc, and
- How to use play & enrichment to help modify behavior problems like keeping you up at night or aggression between cats.
Sunday, Time TBA
Presenter: Arden Moore
Time for you to step up and be your cat’s BFF – that’s best feline friend. In a cat medical emergency, minutes matter. So does your emotional state as you approach an injured cat. Here to help you manage kitty uh-ohs will be Arden Moore, founder of Pet First Aid 4U, and Pet Safety Cat Casey. Together they will teach you practical cat first aid in a fun, easy-to-learn way. Discover what to do if your cat is choking or bleeding. Learn the quickest way to wrangle an injured cat to avoid being scratched. Find out health clues in the litter box and a surprisingly effective way to give pills and liquids – and much more! Got cat? Join Arden and Casey me-NOW!
Sunday, Time TBA
Presenter: Kate Benjamin
Inspiration, tips and tricks for designing the ultimate outdoor enclosure for your cat.