#CatWriters Announce Contest Winners As Makin’ Biscuits Takes Top Honors

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New York – May 22, 2017 – Celebrating the love of cats and the content they inspire, the 23rd annual #CatWriters Association Communication Contest winners were announced Friday May 19, 2017 at a banquet held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The 2017 CWA Conference and Awards Banquet were held in conjunction with the 2017 BlogPaws Conference May 18-20, 2017. Chosen from among all MUSE™ Medallion winners in the regular contest categories, the coveted CWA President’s Award was awarded to Deb Barnes for her book entitled Makin’ Biscuits.

arden moore marci kladnik cwa cat writers

Arden Moore, CWA Contest Chair and The Michael Brim Distinguished Service Award winner with Marci Kladnik, CWA President.

“This year’s contest drew more than 240 entries from all over the world and in various media forms,” says Arden Moore, CWA communication contest chair. “The topics addressed covered the full gamut from feline health to feline humor with the unified goal of making this a better planet for cats.”

During the banquet 42 awards were presented to the honored individuals, including MUSE medallions, 20 special awards and more than $14,000 in prize money were presented in writing, photography and graphic arts categories at the special awards ceremony.

“Every year the task of reading all of the MUSE-winning entries falls to the president of CWA in order to choose the best-of-the-best to win the President’s Award. The stellar work submitted by our talented membership always makes this very difficult because every MUSE is well deserved. My sincere congratulations go out to all the winners for it was a very tough competition!” commented Marci Kladnik, current CWA president.

Among the highlights from the awards ceremony:

  • Arden Moore received special recognition for her lifelong impact in the pet industry and was named the recipient of the Michael Brim Distinguished Service Award.
  • This year noted the most competitive categories, with two winners being chosen in three categories – Kim Thornton and Jacqueline Munera for their individual Online Articles – Health and General Care; Phillip Mylnar and Kim Thornton, Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker for individual Online Columns; Lisa Richman and Bernadette Kazmarski for their individual Blogs in the Entertainment Category.

2016 CWA Communication Contest – MUSE© Medallion Winners

I.1 Magazine – National Circulation

MUSE: Cat Talk, editor Teresa Keiger

I.2 Magazine Article – Health and General Care

MUSE: Denise Fleck, Water: A Cat’s Best Friend, Pet Sitter’s World

I.3 Magazine Article –Behavior and Training

MUSE: Susan Logan-McCracken, Kitty Quirks, Catster

I.4 Magazine Article – Rescue/Advocacy

MUSE: Phillip Mlynar, Adventures in Giving Back, Catster

I.5 Magazine Article – Any Other Topic

MUSE: Deborah Barnes, Kitten Introduction, Petcha

cwa cat writers 2017I.6 Magazine Column

MUSE: JaneA Kelley, Keep It Clean, Catster

II.4 Newspaper Article – Any Other Topic

MUSE: Jen Reeder, Back in Black, Durango Telegraph

II.5 Newspaper Column

MUSE: Amy Shojai, PETiQuette, Herald Democrat

III.2 Newsletter – National Circulation

MUSE: Alley Cat Mews, editor Louise Holton

III. 4 Newsletter Article – Health and General Care

MUSE: Kim Thornton, Fewer Heartworm Cases, More Severe Signs, CatWatch

III.5 Newsletter Article – Behavior and Training

MUSE: Kim Thornton, They Climb Curtains, Scratch the Sofa, CatWatch

III.8 Newsletter Column

MUSE: Lyn Garson, Technically Speaking, Our Companion News

IV.2 Poem

MUSE: Susan Willett, Haiku by Cat: Attraction, Life with Dogs and Cats

IV.3 Humor

MUSE: Jeremy Greenberg, Sorry I Slept on Your Face, Andrews McMeel

IV.4 Brochure, Pamphlet or Short Publication

MUSE: Matt Carl, Saving Cats’ Lives Through Trap-Neuter-Return, Alley Cat Mews

IV.5 Annual or Long Publication

MUSE: Dusty Rainbolt, The Healthy Cat 2017 Calendar, Amber Lotus Publishing

IV.6 Opinion Piece, Essay or Editorial

MUSE: Deborah Barnes, Break Out of Your Blogging Niche to Make Strides in Cat  Welfare, BlogPaws.com

IV.7 PR/Humane Education/Press Kits

MUSE: Bernadette Kazmarski, Making Life Better for Every Day of the Year, Beauty of a Moment Publishing

V.1 Books – Fiction

MUSE: Carole Nelson Douglas, Cat In An Alphabet Endgame, Wish List Publishing

V.3 Books – Health and General Care

MUSE: Ramona Marek, Cats for the Genius, Charity Channel, LLC

V.4 Books – Behavior and Training

MUSE: Dusty Rainbolt, Cat Scene Investigator, Stupid Gravity Press

V.5 Books – Gift

MUSE: Tamar Arslanian, Shop Cats of New York, Harper Design

V.7  Books – Other

MUSE: Deborah Barnes, Makin’ Biscuits, ZZP Publishing, LLC

VI.1 Video, CD, DVD or Television Production

MUSE: Susan Willett, Elsa Clair’s Gold-Medal Purr-formance, Life with Dogs and Cats

VI.2 Broadcast – Audio

MUSE: Denise Fleck, Pet Safety Crusader Radio, BBS Radio

VII.2 Online Article – Health and General Care

MUSE: Kim Thornton, Survival Guide to Traveling Cross-Country with Cats, VetStreet.com

AND

Jacqueline Munera, Behavior Consulting and Declawed Cats, IAABC Journal

VII.3 Online Article – Behavior and Training

MUSE: Janiss Garza, A Step-by-Step Guide for Harness and Leash Training for Your Cat, Pet Radio Magazine

VII.4 Online Article – Rescue/Advocacy

MUSE: Susan Willett, A #ClearTheShelters Cat Adoption Story

VII.5 Online Article – Any Other Topic

MUSE: JaneA Kelley, Give Me the Old, Creaky Cats, Catster.com

VII.6 Online Column

MUSE: Phillip Mylnar, Social Cat of the Week, Catster.com

AND

Kim Thornton, Dr. Marty Becker, Mikkel Becker. Pet Connections, Universal Uclick

VIII.1 Blog – Health and General Care

MUSE: Mollie Hunt, Life Stages, Mollie Hunt Blog

VIII.2 Blog – Behavior and Training

MUSE: Amy Shojai, The Paw Print Blog, PetSafe.net

VIII.4 Blog – Entertainment

MUSE: Lisa Richman, A Tonk’s Tail

AND

Bernadette Kazmarski, The Creative Cat

VIII.5 Blog – Any Other Topic

MUSE: JaneA Kelley, Paws and Effect

IX.3 Color Photograph – Single

MUSE: Janiss Garza, Vancouver Portrait, FitCat Publishing

IX.5 Photographic Art

MUSE: Teresa Keiger, Cat Talk October Cover

IX.6 Cartoon

MUSE: Stephanie Piro, Great Outdoors

IX.7 Illustration – Single

MUSE: Stephanie Piro, Makin’ Biscuits Book Cover

IX.8 Illustrations – Series

MUSE: Stephanie Piro, Cat Scene Investigator

2016 CWA Communication Contest – Special Award Winners

The AAFP Cat Friendly Award
Sponsor: American Association of Feline Practitioners
Winner: Amy Shojai, My Cat Hates My Vet! Furry Muse Publisher

cwa fear free cat writers

Left to Right: Dr. Liz Bales presents Amy Shojai with the Fear Free Pets Award “Peeping Toms” Custom Made Mirror with the help of CWA President Marci Kladnik.

The Barn Cats, Inc. Save-a-Feral Cat Award (new)
Sponsor: Barn Cats, Inc
Winner: Stacey Ritz, How to Help Feral Cats and Why You Should, Advocates 4 Animals

The CATalyst Council Connection Award
Sponsor: The CATalyst Council
Winner: Susan Willett, A #ClearTheShelters Cat Adoption Story, Life With Dogs and Cats

The Dr. Jim Richards Cornell Feline Health Center Veterinary Issues Award
Sponsor: Cornell University’s Feline Health Center
Winner: Dusty Rainbolt, Cat Scene Investigator, Stupid Gravity Press

The Fear Free Pets Award (new)
Sponsor: Fear Free, LLC
Winner: Amy Shojai, My Cat Hates My Vet! Furry Muse Publisher

The Fear Free Cat Enrichment Award (new)
Sponsor: Fear Free, LLC
Winner: Dusty Rainbolt, Cat Scene Investigator

The GoodNewsForPets.com Human-Animal Bond Award
Sponsor: Goodnewsforpets.com
Winner: Deborah Barnes, Makin’ Biscuits, ZZP Publishing

The Hartz Every Day Chewable Vitamin Award
Sponsor: The Hartz Mountain Corporation
Winner: Amy Shojai, Eight Common Aging Cat Conditions and What To Do, Herald-Democrat

The Hartz Glamour-Puss Award
Sponsor: The Hartz Mountain Corporation
Winner: Dusty Rainbolt, Cat Scene Investigator

The Hartz Milk Replacement for Kittens Award
Sponsor: The Hartz Mountain Corporation
Winner: Deborah Camp, It Happened at Big Lots, Best Times

The Kari Winters Rescue and Rehabilitation Award
Sponsor: TICA, The International Cat Association
Winner: Susan Willett, A #ClearTheShelters Cat Adoption Story, Life With Dogs and Cats

The Lorie Huston Health Award
Sponsor: PetSafe
Winner: Lisa Richman, Is Fish in Cat Food Bad for Cats? Catster

The Sleepypod Traveler Award
Sponsor: Sleepypod
Winner: Kim Thornton, Survival Guide to Traveling Cross-Country with Cats, VetStreet.com

The SmartCat All Natural Litter Training Award
Sponsor: Pioneer Press
Winner: Dusty Rainbolt, The Healthy Cat 2017 Calendar

The World’s Best Cat Litter-Ary Award
Sponsor: World’s Best Cat Litter
Winner: Carole Nelson Douglas, Cat in An Alphabet Endgame

The Shojai Mentor Award
Sponsor: Amy Shojai
Winner: Paul Glassner

The Michael Brim Distinguished Service Award
Sponsor: Cat Writers Association
Winner: Arden Moore

The Kuykendall Image Award
Sponsor: Cat Writers Association
Winner: Stephanie Piro, illustrator for Cat Scene Investigator

The CWA President’s Award
Sponsor: Cat Writers Association
Winner: Deborah Barnes for Makin’ Biscuits

Petsafe® Scholarship – Sponsored by Petsafe®, this is an award of $500.00 for the winner to attend next year’s CWA Conference. The drawing was held during the just-concluded 2017 Conference.

WINNER: Rick Reichenback

   1st runner up: Dusty Rainbolt

   2nd runner up: Kathleen Mueller

   3rd runner up: Helen Fitzsimons

   4th runner up: Susan Willett

About the Cat Writers’ Association

The Cat Writers’ Association, Inc. (CWA) is an international journalism organization founded in 1992 to promote the interests of cats; to provide a medium for exchange of ideas, methods and professional courtesies; and to promote a high standard of ethics in the collection, creation, and dissemination of cat information. CWA is a dynamic professional group of passionate cat advocates composed of writers, bloggers, photographers, artists, and broadcasters. The Association promotes mentorship for new writers, provides writing/publishing educational opportunities, and seeks to improve the quality of cat information by recognizing and rewarding outstanding published work. See www.catwriters.com for further information. Follow CWA on Twitter at @CatWriters and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CatWriters.

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