Cat Created Videos Reveal Felines Climb the Social Ladder

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 10, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Friskies let the cat out of the bag—cats are social. Contrary to popular belief, cats can now be called a man's best friend, a social butterfly, and just as busy as a bee.

Before now, cats couldn't show us just how much they enjoy helping in the kitchen, playing chase and hanging with their friends.  With the help of Friskies® brand cat food, 25 cats affectionately deemed "repurrters," were equipped with small video cameras attached to their collars to help them communicate.  After a week of filming, cats like Charlene Butterbean and Worthington P. Whiskers provided glimpses through their whiskers of yellow sparkly balls and cats' paws tip-toeing closer to their housemates.

It's about time to debunk the myth that cats are antisocial – the resulting video footage found that 78 percent of the repurrters' time was spent socializing, playing and adventuring around the home.

Purina animal behaviorist Dr. Jill Villarreal analyzed the repurrters' videos.

"As an animal behaviorist I recognize cats are active, so I was especially excited to see how playful and social the repurrters were," said Dr. Villarreal.  "Now the rest of the world knows the truth about cats and their social side."

"Friskies wanted to share the magical world of cats in an entirely new way, so the whole world could see and enjoy their unique perspective," said Daniel Henke-Cilenti, senior brand manager of Friskies.  "Cats are mysterious, and this is a fun way to get a closer look into the adventures they have."

The videos and analysis can be found online in the second edition of The Scratchington Post – a mock newspaper.  Articles of note include:

• Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Kitten:  Ziggy the kitten takes on his feline big brother, Fudge, for the featherweight championship of the living room.
• Neighborhood Watch: Repurrter Leo Hector catches the family dog as the suspect in the case of the missing pool water.
• The Feline Foodie: Even cats like to take pictures of their food.

Repurrter Methodology

Friskies invited 25 cats to participate in the cat video camera project(1) which provided an opportunity for cat owners to better understand the magical world of their cats through feline film.  To ensure full and balanced "repurrting," the participants included indoor cats from various living situations around the United States, including homes and apartments and those who live with other pets versus only with humans.

For around-the-clock coverage, each cat wore a small Eyenimal video camera on its collar, made specifically for pets.  The cameras filmed up to two hours per day, for five days while the owners were home and away.  Edited versions of the videos can be found at www.friskies.com/repurrters/scratchingtonpost

Last year, the repurrters went on their first assignment with digital cameras attached to their collars.  Through still images, the 25 cats answered the age-old question, "What does my cat do when I'm not home?" revealing there's more to life than a cat nap for our feline friends.

About Friskies

Friskies offers a complete line of great-tasting cat foods, including over 60 wet, dry and treat varieties that help cats enjoy multiple sensory experiences.  Friskies is manufactured by Nestle Purina PetCare, a global leader in the pet care industry.  Nestle Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets.  The North American headquarters for Nestle Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Missouri.  Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A. – the world's largest food company.

(1) The cat video camera project was not a traditional qualitative focus group

SOURCE Friskies