The Cat Writers’ Association Have Announced Their 2015 Communication Contest Winners!

The 22nd annual Cat Writers’ Association Communication Contest drew more than 290 entries from all over the globe with Catherine Holm taking home the “best of the best” CWA President’s Award for her short story entitled Sideways.

More than $11,000 in prize money and more than three dozen Muse medallion awards were presented in writing, photography and graphic arts categories at the special awards ceremony held at the joint CWA/BlogPaws conference at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Chandler, AZ on Friday.

“Each year, we set new records for entry submissions and each year, the quality of submission improves,” said Arden Moore, founder of FourLeggedLife.com, who served at this year’s CWA contest chair. “Some of the most competitive categories were for blog posts – a clear sign of the impact and influence online articles are having on the pet community.”

Teresa Keiger – Cat Talk

Fran Pennock Shaw – An Aggressive Foe

Sophia Yin, DVM – Young Cats, New Tricks

Bethany Wynn – Three Mascoteers

Catherine Hess – The Cat’s Meow

JaneA Kelley – Recessionista

Jan Reeder – Cat Crusader

Ewing, Susan M. – The Pet Pen

Louise Holton – Alley Cat Mews

Sally Deneen – Can Treats Make Them Pack on Pounds?

Ramona Marek – Estate Planning and Your Pets

Lyn Garson – Technically Speaking

Catherine Holm – Sideways

Linda Mohr – Morning Visitor

Allia Zobel Nolan – Women Who Still Love Cats Too Much

Jen Reeder – Let’s Discuss Pets During Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Bernadette Kazmarski – Homeless Cat Management

Carole Nelson Douglas – Cat In A Yellow Spotlight

Lesléa Newman – Ketzel, The Cat Who Composed

Amy Shojai – Cat Facts: The A-to-Z Pet Parent’s Home Care Encyclopedia

Dahlynn and Ken McKowen and Margie Yee Webb – Not Your Mother’s Book on Cats

Lisa Richman – Our Wish

Dusty Rainbolt – Researchers Study Kitten Mortality

Kim Campbell Thornton – Catch It Early

Janiss Garza – 5 Myths About Cat Walking

Marci Kladnik – How One Massive TNR Project Broke My Heart and My Spirit

Camille Dodero – Corporate Cats Still Suck

Phillip Mlynar – Monday Miracle Column

Lisa Richman – A Tonk’s Tail

Melissa Lapierre – Melissa’s Mochas, Mysteries and Meows

Jerry Thornton – Jaguar – Wild Cats of the Americas

Marci Kladnik – How One Massive TNR Project Broke My Heart and My Spirit

Christine Booras – Me, My Ferals And I

Stephanie Piro – Dream

Bernadette Kazmarski – Snowy Morning

Ewa O’Neill – I Want A Cat: My Opinion Essay

AAFP Cat Friendly Award – Sponsored by the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

Winner: Nancy Peterson for “One More Reason to Book Your Cat’s Next Vet Checkup

Adopt a Homeless Cat Award – Sponsored by AdoptAShelter.Com. Winner: Deb Barnes for

“Oct. 16 – National Feral Cat Day: Any Cat Can Be Feral…Even Yours.”

The Dr. Jim Richards Cornell Feline Health Center Veterinary Issues Award – Sponsored

by Cornell University’s Feline Health Center. Winner: Amy Shojai for “Cat Facts: The A-to-Z

Pet Parent’s Home Care Encyclopedia.”

Human-Animal Bond Award – Sponsored by GoodNewsForPets.Com. Winner: Ramona

Marek for “The Strength of the Human-Animal Bond.”

Hartz Every Day Chewable Vitamin Award – Sponsored by Hartz Mountain Corporation.

Winner: Deborah Camp for “Cats Are Subject to Mental Changes.”

Hartz Glamour-Puss Award – Sponsored by Hartz Mountain Corporation. Winner: Debbie

DeLouise for “Brush Your Cat for Bonding, Beauty and Better Health.”

Hartz Milk Replacement for Kittens Award – Sponsored by Hartz Mountain Corporation.

Winner: Valerie Sicignano for “The Cats On My Block.”

The Kari Winters Rescue and Rehabilitation Award – Sponsored by The International Cat

Association (TICA). Winner: Marci Kladnik for “A Blind Kitten Finds a Friend and Eventually,

The Litter-Lifter Litter Box Awareness Award – Sponsored by Preferred Merchandizing.

Winner: Phillip Mlynar for “Why Do Cats Act Weird When It Comes to Litter Boxes?”

The Litter-Lifter Newcomer Responsibility Award – Sponsored by Preferred Merchanizing.

Winner: Leslie Goodwin for “Cat Skills: Loving Care for Cats.”

The Lorie Huston Health Award – Sponsored by PetSafe. Winner: Andrea Dorn for “Don’t

Let Plants Be Pet Killers.”

The Sleepypod Traveler Award – Sponsored by Sleepypod. Winner: Nancy Peterson for “8

Tips to Make Sure Your Cat Is Prepared for a House Fire.”

The SmartCat All Natural Litter Training Award – Sponsored by Pioneer Pets. Winner:

Janiss Garza for “5 Myths About Cat Walking.”

The World’s Best Cat Litter-ary Award – Sponsored by World’s Best Cat Litter. Winner:

Leslea Newman for “Ketzel: The Cat Who Composed.”

The Shojai Mentor Award – Sponsored by Amy Shojai, co-founder of CWA. Winner: Carole

Nelson Douglas.

The Michael Brim Distinguished Service Award – Sponsored by CWA. Winner: Kim

Campbell Thornton.

The CWA President’s Award – Sponsored by CWA and chosen by CWA president Marci

Kladnik. Winner: Catherine Holm for the short story “Sideways.”