"Cat Lady" and blogger, Kate Benjamin, and one of her 11 kitties. Photo by John Burcham for The New York Times
Or at least these 11 cats have cool stuff! This article in today's Home Section of The New York Times, features Kate Benjamin, a super-successful blogger with a focus on sleek design...for the cat or cats in your life. And the felines in her life get some pretty cool stuff because she tests tons of these hip cat products and reviews them on her blog, now revamped into an "online magazine for design-conscious cat people," called Hauspanther.
Ms. Benjamin, who has both marketing and design experience, is now creating her own, really cool cat products that are for sale on her site. She's "positioning herself as a cat lady for a new generation...she has upended the old stereotype of the frumpy, middle-aged woman surrounded by cats," says The Times. She's even frequently collaborates with Jackson Galaxy: She's been a guest on his Animal Planet Show, "My Cat From Hell", and is currently working with him on a book about "catification".
But her popularity is not without some controversy. When she features a $400 cat bed, for instance, many comments tend to criticize spending that amount of money on a "designer" lounger, when we know how pleased a kitty can be with a free cardboard box. As one reader said: "Do you know how many shelter cats that would feed?"
We say that the person who can afford a $400 cat bed can also donate that same amount to a cat shelter! Why not have well-designed cat toys and furniture around for your beloved felines? And not all good looking products are prohibitively expensive. For Ms. Benjamin, what it comes down to is good design. "I would like to see every cat in a happy, loving, forever home, and I want to keep them there through design." Bravo to you, Ms. Benjamin!
Or at least these 11 cats have cool stuff! This article in today's Home Section of The New York Times, features Kate Benjamin, a super-successful blogger with a focus on sleek design...for the cat or cats in your life. And the felines in her life get some pretty cool stuff because she tests tons of these hip cat products and reviews them on her blog, now revamped into an "online magazine for design-conscious cat people," called Hauspanther.
Ms. Benjamin, who has both marketing and design experience, is now creating her own, really cool cat products that are for sale on her site. She's "positioning herself as a cat lady for a new generation...she has upended the old stereotype of the frumpy, middle-aged woman surrounded by cats," says The Times. She's even frequently collaborates with Jackson Galaxy: She's been a guest on his Animal Planet Show, "My Cat From Hell", and is currently working with him on a book about "catification".
But her popularity is not without some controversy. When she features a $400 cat bed, for instance, many comments tend to criticize spending that amount of money on a "designer" lounger, when we know how pleased a kitty can be with a free cardboard box. As one reader said: "Do you know how many shelter cats that would feed?"
We say that the person who can afford a $400 cat bed can also donate that same amount to a cat shelter! Why not have well-designed cat toys and furniture around for your beloved felines? And not all good looking products are prohibitively expensive. For Ms. Benjamin, what it comes down to is good design. "I would like to see every cat in a happy, loving, forever home, and I want to keep them there through design." Bravo to you, Ms. Benjamin!
