Please join me in congratulating our 2024 CWA Communications Contest Certificate of Excellence winners! We received many outstanding entries this year. Our judges went above and beyond to ensure the Contest was successful. Thank you to all entrants and our judges for your hard work!
Join us for the virtual Awards Ceremony on October 26, 2024, to find out the Muse Medallion winner from each category and the Special Award winners. The Ceremony is free: you don’t need a ticket to the Conference to watch (more details to follow)!
A.1 WRITTEN ARTICLE: HEALTH – LONG
Dorn, Andrea – Feline Mast Cell Tumors – What Owners Need to Know
Eldredge, Debra – The Dangers of Calicivirus
Eldredge, Debra – Respiratory Illness in Cats Can Be Serious
Jennings, Elizabeth – Feline Lymphoma
Kerr, Nancy – The Ins and Outs of Digestion
Kerr, Nancy – Toxoplasmosis in Cats
Pelegrino, Michelle – Minerva’s Story
A.1 WRITTEN ARTICLE: HEALTH – SHORT
Bahner, Sally E. – Urinary Tract Disease and Your Cat
Basedow, Kate – Yes, Cats Can Eat Carbs
Eldredge, Debra – Feline Stomach Cancer
Eldredge, Debra – The Availability of Compounded Medications
Fatcheric, Eileen – Where Did That Floss Go?
Fatcheric, Eileen – Itchy Ears: More Than Mites
Fatcheric, Eileen – Cleft Palate in Kittens
Garza, Janiss – Feline Injection Site Sarcoma – What You Need to Know About This Dreaded and Deadly Cancer
Garza, Janiss – What’s That Freckle In My Cat’s Eye? What You Need to Know About Iris Melanosis
Moore, Arden – Comforting Solutions for Waning Appetites
Moore, Arden – All About Kitten Nutrition
Pelegrino, Michelle – Don’t Skimp on Senior Lab Tests
Shojai, Amy – 6 Cat Exercises to Keep Kitty Fit and Strong for Life
Thornton, Kim Campbell – Feline Diabetes
A.2 WRITTEN ARTICLE: GENERAL CARE – LONG
Coleman, Liz – Cat Litter Types: What To Know and How To Pick
Koester, Sierra M. – Ways Cats Can Enjoy the Outdoors Safely
Marton, Maggie – How to Care for Your Senior Cat
Zinck, Iris – Groomed to Purr-fection
A.2 WRITTEN ARTICLE: GENERAL CARE – SHORT
Bahner, Sally E. – Outdoor Safety for Cats
Benjamin, Kate – Easy-to-Make Litter Mats
Benjamin, Kate – Create Good Litter-box Habits
Blue, Janet Buickerood – The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky – Part CLXXXII – National Pet Day
Blue, Janet Buickerood – The Adventure of Periwinkle & Stinky Part CLXXXI – National Pet First Aid Awareness Month May 3 2023
Fatcheric, Eileen – Fecal Incontinence in Cats
Kazmarski, Bernadette – Safety With Cats in Art and Craft
Nitsche, Vanessa – Should I let my cat outside?
Reeder, Jen – Easy Fixes for Happier Cats
Reeder, Jen – Do cats enjoy taking walks on leashes? Here’s what you need to know
Thornton, Kim Campbell – The Scoop on Litter Boxes
Thornton, Kim Campbell – Feline Physics
Toney, Sandra – Create a Fear Free Environment by “Catifying” Your Home
Toney, Sandra – Help Cats Battle Carsickness
A.3 WRITTEN ARTICLE: BEHAVIOR/TRAINING – LONG
Coughlan, Laurie – Socializing Kittens
Drury, Lucy – The Amazing Kit Kat
Stares, Claire Louise – I tried ‘nosework’ with my cats and it’s transformed our bond
A.3 WRITTEN ARTICLE: BEHAVIOR/TRAINING – SHORT
Bahner, Sally E. – Why Cats Need Play
Koester, Sierra M. – Nine Ways Cats Show Love to Their People
Reeder, Jen – Help, My Cat Is an Anarchist! What Should I Do? Our Pet Columnist Answers
Reeder, Jen – Help! My Husband Thinks I Love the Cats More Than Him!
Schwager, Mary – Tame Anxiety
Shojai, Amy – Top 3 Amazing Things You Need to Know About Cat Behavior
Shojai, Amy – Cat In Heat Behavior; What to Know About Feline Estrus
Thornton, Kim Campbell – Modern Meow
Wyatt, Susan – Why Do Cats Like to Play Under the Door?
A.4 WRITTEN ARTICLE: FELINE-HUMAN BOND STORIES – LONG
Camp, Deborah – Buddy: An Opinionated Cat
A.4 WRITTEN ARTICLE: FELINE-HUMAN BOND STORIES – SHORT
Ayn, Judith – Two-Cats-To-The-Rescue
Bab, Katelynd – A Celebration Of Life
Ganahl, Jane – You know you really love a cat when…
Smith, Robert J. – Reflections on My Life with Gatsby
A.5 WRITTEN ARTICLE: VETERINARY MEDICINE & RESEARCH – LONG
Drury, Lucy – Inherited Feline Blood Clotting Disorders
Shojai, Amy – FIP Cyprus Outbreak: The Experts Share Insights (and) Part 2: Cyprus Cats Update, New FIP Strain Identified
Zinck, Iris & Emilie Woltering – Why Puff Isn’t Pregnant
A.5 WRITTEN ARTICLE: VETERINARY MEDICINE & RESEARCH – SHORT
Keiger, Teresa – Managing Senior Cats’ Pain
A.6 WRITTEN ARTICLE: ENTERTAINMENT – LONG
Anderson, Karen G. – The Long Tale of Mr. Tippy
A.6 WRITTEN ARTICLE: ENTERTAINMENT – SHORT
Barnes, Deborah – ProCATstinating – Not Getting Things Done and Feline Good About It
Blue, Janet Buickerood – The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky – Part CCX- Date Night
Blue, Janet Buickerood – The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky – Part CLXXVIII – Pi Day
Camp, Deborah – Cat Scams: Are You a Victim?
De Louise, Debbie – What My Cats Really Want for Christmas
Quigley, Mindy – Anaphylaxis is My Middle Name
Smith, Robert J. – Top Five Christmas Cozy Cat Detectives
A.7 WRITTEN ARTICLE: RESCUE & ADVOCACY – LONG
Drury, Lucy – How Many Cats Are Too Many?
Reeder, Jen – Fostering Kittens
A.7 WRITTEN ARTICLE: RESCUE & ADVOCACY – SHORT
Barnes, Deborah – Differently Abled Kittens Form a Fast Friendship
Holton, Louise – Finally, Some Good News for Feral Cats in Australia
Kazmarski, Bernadette – Can Trapping Cats Be Fear Free? Find Out Here
Moore, Arden – Easy Ways to Save Shelter Cats
Reeder, Jen – ‘Wobbly cat’ Elvis is king of fostering kittens at Kentucky shelter
Reeder, Jen – To Feed, or Not to Feed (Stray Cats)? Our Pet Columnist Answers
Reeder, Jen – New study offers promising results for both shelter cats and older adults
A.8 WRITTEN ARTICLE: PRODUCT REVIEW – LONG
Coleman, Liz – The 6 Best Flushable Cat Litters for Easy Waste Disposal
Shojai, Amy – Karma-Kat & Trinity-Kitten Review the Uahpet Glow Wireless Cat Water Fountain
A.8 WRITTEN ARTICLE: PRODUCT REVIEW – SHORT
Aurit, Anita – Oliver Has A Spa Day
A.9 WRITTEN ARTICLE: GENERAL/OTHER – LONG
Barnes, Deborah – Some Facts on Ginger Fur for Ginger Cat Appreciation Day!
Dawson, Marjorie – Find Your Unique Voice in Cat Photography
Koester, Sierra M. – National Kitten Day: 13 Facts About Kittens You May Not Know
Losos, Jonathan – Cats first finagled their way into human hearts and homes thousands of years ago – here’s how
Wyatt, Susan – How Cats Can Help With Depression, Stress, Anxiety and Mental Health
Zinck, Iris – The Right Way to Say Goodbye
A.9 WRITTEN ARTICLE: GENERAL/OTHER – SHORT
Barnes, Deborah – Best Buddies for Life
Crabtree, Heidi M – The Art of the Lounge Cat – An Interview with Shag
Crabtree, Heidi M – Color the Season Lucky
De Louise, Debbie – How and Why to Add Cats to Your Fiction Writing
Garza, Janiss – Six ESSENTIAL CAT-CENTRIC NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR YOU!
Koester, Sierra M. – Cool Facts About Tuxedo Cats
Lapierre, Melissa – The Best Cats for Allergy Sufferers
Moore, Arden – Not All Cats Are Aloof – Some Make Purrfect Therapy Animals
Schwager, Mary – Your Cat’s Hidden History
Toney, Sandra – Fear Free Feline Photo Shoots
Wardlaw, Lee – 8 Things I Learned from My Cats about Writing Haiku
B. POETRY
Banks, T. J. – Emrys
Kerestman, Katherine – The Dance of Cats
Losak, Amy – I HAVE A CAT
Wardlaw, Lee – Morning Yoga
Wardlaw, Lee – Catku #1 (senryu)
Wardlaw, Lee – Catku #2 (senryu)
C.1 SHORT-FORM FICTION
Hardie, Linda Kay – Grenade Blows Up
Larrinaga, Caryn – The Candlewick Caper
C.2 SHORT-FORM NONFICTION
Aurit, Anita – Miss P. And The Turkey
Banks, T. J. – The Lavender Cat
Banks, T. J. – Recess with Juliet
D. AUDIO/BROADCAST
LeBaron, Stacy – Starting at Grassroots and Sharing Our Spay/Neuter Skills with Becky L. Morrow, DVM, MS, CAWA, Assistant Teaching Professor, Penn State University; Adjunct Faculty, UF College of Veterinary Medicine; President and Medical Director, Frankie’s Friends Cat Rescue; Medical Director, Vetenari (Molecular Diagnostics)
Moore, Arden – Hard Hat Cats Of New York City
Moore, Arden – Power of Cat Play
E. PERIODICAL/NATIONAL CIRCULATION PUBLICATIONS
Foley, Cynthia & Deb M. Eldredge – Cornell CatWatch
Holton, Louise – 2023 Special Report Cats in Crisis
Holton, Louise – 2023 Winter Newsletter
Holton, Louise – 2022 Annual Report
Keiger, Teresa – Cat Talk
F.1 BOOK: FICTION – MYSTERY
No Certificates of Excellence
F.2 BOOK: FICTION – OTHER
Schorow, Stephanie – Cat Dreaming: A Story of Friendships and Second Chances
F.3 BOOK: NONFICTION – GENERAL CARE
Chin, Lili – Kitty Language: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding Your Cat
Lowrey, Sassafras – Claw This Journal: An Activity Book for Cats and Their Humans
F.4 BOOK: NONFICTION – OTHER
Losos, Jonathan – The Cat’s Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa
F.5 BOOK: FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS – ILLUSTRATION-FOCUSED
Katagiri, Ann – Den Chan: The Cat Who Crossed the Ocean
Webster, Nichole – Fluffy the Hairless Cat and the Toy Trouble
F.6 BOOK: FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS – WRITTEN WORD-FOCUSED
Donnachaidh, Angelino & Fiorella Ikeue – Tamiu: A Cat’s Tale
G.1 VIDEO OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION: EDUCATIONAL/INFORMATIVE – PRODUCED – LONG
Moore, Arden – Cat Decor Tips from Kate Benjamin
Moore, Arden – Understanding Community Cats with Stacy LeBaron
Moore, Arden – Learning About Itty-Bitty Kitten Care
G.1 VIDEO OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION: EDUCATIONAL/INFORMATIVE – PRODUCED – SHORT
Hall, Emily – 7 Ways to Prevent Cat Harness Escapes
Hall, Emily – All About Cat Collars – A Complete Guide
G.1 VIDEO OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION: LIVE
No Certificates of Excellence
G.2 VIDEO OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION: ENTERTAINMENT – PRODUCED – LONG
No Certificates of Excellence
G.2 VIDEO OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION: ENTERTAINMENT – PRODUCED – SHORT
McGlinn, KJ – Sounds to Calm Your Cat
McGlinn, KJ – The Amazing Story of the Cats of Malta
G.2 VIDEO OR TELEVISION PRODUCTION: LIVE
No Certificates of Excellence
H.1 BLOG/WEBSITE: EDUCATIONAL/INFORMATIVE
Dawson, Marjorie – DashKitten.com
Young, Mewla – MewlaYoung.com website
H.2 BLOG/WEBSITE: ENTERTAINMENT
Blue, Janet Buickerood – The Cat on My Head Blog
I. COLUMN/SERIES
Bennett, Jacqui – Life With Patrick
Jackson, Candilee – What You Don’t Know About…
Mlynar, Phillip – Cat’s Entertainment
Moore, Arden – Chew on This Column
O’Finlan, Eileen – The Cat’s Corner
J.1 SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT(S): EDUCATIONAL/INFORMATIVE
LeBaron, Stacy – Community Cats Podcast Instagram & Facebook pages
J.2 SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT(S): ENTERTAINMENT
Garza, Janiss – Instagram – @summerstravels
Holton, Louise – Alley Cat Rescue Facebook Page
K.1 PHOTOGRAPHY (SINGLE IMAGE)
Bab, Katelynd – A Moment Of Mako
Dawson, Marjorie – A Senior Cat Reflects
Lapierre, Melissa – The Magnificent Miss Mudpie
Marek, Ramona – A Study of Blue on Blue
Marek, Ramona – Bebe Home
Marek, Ramona – Stealthy Tunnel Cat
Marek, Ramona – What Are You Eating?! I Want Some!
Melnyk, Sharon – MontyZooma’s Hiss
Nitsche, Vanessa – Garden cat
K.2 PHOTOGRAPHY (SERIES)
Dawson, Marjorie – Miranda Victrix – A Survivor’s Story
Garza, Janiss – Late Afternoon Fall Portraits
K.3 PHOTOGRAPHIC ART
Barnes, Deborah – A Sliver of Sunshine is a Cat’s Happy Slice of Life
Keiger, Teresa – October Cat Talk Cover
Keiger, Teresa – December Cat Talk Cover
Keiger, Teresa – 6’x8′ Tabletop Display: Welcome to This CFA Cat Show
K.4 CARTOON
Nolan, Stephanie Piro – Litterbox
K.5 ILLUSTRATION (SINGLE)
Nolan, Stephanie Piro – National Cat Day
Shaw, Cassandra – When Your Cat Daddy is a Starwars Fan (watercolour (8”x10”))
K.6 ILLUSTRATIONS (SERIES)
Kazmarski, Bernadette – Klepto Cat Covers 62-67
Kazmarski, Bernadette – Calico Cat Mysteries Covers 12-17
Nolan, Stephanie Piro – Drawings from Catober 2023
K.7 GRAPHIC DESIGN
Hunter-Frederick, Allison & Andy Frederick – Litter Box Infographic
Hunter-Frederick, Allison & Andy Frederick – Scratching Post Infographic
Hunter-Frederick, Allison & Andy Frederick – Carrier Training Infographic
Keiger, Teresa – CFA Top 10 Breeds 2022
L. FINE AND COMMISSIONED ART
Garland, Beverly – Chloe – 12″ x 16″ colored pencil portrait
Garland, Beverly – Six Cats – 18″ x 24″ colored pencil portrait
Kazmarski, Bernadette – Peach Begonias Watercolor
Kazmarski, Bernadette – Witness Purrtection Program, Pastel
Kazmarski, Bernadette – Nikka’s Jupiter Ball, Pastel
Shaw, Cassandra – Zeebee in Repose (oil painting on board (11”x14”))