The Cat Writers’ Association (CWA) 2026 Communications Contest closed on May 31.
This prestigious annual global contest recognizes excellence in cat-focused content in a wide range of media. The contest celebrates outstanding work that informs, inspires, and strengthens the bond between people and their feline companions. We welcome entries from fiction/non-fiction writers, journalists, bloggers, photographers, artists, broadcasters, veterinary professionals, and other content creators.
The contest is open to everyone, including creators outside the United States. Stay tuned for more information about winners.
CONTEST DATES
The 2026 contest closed at midnight (eastern time) on May 31, 2026.
CONTEST RULES
Before entering, be sure to closely read the 2026 CWA Muse and Special Awards Contest Rules. Entries that do not adhere to the contest rules will be disqualified. Additionally, work written or generated by computer software and/or artificial intelligence (AI) is ineligible for entry in the CWA’s communications contest. Please read the CWA AI Policy for details.
REGULAR (MUSE) CONTEST CATEGORIES
With 46 exciting regular categories, you can enter across fiction and nonfiction writing, journalism, film and video production, photography, art, and more. Outstanding Regular Category submissions earn a Certificate of Excellence, and the highest scoring work in each category receives a highly coveted Muse Medallion. For category details, be sure to view the 2026 CWA Muse Awards Categories and Descriptions.
SPECIAL AWARDS CONTEST CATEGORIES
Alongside our regular categories, we’re proud to present, in collaboration with our sponsors, a range of Special Awards. Special Award winners receive cash prizes. We also encourage you to show appreciation to your colleagues via the CWA service and mentor awards.
To be eligible to submit an entry for the Special Awards, each entry must also be submitted to a regular award category (see Contest Rules). For descriptions about this year’s Special Awards, please refer to the 2026 CWA Special Awards Category Descriptions.
Join us for the 2026 CWA AWARDS CEREMONY
Contest winners will be announced during the CWA Awards Ceremony, which will take place this year at the CWA 32nd Annual Conference, November 6–7 in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas.
Looking for information about past years’ contests? Find past winners and prizes at the 2025 CWA Contest.
