{"id":300932,"date":"2026-10-06T16:50:11","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T16:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/300932\/"},"modified":"2026-10-06T16:50:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T16:50:11","slug":"check-meow-t-cat-tours-are-putting-the-often-elusive-pets-in-the-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/300932\/","title":{"rendered":"Check Meow-t: Cat Tours Are Putting the Often Elusive Pets in the Spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Catwalk1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH CAT WALK<\/p>\n

The cats of Lawrenceville are ready for their close-up.<\/p>\n

On Nov. 14, local ailurophiles can go on a walking tour of the neighborhood to say \u201cpspsps\u201d to some of the resident felines.<\/p>\n

I am not kitten around.<\/p>\n

Starting at 11 a.m., people and their pets are invited to gather at Iron City Boulders<\/a>, an indoor climbing gym at 143 51st St., where vendors will be set up to raise funds for the nonprofit rescue organization Conquer the Colony<\/a> the Colony. There\u2019s a suggested donation of $5 to attend.<\/p>\n

The crawl begins at noon, with stops at 17 homes and three businesses (Lawrenceville Pet Supply<\/a>, Ivy<\/a>\u2019<\/a>s Ice Cream\u00a0<\/a> and Kinship)<\/a>, each marked with an orange cat emoji. Participating sites will have their fur babies stationed in windows and on front porches.<\/p>\n

The idea\u2019s a simple one \u2014 gather together to gawk at kitties \u2014 but it generates a lot of joy.<\/p>\n

Ross Greenberg, communications and membership manager for Lawrenceville Together<\/a>, the community group organizing the event, says it was inspired by a similar outing held in Brighton Heights.<\/p>\n

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PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH CAT WALK<\/p>\n

More than 400 people, some accompanied by cats on leashes and in carriers, pounced on the Pittsburgh Cat Walk<\/a> on Aug. 22. They congregated in Legion Memorial Park for mingling, meowing and music before hightailing it through the neighborhood, pausing at 18 homes to experience whiskered whimsy.<\/p>\n

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PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH CAT WALK<\/p>\n

You\u2019d think handling such a large crowd would be like, well, herding cats, but co-organizers Carlin Christy and Heather Costello say the day went purrfectly and raised $8,000 for three animal rescue organizations: Frankie\u2019s Friends<\/a>, The Pittsburgh Paw Project<\/a> and Save Our Strays<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was literally one of the best moments of my life,\u201d Costello says. \u201cOf course, it\u2019s amazing to help animals and the people who help animals \u2014 that was at the heart of the endeavor \u2014 but it was also about bringing people together in real life.\u201d<\/p>\n

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PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH CAT WALK<\/p>\n

Christy and Costello, cat owners who live on the same block in Brighton Heights, wanted to meet more of their neighbors \u2014 and their neighbors\u2019 cats. While dogs are always out and about on walks and in their own designated parks<\/a>, bars<\/a> and ice cream parlors<\/a>, the majority of felines are homebodies.<\/p>\n

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PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH CAT WALK<\/p>\n

The friends modeled their event after the Wedge Live Cat Tour<\/a> in Minneapolis, which was founded in 2017. They asked Carnegie Mellon University student Lilianna Gutierre to create original artwork for their social media pages and the fliers they distributed throughout town.<\/p>\n

Legion Park was filled with food trucks, vendors, raffles, cat-themed crafts and activities, a \u201ccatio\u201d featuring adoptable furballs, books on cat care supplied by Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and large, wearable cat puppets made by artist Cheryl Capezzuti<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH CAT WALK<\/p>\n

There were 35 cats to see along the 2.5-mile route, which was lined with safety officials and volunteers. Each family did something different to showcase their BFFs. Some displayed biographical posters, passed out cat-shaped stickers and cookies and hoisted their tiny companions in the air for all to see. One stop served Meow-garitas to the thirsty lot.<\/p>\n

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PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH CAT WALK<\/p>\n

Judging by the enthusiastic turnout, it seems the cat tour concept has nine lives. Christy and Costello plan to make the Pittsburgh Cat Walk an annual affair, with a litter of smaller events in between.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was like trick-or-treating, but about cats,\u201d Christy says. \u201cIt was a really fun, beautiful day celebrating our furry friends.\u201d\t<\/p>\n