Research on Cats Watching Television. The first programming targeted specifically at cats, was born out of research revealing that one-third of cats enjoy watching television...

Research on Cats Watching Television

Meow TV, the first programming targeted specifically at cats, was born out of research revealing that one-third of cats enjoy watching television and The Meow Mix Company's desire to bridge the communication gap between cats and the people who love them.


Throughout the show viewers are kept purring with segments appealing to cats across the board such as "The Squirrel Alert," where squirrels run up and down trees to quick-paced music. The "Cat Critics" segment features large cats, lions and cheetahs, in the wild, with commentary in the vein of Mystery Science Theater.

The humor is not 100% geared towards the feline race -- Meow TV remembers the humans too. Mock infomercials from "The House Cat Shopping Network" and "Cat Haikus", narrated by Sandra Bernhard, litter the program.

There are a number of viewer interactive segments included as well. Viewers can send in birthday shout outs to their cats as well as footage of their cats doing "something cool" -- the first episode features a cat that eats his meals with chopsticks as well as a cat that enjoys surfing in the ocean.

"The Oxygen Network stood out as the obvious venue for Meow TV. Besides, cats who watch TV love the Oxygen Channel," said Richard Thompson, CEO, The Meow Mix Company.

"Oxygen has long been accused of being too pro-dog," said Geraldine Laybourne, President and CEO, Oxygen. "Now we are giving cats equal time."

LIME public relations + promotion, a division of the kirshenbaum bond creative network developed the idea of Meow TV for The Meow Mix Company. All production aspects of the special were handled by Half Baked productions.