The Next Internet Cat Star is Yours to Choose: Friskies® Opens Public Voting for the Best Cat Videos of the Year

For Every Vote, Friskies Will Donate One Can of Cat Food, up to 250,000 Cans, to Shelter Cats

ST. LOUIS (August 11, 2014) – It’s time to determine which Internet cats have what it takes to earn one of “The Friskies” coveted catuettes. Today, Friskies® opens voting to the public to find the next Internet cat superstar with the third annual “The Friskies” – the renowned awards for the best Internet cat videos of the year. Now through September 8, 2014, fans can vote for their favorite cat videos and help donate food to shelter cats in need at the same time. Visit www.TheFriskies.com to start voting.

Friskies has enlisted the help of YouTube.com celebrities to serve as captains for each of the four “The Friskies” categories and to help announce the finalists on whom America will vote. Grace Helbig (Funny), Zach King (Epic), Will Braden (Strange) and Jesse Wellens (Res-cute) assisted in driving more than 2,000 entries and will be revealing the 12 finalists, three from each of the four categories. Now it’s up to America to vote for the winners.

Finalists:

Funny Res-cute Epic Strange

During the voting phase, cat video enthusiasts can enjoy watching all 12 finalist videos as well as help raise more than $20,000 for shelter partners and up to 250,000 cans of Friskies wet food for shelter cats in need. Friskies has partnered with ten shelters across the nation. Every vote for a finalist video between August 11, 2014 and September 8, 2014 equals one can of Friskies wet cat food donated to shelter partners, up to 250,000 cans total. In addition, with direction from the category captains, Friskies will be making a monetary donation of more than $20,000 to shelter partners.

“We’re so impressed with the quality of the finalist cat videos; this is the third year of ‘The Friskies’ and the videos just keep getting better,” said Whitney Evans, Friskies Assistant Brand Manager. “Be sure to visit TheFriskies.com daily to cast your vote for America’s next Internet cat superstar and help feed shelter cats in need. You can watch cats while you help cats; it doesn’t get better than that.”

Voting is open now through Noon ET September 8, 2014, at www.TheFriskies.com. Visitors to TheFriskies.com may vote daily; one vote per video, per person every day. Friskies asks voters to consider the judging criteria when voting:

Originality and overall artistic impression
Audience appeal and entertainment quality
Sense that there’s a story being told
Portraying a cat’s perspective

The video that receives the most votes in each category will be deemed the winner of that category. Each of the four category winners will take home $5,000 in cash as well as a golden catuette to commemorate the win. The video with the most votes overall will be crowned as the Grand Prize winner and will receive $25,000 in total. All 12 finalists will receive a one year supply of Friskies cat food and cat treats as well as a trip to Los Angeles, Ca. to attend “The Friskies” Awards Gala.

To start watching and voting, visit www.TheFriskies.com. To join the conversation online, use the hashtag #TheFriskies.

Be sure to like Friskies on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Friskies, follow on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/Friskies and Instagram at www.Instagram/Friskies.

About Friskies

The Friskies® brand offers a complete line of great-tasting cat foods, including more than 60 wet, dry and treat varieties. Friskies is manufactured by Nestlé Purina PetCare, a global leader in the pet care industry. Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness.

For further information: Jennifer Knoeppel Taylor (212) 714-5732 jknoeppel@taylorstrategy.com Niky Roberts Friskies (314) 982-3958 nicole.roberts@purina.nestle.com