About.com Rating

MeowTV, a new TV show touted for cats, aired for the first time on May 30, 2003, on the Oxygen Channel. The program, sponsored by MeowMix features actress Annabelle Gurwitch and her cat, Stinky. Stinky seemed to enjoy the show more than my test cats, Jaspurr and Joey, but then he's probably paid in plenty of treats by the sponsor.

We laid in a goodly supply of popcorn and kitty treats in anticipation of our first viewing last Friday night of the highly-touted MeowTV.


Joey was perched on his cat tree, and Jaspurr was leisurely reclining on his favorite body-molded cushion on the sectional, with me sitting nearby.

MeowTV is billed as the first television programming targeted specifically at cats, the result of research that showed some cats do enjoy television. Although Jaspurr and Joey actually do watch TV on occasion, they both RSVPd with regrets on MeowTV, each in his own inimitable fashion.

The opening segment (Squirrel Alert!) of squirrels running up and down a tree exploded with loud music, sending Joey flying off his perch and rocketing into the master bedroom, thereby setting a new land-speed record in Northern California. Jaspurr opened one eye, observed the frenetic action on the screen for a moment, then went back to sleep.

Having lost my test cats, I settled in for solitary viewing, figuring that the program would at least bring entertainment to humans who are nuts about cats. All-in-all, the program was entertaining, although I had a problem with a couple of segments, which I'll address in a moment.

What I Liked:

• The House Cat Shopping Network Some of the informercials were so realistic that I wasn't sure if they were true commercials or fiction.
• Cat Haikus I'm a longtime fan of haikus, and these short verses, narrated by Sandra Bernhard, were particularly clever.
• The Self-Fed Cat This viewer-submitted video depicted a rather well-fed cat feeding himself from a plate with alternately a spoon, a fork, and chopsticks, which were attached to a forefoot. I have no doubt that our venerable Shannon could have been taught that trick, remembering his penchant for nabbing shrimp from my dinner salad with one well-placed hook of the paw.

What I Didn't Like:

• The parody of the Betty Ford Clinic While the catnip-addicted cats depicted were cute and the dialogue was clever, I'm a bit stuffy about making fun of people with addictions. On the other hand, perhaps the Betty Ford Clinic will reap new rewards from this segment.
• The water-skiing cat Does anyone seriously think this cat was enjoying himself? The photography was amazing, but the goggle-clad cat didn't appear to me to be having fun yet, even in the final clip perched on a motorcycle.
  It was mentioned that a good way to attract women is go get a cat, and I sure can't quarrel with that conclusion. I didn't get the owner's name, but I'd be willing to be convinced, if he wants to contact me.
  
• The "Double-Dip" MeowMix Commercials Sure, the "beer, beer, beer, beer" commercial is clever, and you do find yourself singing it for hours afterward, but does it have to run twice during each commercial break?
• While humans gave the initial program mixed reviews, Panchito Garvin, feline surrogate movie critic for the Miami Herald, wasted no rhetoric with his hissy review. Read it with a grain of salt, though. Panchito gave fair warning in his first paragraph, not to expect too much from someone paid in paltry fish heads.
  
  If you missed the first viewing of Meow TV, despair not. The program will be aired each Saturday and Sunday morning during June, on the Oxygen Network. Check your local TV listings for times.
  
  Be a Star!
  
  The producers of Meow TV are looking for (human) would-be actors to take part in the second episode of Meow TV. What are the silly things you do to amuse your cat? Sing, "meow," dance, make funny faces, play "pattycake" with him? Check the [link url=http://tour.meowtv.com/tour_participate.
  
  html]Meow TV Summer Tour Schedule for information how you might enter your "act."
  
  It looks like this show might be around for awhile - Meow Mix's answer to reality shows. It's the world's first infomercial targeted at animals. Any wonder that they chose cats?