Bringing Your Cat to Cattastik Guidelines

Yes, your feline friend can join the chaos! 🐈‍⬛

Attendees are welcome to bring their cats from home. Because we'll also have adoptable rescue cats, vendors, activities, families, and plenty of people moving around, we want to make sure Cattastik is a safe and comfortable experience for every cat and every attendee.

If you're planning to bring your cat, please read these guidelines carefully before attending. By bringing your cat to Cattastik, you agree to follow these guidelines and accept responsibility for your cat throughout the event.

Quick Cat Checklist 🐾

Before you head to Cattastik, make sure you have:

☐ A secure carrier, pet backpack, or stroller
☐ A properly fitted harness
☐ A leash attached to the harness
☐ Food and treats, if needed
☐ Water and a water bowl
☐ A litter box and litter, if needed
☐ Supplies for cleaning up after your cat
☐ Confirmation that your cat's rabies vaccination is current
☐ A healthy, flea-free, parasite-free cat
☐ A plan for keeping your cat comfortable in a busy environment
☐ An adult who can remain responsible for your cat throughout the event

Most importantly...

Know Your Cat.

Cattastik is going to be full of cats, people, sounds, smells, costumes, vendors, activities, and Pure. Cat. Chaos. 🐈‍⬛💜

Some cats will love every second of it. Others may decide the entire convention is beneath them.

Either way, that's okay.

Please make the decision that's best for your cat, keep them safe, respect the space of other animals, and help us make Cattastik a fun experience for everyone.

Before You Bring Your Cat

Please Consider Your Cat's Personality

Please do not make Cattastik your cat's first outing.

A busy convention can be exciting for some cats and overwhelming for others. Consider your cat's personality, previous experiences, and comfort level with crowds, noise, unfamiliar people, and other animals before deciding to bring them.

If your cat becomes stressed or uncomfortable during the event, their well-being should always come first.

Your Cat Must Be Healthy

If your cat is sick, please let them rest at home.

Cats attending Cattastik must be free of contagious illness, fleas, and parasites. Please do not bring your cat if they are experiencing signs such as:

Coughing, sneezing, or other respiratory symptoms
Eye or nasal discharge
Vomiting or diarrhea
Fever or unusual lethargy
Visible fleas or other parasites
Open or potentially contagious skin conditions
Any other signs of illness that could put other animals at risk

If you're unsure whether your cat is healthy enough to attend, please consult your veterinarian before bringing them.

Rabies Vaccination

All cats attending Cattastik must be currently vaccinated against rabies.

You will be required to confirm your cat's vaccination status when completing the on-site Cat Registration & Waiver. We will not routinely collect vaccination records, so please make sure your cat's vaccination is current before attending.

Cat Registration

All Cats Must Be Registered On-Site

Every cat attending Cattastik must be registered on-site on the day of the event.

Cat registration is free and will consist of a Cat Registration & Waiver Release form completed by the cat's owner or responsible adult.

The form will include:

Owner's contact information
Cat's name
Confirmation that the cat is currently vaccinated against rabies
Confirmation that the cat is free of fleas and parasites
Acknowledgment that the owner is responsible for their cat throughout the event
Agreement to follow all Cattastik cat guidelines

Cats that have not been registered may not enter the convention.

Failure to meet the requirements or refusal to complete the required registration may result in the cat being turned away. Cattastik tickets are non-refundable.

How Many Cats Can I Bring?

Each group may bring a maximum of 2 cats.

Please remember that you are responsible for maintaining control of every cat you bring. If you're bringing two cats, make sure you have the equipment and additional adult supervision needed to safely manage both.

Getting Your Cat Into Cattastik

Your Cat Must Arrive in a Carrier

For your cat's safety, cats must arrive at the convention entrance inside a secure carrier, pet backpack, or pet stroller.

Your cat may not be carried into the convention in your arms.

Once you have completed Cat Registration and entered the convention, you may take your cat out of their carrier if they are wearing a properly fitted harness with a leash securely attached.

Cats Must Be Leashed When Outside Their Carrier

If your cat is outside of their carrier, they must be wearing:

A properly fitted harness + a securely attached leash

Please do not attach a leash directly to a collar. Many cats wear breakaway collars, which are designed to release if pulled and are not appropriate for leash walking.

Retractable leashes are permitted, but your cat must remain close to you and under your control at all times. Please keep the leash short enough to prevent your cat from wandering into another attendee's space or approaching another animal.

No Free-Roaming Cats

Cats may not roam freely through the convention.

Whether your cat is in a stroller, carrier, backpack, or walking on a harness and leash, they must remain under your control at all times.

Children & Cats

Cattastik is family-friendly, and we know many kids will be excited to bring their furry family member along!

Children may interact with their own cat, but an adult must supervise and remain responsible for the cat at all times.

Cats should never be handed to a child to carry around the convention, even if the cat is normally comfortable being held.

Where Can My Cat Go?

Attendee cats are welcome in the areas of the convention that are open to attendees.

However, please use your best judgment when entering areas such as:

Concession and eating areas
Areas where people are actively eating
Restrooms
Crowded or particularly busy spaces

For your cat's safety and comfort, we encourage you to place your cat back inside their carrier, backpack, or stroller when entering these areas whenever appropriate.

Please also follow any directions from Cattastik staff, volunteers, venue personnel, or rescue organizations regarding animal access to specific areas.

Keeping Cats Away From Other Cats

Cattastik will have both attendee cats and adoptable rescue cats throughout the convention.

Please keep your cat at a safe distance from other cats.

Do not allow your cat to approach, sniff, interact with, or make physical contact with another attendee's cat or an adoptable rescue animal unless specifically permitted by the rescue organization.

Every cat has a different comfort level, and what looks like a friendly introduction to one cat may be a very stressful experience for another.

Please respect the space of other cats and their owners.

Food, Water & Treats

You may provide your cat with:

Water
Treats
Food as needed

Please keep your cat's food and water away from vendor merchandise, displays, and other animals.

Do not allow your cat to eat or drink around vendor booths or merchandise.

You are responsible for cleaning up any spills, food, treats, or other messes caused by your cat.

Litter Boxes & Cleanup

If your cat needs a litter box during the event, you are responsible for providing one.

Many cats may be traveling in strollers or other setups with a litter box, and that is perfectly fine.

Please:

Keep litter boxes clean throughout the event
Clean up accidents immediately
Bring all supplies your cat may need
Dispose of waste appropriately
Do not leave used litter or other waste in public areas

Cattastik will not provide litter boxes, litter, cleaning supplies, or other cat-care supplies.

Never Leave Your Cat Unattended

Your cat must remain with you and under your supervision at all times.

Do not leave your cat unattended, including inside:

Carriers
Pet backpacks
Strollers
Other enclosures

You are responsible for your cat throughout the entire event.

Please also never leave your cat unattended inside a parked vehicle.

If Your Cat Gets Loose

We know even the most carefully planned cat adventure can occasionally turn into an unscheduled game of chase. 🐈💨

If your cat gets loose:

Stay calm.
Try calmly calling your cat and encouraging them toward you.
Avoid chasing your cat, which may cause them to run farther away.
Alert a Cattastik staff member or volunteer if you need assistance.

Our team will do our best to help while keeping the situation safe for your cat, other animals, and attendees.

Watch Your Cat's Comfort Level

Not every cat will enjoy a convention environment, and that's okay!

If your cat becomes:

Extremely fearful or distressed
Aggressive toward people or animals
Repeatedly attempting to escape
Excessively disruptive
Unable to safely tolerate the crowds, noise, or activity
A safety concern for themselves, another animal, or an attendee

you may be asked to return your cat to their carrier or remove them from the convention floor.

In some situations, Cattastik staff may require a cat to leave the event entirely.

Our goal isn't to exclude cats. It's to make sure the cats who attend are safe and comfortable enough to enjoy the experience.

Cattastik Is Responsible for the Event. You Are Responsible for Your Cat.

By bringing your cat to Cattastik, you acknowledge that you are responsible for your cat's care, supervision, behavior, and safety throughout the event.

You are also responsible for any incident, damage, or injury caused by your cat.

Cattastik staff may intervene when necessary to protect attendees, animals, vendors, venue property, and event operations.

Failure to Follow the Guidelines

All attendees bringing cats must comply with these guidelines.

If you or your cat do not meet the requirements, or if you fail to follow these guidelines, Cattastik staff may:

Ask you to correct the situation
Require your cat to be returned to its carrier
Ask you to remove your cat from the convention floor
Require you and your cat to leave the event

Tickets are non-refundable, including when a cat or attendee is turned away or asked to leave because of a violation of these guidelines.

Cattastik reserves the right to modify these guidelines when necessary to address safety, animal welfare, venue requirements, or event operations. Updated requirements may be communicated to attendees as needed.