Blasting Off with Leeza Hernandez of Leezaworks and Space Cats Florida
Join Isabel and Leeza Hernandez for a cosmic conversation about Leeza's plans to bring cat lovers together on the Space Coast of Florida in early 2025. Leeza, an author, art illustrator, graphic designer, and avid cat lover, was tired of traveling all over the US for cat conventions. She wished someone would plan something in Florida. Her husband urged her to do it, so now she is making her Space Cats dreams happen. In this episode, Isabel and Leeza go into their mutual friends in the industry, some of Leeza's favorite cat things, and details about the plans for the conference line-up. Leeza shares her love of rescue, dedication to education, and desire to bring like-minded cat people together in the great state of Florida. Listen in and get your tickets to Space Cats Florida today!
Listen to Episode #124 Now:
BIO:
Leeza Hernandez has acquired a diverse wealth of experience—from newspaper and magazine design to book design, corporate, print-production, art direction and illustration across multiple markets from print to social media. Working professionally and enthusiastically, she strives to deliver dynamic visuals and has the ability to work to tight deadlines under high levels of pressure. With a passion for design, solution-finding, brainstorming, and creative teamwork, Leeza enjoys the challenge of seeing a project through from concept to completion. As a secondary endeavor, Leeza illustrates books for young readers specializing in picture books, chapter books, and baby board books. She also works in art licensing ranging from fabric & textiles to tabletop, wall and home decor, children's books, stationery, greeting cards, and paper goods. Specialties: Whimsical, funny, off beat, and quirky illustration projects always light Leeza's creative fire!
Transcript:
00:00:02.200 --> 00:00:04.020
Announcer: This is Pet Life Radio.
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Announcer: Let's talk pets.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome to Covered in Pet Hair, a movie show for pet lovers on Pet Life Radio.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm your host, Isabel Alvarez Arata, and today I have the pleasure of having a drink and a chat with a self-proclaimed cat hair collector that is planning an out-of-this-world cat convention.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I will tell you all about her and introduce you as soon as we come back from these messages from our sponsors.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Hi, I'm Isabel Alvarez Arata, the host of Covered In Pet Hair.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: You know the expression cats have nine lives?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Well, what if you could give them one more?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: The Give Them Ten movement is on a mission to help give cats an extra life.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: How?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: With spay and neuter.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Spaying and neutering your cat helps them live a longer, healthier life and it helps control re-roaming cat populations too.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Learn more about the benefits of spay and neuter and meet Scooter, the neutered cat at givethemten.org.
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Announcer: Let's talk pets on petliferadio.com.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome back to Covered In Pet Hair.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm your host, Isabel Alvarez Arata, and today I have the pleasure of having a drink and a chat with a pet parent, a published author, a creative entrepreneur.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's an illustrator, product developer, and licensing artist.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's an adventure seeker, a road tripper, a coffee lover, and a world traveler.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's a cheer mom for a human, not cats.
00:02:01.887 --> 00:02:04.947
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's a language lover, but she says she's not that great at it.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's a bad cook.
00:02:06.007 --> 00:02:12.127
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I completely relate to this statement, who basically makes the same five dishes on rotation.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Count me in on that one too.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm originally from South England, she says, but she moved to New York area later in life, and she currently lives in Central Florida on the Space Coast.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: More on that later.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: She is a wife to Gary, mom to a daughter named Liv, and she has four cats.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Jasper, with two Rs.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Princess Pippa, of course, because she's originally from the UK.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And she has Cole Jr.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: and Chippy.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Her name is Leeza Hernandez, and she is the Leeza behind LeezaWorks.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome, Leeza.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's so good to have you on the show.
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Leeza Hernandez: Thank you, Isabel.
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Leeza Hernandez: Thank you so much.
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Leeza Hernandez: Great welcome.
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Leeza Hernandez: I appreciate that.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Well, I'm so excited to meet you.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that you have a Princess Pippa cat, because, I mean, what better name for a cat than Princess Pippa?
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I'm a huge fan of Pippa myself, so I just had to say, like, love it.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Love that you're staying true to your roots and bringing the pop culture to.
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Leeza Hernandez: Well, I have to tell you a quick story about that, actually, because we rescued Pippa, and that was her name when we got her.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's a rag doll.
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Leeza Hernandez: And it just so happened that that was her official name, was Princess Pippa, and who am I to change it?
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Leeza Hernandez: It's very fitting.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Was that here in the US?
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Leeza Hernandez: Yes.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's so crazy.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: She was meant to be yours, I think.
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Leeza Hernandez: I think so.
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Leeza Hernandez: We originally were supposed to just be fostering, her, you know, temporarily, and the moment she came in the door, the whole family was like, yeah, she's not going anywhere.
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Leeza Hernandez: And she moved up to the name.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah, she was meant to be.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I have no doubt about it.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I want to get to know you and everything you're planning on bringing to the cat world next year.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: But before we do that, I want to introduce our drinking game today.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So anytime you hear this word, audience.
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Announcer: The secret word is cosmic.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Take a drink of whatever you're enjoying, but please be sure you're over 21 in the US, over 18, I believe, in the UK.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Never drink and drive and always drink responsibly.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So are you joining us for this Friday happy hour with a little libation?
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Leeza Hernandez: Me?
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Leeza Hernandez: Yes.
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Leeza Hernandez: Actually, I have a mocktail though, because it's still early in my day, and I do have a little bit of work to do after we're chatting, and I'm not sure how that might go if I add something a little extra.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So what are you enjoying today?
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Leeza Hernandez: So my mocktail is called, I named it, it's called a fizzy whisker, and it's a very simple drink.
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Leeza Hernandez: It's basically a seltzer or a club soda with a splash of three syrups.
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Leeza Hernandez: I like to combine a splash of vanilla, pomegranate and passion fruit, and then sometimes I'll throw some extra pomegranate seeds in there, just for a little bit of texture.
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Leeza Hernandez: But if you want to level up and make it a cocktail, definitely add a splash of vodka or something else if you prefer.
00:05:06.967 --> 00:05:08.287
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that idea.
00:05:08.287 --> 00:05:14.167
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I've never used my syrups, like my vanilla syrup is like coffee, but I never thought about using it for a drink.
00:05:14.167 --> 00:05:15.487
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So that is perfect.
00:05:15.487 --> 00:05:19.007
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I actually am going to drink and then I'm done for the week.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I have a kid's birthday party, but no, I'm not driving.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: My husband made this and he is driving later.
00:05:23.807 --> 00:05:25.307
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Because he made it boozy.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: This is what my husband calls a cat's nebula, just to keep it on theme.
00:05:31.707 --> 00:05:38.447
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And it's made with blue curacao, as you can tell, tequila, some grenadine, some sparkling cider and all sorts of stuff.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I don't know how he got all that stuff in this house.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I didn't know we even had half of it.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: But cheers.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you for being my guest.
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Leeza Hernandez: Oh yeah.
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Leeza Hernandez: And whiskers up.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Whiskers up.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Great job, Husbinger.
00:05:51.327 --> 00:05:53.747
Isabel Alvarez Arata: He's my bartender manager.
00:05:53.747 --> 00:05:55.127
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I call him my husbandger.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Great job.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And he's walking right by.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: It tastes delicious actually.
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Leeza Hernandez: It looks good.
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Leeza Hernandez: I love that color.
00:06:01.387 --> 00:06:04.127
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's beautiful and it's delicious and it's on theme.
00:06:04.127 --> 00:06:06.027
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I mean, check, check, check.
00:06:06.027 --> 00:06:09.987
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I always introduce this show with a game, but we're going to play two games today.
00:06:09.987 --> 00:06:16.607
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I don't know how into pop culture you are, but many, many, many years ago, Mariah Carey was asked about JLo.
00:06:16.607 --> 00:06:19.267
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Like if she knew her, if there was drama between them.
00:06:19.727 --> 00:06:28.447
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And Mariah Carey famously responded, I don't know her, about JLo, who was obviously famous, and she obviously at least had heard of.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I want to play a game called Don't Know Her, but this is about the people in the cat industry, and if we know the same people.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I know the first one's going to be a given because she literally introduced us, but do you know Sally Williams?
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Leeza Hernandez: Yes, I do.
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Leeza Hernandez: Very much.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Sally Williams of Mission Meow was on the show recently.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Look it up in the feed.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Mission Meow just celebrated their second birthday anniversary and you are a business partner just like me?
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Leeza Hernandez: I certainly am.
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Leeza Hernandez: Yes, I almost since Sally started Mission Meow, I believe.
00:07:06.667 --> 00:07:08.447
Leeza Hernandez: So yeah, getting into this.
00:07:08.447 --> 00:07:10.567
Leeza Hernandez: Well, now it's her second year, which is amazing.
00:07:10.567 --> 00:07:12.867
Leeza Hernandez: Congrats, Sally.
00:07:12.867 --> 00:07:24.167
Leeza Hernandez: Yeah, it's a great organization and I'm really happy to be a part of it because it gives me an opportunity to give back in a way that I can through my art, if that makes sense.
00:07:24.167 --> 00:07:25.687
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Absolutely.
00:07:25.687 --> 00:07:30.227
Isabel Alvarez Arata: OK, so if you don't know these next few people, you just say, don't know her.
00:07:30.227 --> 00:07:38.967
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Even if it's a guy, even if it's a cat, you say don't know her because you're channeling the diva Mariah Carey.
00:07:38.967 --> 00:07:42.687
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So the next person I have for you is the cowboy cat wrangler.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: Do you know her?
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Leeza Hernandez: Is there an in-between answer?
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Leeza Hernandez: I don't know her, but we were sitting across the table together at the New Jersey Catsbury Park Cat Convention social on Friday night.
00:07:58.707 --> 00:08:01.927
Leeza Hernandez: But we were never fully introduced, so don't know her.
00:08:01.927 --> 00:08:02.427
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:08:02.427 --> 00:08:03.967
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And then the mad catter.
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Leeza Hernandez: Yes, know him.
00:08:08.307 --> 00:08:10.307
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And how about Lambo Leisha?
00:08:10.307 --> 00:08:11.127
Leeza Hernandez: Don't know her.
00:08:11.127 --> 00:08:14.167
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Do you know that Lambo Leisha is somebody you have to follow?
00:08:14.407 --> 00:08:15.947
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She jumps with her cats.
00:08:15.947 --> 00:08:20.167
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Like she does the most amazing playtime with her cat.
00:08:20.167 --> 00:08:22.387
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She's a mega, and I can't remember the other cat's name.
00:08:22.387 --> 00:08:24.627
Isabel Alvarez Arata: The cat mega is more chill.
00:08:24.627 --> 00:08:29.787
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But the other one literally like just jumps through the room to catch the wand.
00:08:29.787 --> 00:08:36.447
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And they play such enthusiastic, vigorous like wand games that are amazing.
00:08:36.447 --> 00:08:37.307
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You have to watch it.
00:08:37.307 --> 00:08:40.527
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And Lambo Leisha just has such a great energy.
00:08:40.527 --> 00:08:42.647
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, so next one, Nathan the Cat Lady.
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Leeza Hernandez: I know her.
00:08:43.887 --> 00:08:48.087
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And how about, you can't say Nathan without saying Sterling, Sterling Trapkin Davis.
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Leeza Hernandez: I know her.
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Isabel Alvarez Arata: And how about Desiree Bobby?
00:08:51.187 --> 00:08:52.927
Leeza Hernandez: Sorry, I'm saying I know her.
00:08:52.927 --> 00:08:53.787
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But that's the game.
00:08:53.787 --> 00:08:54.607
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's the game.
00:08:54.607 --> 00:08:55.607
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I know her.
00:08:55.607 --> 00:08:58.167
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And then Desiree Bobby from CFA.
00:08:58.167 --> 00:08:59.227
Leeza Hernandez: I know her.
00:08:59.227 --> 00:09:00.187
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes, you do.
00:09:00.187 --> 00:09:00.767
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:09:00.767 --> 00:09:04.647
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And then last but certainly not least, Jackson Galaxy.
00:09:04.647 --> 00:09:10.827
Leeza Hernandez: I don't know her, but I know a good associate of it.
00:09:10.887 --> 00:09:11.267
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:09:11.267 --> 00:09:11.607
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Who?
00:09:11.607 --> 00:09:12.247
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Lindsay?
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Leeza Hernandez: No, Kate Benjamin from House Panther.
00:09:14.547 --> 00:09:15.267
Leeza Hernandez: Oh, cool.
00:09:15.267 --> 00:09:15.967
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Kate Benjamin.
00:09:15.967 --> 00:09:17.907
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I feel like I know Kate Benjamin.
00:09:17.907 --> 00:09:20.067
Leeza Hernandez: They co-wrote a couple of books together.
00:09:20.067 --> 00:09:21.147
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh, super cool.
00:09:21.147 --> 00:09:25.287
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I know Lindsay, one of his, she's on his team, and she introduced me at Super Zoo.
00:09:25.287 --> 00:09:29.167
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I can say I do know her about Jackson Galaxy.
00:09:29.167 --> 00:09:31.007
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And Jackson is not a diva at all.
00:09:31.007 --> 00:09:31.947
Isabel Alvarez Arata: He was the nicest.
00:09:31.947 --> 00:09:34.127
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You want me to tell you a little story about Jackson?
00:09:34.127 --> 00:09:40.207
Isabel Alvarez Arata: When we did the meet and greet at Super Zoo, just now in August, he was obviously lining up for photos with people.
00:09:40.367 --> 00:09:42.167
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And this is my good side.
00:09:42.167 --> 00:09:44.447
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And he was about to stand on my right.
00:09:44.447 --> 00:09:47.867
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I said, I'm so sorry, Jackson, but can I get on my good side?
00:09:47.867 --> 00:09:49.167
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And can you get on the left?
00:09:49.167 --> 00:09:50.927
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And he looked at me and goes, is that a thing?
00:09:50.927 --> 00:09:53.527
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I'm like, of course it's a thing.
00:09:53.527 --> 00:09:55.367
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So Leeza, what's your good side?
00:09:55.367 --> 00:09:56.507
Leeza Hernandez: Oh, my good side.
00:09:56.747 --> 00:09:58.967
Leeza Hernandez: I'm going to say your left.
00:09:58.967 --> 00:09:59.767
Leeza Hernandez: That's my left.
00:09:59.767 --> 00:10:01.607
Leeza Hernandez: So yeah, right.
00:10:01.627 --> 00:10:03.307
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So we're photo buddies.
00:10:03.307 --> 00:10:07.747
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We can take photos all day long and nobody will get in each other's way, in each other's good side.
00:10:07.747 --> 00:10:08.867
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that so much.
00:10:09.307 --> 00:10:09.547
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah.
00:10:09.547 --> 00:10:17.327
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So he was very gracious about me asking him, me asking the star that was doing the meet and greets to go to the other side.
00:10:17.327 --> 00:10:20.807
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But then the next day I had a meet and greet or I didn't, I did.
00:10:20.807 --> 00:10:25.527
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I stood in line for a meet and greet with, oh my gosh, Catherine Heigl.
00:10:25.527 --> 00:10:31.327
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She was at Super Zoo promoting her brand of dog food and she would not move from the right side.
00:10:31.327 --> 00:10:34.767
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I think she has a good side and it's the right side.
00:10:34.767 --> 00:10:42.547
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And because she is Catherine Heigl, she stood there holding on to a chair and would not budge and everybody had to take a picture on the left.
00:10:42.547 --> 00:10:43.847
Leeza Hernandez: Okay.
00:10:43.847 --> 00:10:47.287
Leeza Hernandez: Honestly, if I'm holding a cat, any side is a good side.
00:10:47.287 --> 00:10:47.947
Isabel Alvarez Arata: This is true.
00:10:47.947 --> 00:10:48.707
Isabel Alvarez Arata: This is true.
00:10:48.707 --> 00:10:51.607
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We can always zhuzh up a photo with a cat.
00:10:51.607 --> 00:10:54.447
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I always say my cat makes my house look more beautiful.
00:10:54.447 --> 00:10:59.487
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And so I feel like that would apply to my face, to the room, to everything.
00:10:59.487 --> 00:10:59.987
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:10:59.987 --> 00:11:04.467
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So next I want to play a few of your favorite things.
00:11:04.467 --> 00:11:08.327
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I'm just going to ask you about cat things and you're going to tell me your absolute favorites.
00:11:08.327 --> 00:11:10.327
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And it's okay if there's a tie.
00:11:10.327 --> 00:11:13.047
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I just want to get to know what kind of cat person you are.
00:11:13.047 --> 00:11:14.527
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Are you ready to play?
00:11:14.527 --> 00:11:15.307
Leeza Hernandez: Yeah.
00:11:15.307 --> 00:11:17.467
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, let's do it.
00:11:17.467 --> 00:11:19.147
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Favorite cat breed?
00:11:19.147 --> 00:11:21.787
Leeza Hernandez: Oh, all of them, of course.
00:11:21.787 --> 00:11:33.647
Leeza Hernandez: I would say I really do love a red Abyssinian and probably a British blue as well.
00:11:33.647 --> 00:11:35.247
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Ooh, a British blue?
00:11:35.467 --> 00:11:37.767
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I don't think I'm familiar with the British blue.
00:11:37.767 --> 00:11:39.487
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I've got to look that up.
00:11:39.487 --> 00:11:43.147
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I have a, what I call, a Las Cruces blue.
00:11:43.147 --> 00:11:49.067
Isabel Alvarez Arata: He was rescued on the streets of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and he kind of looks like a Russian blue, but way darker.
00:11:49.067 --> 00:11:52.327
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And that's why I call him a Las Cruces blue, but he's just a mutt.
00:11:52.327 --> 00:11:53.707
Isabel Alvarez Arata: He's just a mix.
00:11:53.707 --> 00:11:59.787
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Next one, favorite cat influencer, and it could be a human or a feline.
00:11:59.787 --> 00:12:03.987
Leeza Hernandez: These are like putting me really on the spot because how can you just pick one?
00:12:04.327 --> 00:12:07.407
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, give me your top five.
00:12:07.407 --> 00:12:09.507
Leeza Hernandez: Well, even there, I don't know.
00:12:09.507 --> 00:12:10.387
Leeza Hernandez: Oh my gosh.
00:12:10.387 --> 00:12:11.347
Leeza Hernandez: Oh my gosh.
00:12:11.347 --> 00:12:14.687
Leeza Hernandez: I really do love Cappy Bears.
00:12:14.687 --> 00:12:24.347
Leeza Hernandez: Any cat, Smush, any, you know, Noggin, Egbert, Squash, if you know any of those cats, Grumpy Barbara.
00:12:24.347 --> 00:12:28.027
Leeza Hernandez: I mean, these are all my famous celebrity cats, Instacats really.
00:12:28.047 --> 00:12:29.307
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes, exactly.
00:12:29.307 --> 00:12:30.887
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And there's so many.
00:12:30.887 --> 00:12:34.927
Leeza Hernandez: There are so many, but there's also, I have tons of influence, of favorites too.
00:12:34.927 --> 00:12:37.467
Leeza Hernandez: The two Crazy Cat Ladies, you know.
00:12:37.467 --> 00:12:38.707
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Do you know her?
00:12:38.707 --> 00:12:39.487
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Do you know her?
00:12:39.487 --> 00:12:40.467
Leeza Hernandez: Dane Aydianen?
00:12:40.467 --> 00:12:41.487
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I did.
00:12:41.487 --> 00:12:41.947
Leeza Hernandez: I know.
00:12:42.007 --> 00:12:42.827
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yay!
00:12:42.827 --> 00:12:43.967
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love them.
00:12:43.967 --> 00:12:46.347
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Of course, they're such wonderful ladies.
00:12:46.347 --> 00:12:50.107
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I don't know anybody who doesn't know them because they bring people together, they introduce everybody.
00:12:50.107 --> 00:12:51.207
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So it's awesome.
00:12:51.207 --> 00:12:51.487
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yeah.
00:12:51.487 --> 00:12:54.587
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So obviously the two Crazy Cat Ladies, top, top notch.
00:12:54.587 --> 00:13:00.147
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And yeah, I'm going to put you on the spot for the people because I bet a lot of them are coming to your show, which we're going to talk about.
00:13:00.147 --> 00:13:12.147
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Don't go anywhere because you're going to find out, guys, what we're talking about about Space Cats and the Space Coast and a cat lovers throwing a party, a huge party, a cat convention, if you will.
00:13:12.147 --> 00:13:12.427
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:13:12.427 --> 00:13:13.147
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Next one.
00:13:13.147 --> 00:13:14.687
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Favorite cat rescue.
00:13:14.687 --> 00:13:16.327
Leeza Hernandez: Pet rescue or cat rescue?
00:13:16.327 --> 00:13:17.707
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cat specific.
00:13:17.707 --> 00:13:20.247
Leeza Hernandez: Cat specific, cat rescue.
00:13:20.247 --> 00:13:24.807
Leeza Hernandez: Well, locally would be the Brevard Humane Society.
00:13:25.847 --> 00:13:27.767
Leeza Hernandez: I'm going to talk about that in a little bit.
00:13:27.767 --> 00:13:46.947
Leeza Hernandez: I would say Catspray Park Cat Cafe, because if it wasn't for DJ and the team at Catspray Park, I probably would have never ventured into being a cat convention vendor and then starting my own cat convention.
00:13:48.887 --> 00:13:54.547
Leeza Hernandez: So I would say out of all of that, Catspray Park has a very special place in my heart for sure.
00:13:54.547 --> 00:13:55.267
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Absolutely.
00:13:55.267 --> 00:13:55.987
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It sounds like it.
00:13:55.987 --> 00:13:57.807
Isabel Alvarez Arata: How about your favorite cat toy?
00:13:57.807 --> 00:13:58.987
Leeza Hernandez: Favorite cat toy?
00:13:58.987 --> 00:14:01.427
Leeza Hernandez: It's the peacock feather.
00:14:01.427 --> 00:14:03.767
Leeza Hernandez: For some reason, my cats go nuts.
00:14:03.767 --> 00:14:13.867
Leeza Hernandez: And then I have a second, which is shamelessly something that I worked on with Kate Benjamin at House Panther, which is the catnip toy.
00:14:13.867 --> 00:14:15.687
Leeza Hernandez: There's a kicker, a shaker and a little pod.
00:14:16.467 --> 00:14:19.647
Leeza Hernandez: The organic catnip that's in those, my cats go nuts for it.
00:14:19.647 --> 00:14:23.587
Leeza Hernandez: And so I'm a big fan of those because my cats are a big fan of those.
00:14:23.587 --> 00:14:32.647
Leeza Hernandez: But I would say for engagement and getting the cats to interact without me even having to try, is the peacock feather for sure.
00:14:32.647 --> 00:14:38.747
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's funny, I decorated at my wedding with peacock feathers because I don't love flowers.
00:14:38.747 --> 00:14:39.607
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They make me sad.
00:14:39.607 --> 00:14:42.027
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We put so much effort into growing them and then they die.
00:14:42.027 --> 00:14:50.507
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And so I found somebody in Florida who raised his peacocks and she sells the feathers that fall and-
00:14:50.527 --> 00:14:51.747
Leeza Hernandez: Fall naturally, I hope.
00:14:51.747 --> 00:14:52.367
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Exactly.
00:14:52.367 --> 00:14:53.787
Isabel Alvarez Arata: No, they fall naturally.
00:14:53.787 --> 00:14:55.867
Isabel Alvarez Arata: She has like, they're her pets.
00:14:57.087 --> 00:15:01.947
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It took me a long time for her to accumulate all of the ones I needed.
00:15:01.947 --> 00:15:04.747
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I still have them and they're so beautiful.
00:15:04.747 --> 00:15:07.067
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I bring one out for my cat every so often.
00:15:07.067 --> 00:15:10.047
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I agree, nothing makes him happier.
00:15:10.047 --> 00:15:13.627
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I used to have them in a vase, but my cat would destroy it.
00:15:13.807 --> 00:15:18.307
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I have the feathers that I bring out one at a time until they're gone, I guess.
00:15:18.307 --> 00:15:23.167
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Let's see, cat brand, your favorite cat brand.
00:15:23.167 --> 00:15:28.107
Isabel Alvarez Arata: A brand that just does like speaks to you, that's doing fun things that you enjoy.
00:15:28.107 --> 00:15:29.027
Leeza Hernandez: Oh, gosh.
00:15:29.027 --> 00:15:30.027
Leeza Hernandez: Wow.
00:15:30.107 --> 00:15:36.087
Leeza Hernandez: I really love the travel backpack, the My Cat Travel Backpack.
00:15:36.087 --> 00:15:41.947
Leeza Hernandez: That has been a game changer for us and our cats, especially two of them.
00:15:41.947 --> 00:15:48.627
Leeza Hernandez: We have four cats and so two of the four have a little anxiety, especially with going to the vets and things like that.
00:15:48.627 --> 00:15:56.607
Leeza Hernandez: So that backpack has saved me many face scratches, and claws and issues.
00:15:56.607 --> 00:15:58.847
Leeza Hernandez: For some reason, they're very cool with that.
00:15:58.847 --> 00:16:00.547
Leeza Hernandez: So, yeah.
00:16:00.547 --> 00:16:02.627
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So is it the bubble backpack?
00:16:02.627 --> 00:16:08.347
Leeza Hernandez: Yeah, it's got the clear dome on the back and then you can see through the mesh.
00:16:08.347 --> 00:16:09.447
Leeza Hernandez: I do love that.
00:16:09.447 --> 00:16:29.487
Leeza Hernandez: I do love the Jackson Galaxy Peacemaker Kit because I've got one of the oldest of my four cats, Jasper, he can be a little feisty and I think sometimes he'd prefer to just be a single cat, you know, family.
00:16:29.487 --> 00:16:35.847
Leeza Hernandez: And so he gets a little impatient sometimes with the others, but the Peacemaker Kit really helps kind of just keep with that.
00:16:35.847 --> 00:16:38.567
Leeza Hernandez: And he's also my anxious one about going to the vets too.
00:16:38.567 --> 00:16:43.627
Leeza Hernandez: And that Peacemaker Kit actually helps keep him mellow for vet visits as well.
00:16:43.627 --> 00:16:45.127
Leeza Hernandez: That is cool.
00:16:45.127 --> 00:16:46.027
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love that.
00:16:46.027 --> 00:16:46.927
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:16:46.927 --> 00:16:48.467
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Well, tell us about yourself.
00:16:48.467 --> 00:16:51.587
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You have been in the pet industry for about 10 years now, is that right?
00:16:52.307 --> 00:16:56.447
Leeza Hernandez: Yeah, I got into, well, yeah, probably about 10.
00:16:56.447 --> 00:17:01.687
Leeza Hernandez: I'm approaching a 10 year anniversary with my freelance company, Leeza Works.
00:17:01.987 --> 00:17:07.507
Leeza Hernandez: And it was about at the same time where I started doing the cat convention circuit as a vendor.
00:17:07.507 --> 00:17:10.807
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And what do you do at the cat conventions as a vendor?
00:17:10.807 --> 00:17:11.487
Leeza Hernandez: Okay.
00:17:11.487 --> 00:17:24.067
Leeza Hernandez: So I started off, I had a couple of books published with Penguin back in the sort of 2010 to 2013 kind of time.
00:17:24.067 --> 00:17:26.447
Leeza Hernandez: And one book was called Cat Napped.
00:17:26.447 --> 00:17:38.627
Leeza Hernandez: And it's just a young children's picture book that is about a cat who's kind of curious, goes off, takes a nap and then is hauled away in a truck, not realizing it and has to find her way home.
00:17:38.627 --> 00:17:46.987
Leeza Hernandez: And so the very first cat convention that I did, I was, it was Catsbury Park cat convention actually, in New Jersey.
00:17:46.987 --> 00:17:58.247
Leeza Hernandez: And I was just going to go as an attendee and something in my head said, hey, why don't you be a vendor and take your books and do book signing or something like that.
00:17:58.247 --> 00:18:03.147
Leeza Hernandez: And so that's kind of where it's sort of catapulted me into it.
00:18:03.147 --> 00:18:04.887
Leeza Hernandez: Catapulted, I love that.
00:18:04.887 --> 00:18:06.507
Leeza Hernandez: Catapulted, yes.
00:18:06.507 --> 00:18:10.447
Leeza Hernandez: But at the same time, I was also doodling and drawing a lot of black cats.
00:18:10.647 --> 00:18:15.307
Leeza Hernandez: I have had black cats in the past and I had started working on some art prints.
00:18:15.307 --> 00:18:19.327
Leeza Hernandez: So I'm an illustrator and a graphic designer.
00:18:19.327 --> 00:18:25.327
Leeza Hernandez: And so I pulled together probably about, I don't even remember now, six to ten prints.
00:18:25.327 --> 00:18:26.967
Leeza Hernandez: And I found these really cute frames.
00:18:26.967 --> 00:18:27.947
Leeza Hernandez: I printed them all up.
00:18:27.947 --> 00:18:30.947
Leeza Hernandez: I had a very nice printer at home, did it all myself.
00:18:30.947 --> 00:18:38.067
Leeza Hernandez: And that first cat convention at Catsbury Park, I sold out in the first day and I had to go home that night.
00:18:38.067 --> 00:18:39.807
Leeza Hernandez: Thankfully, I only lived about an hour away at the time.
00:18:40.907 --> 00:18:43.187
Leeza Hernandez: And I was up until 3 a.m.
00:18:43.187 --> 00:18:52.367
Leeza Hernandez: printing more prints and putting stuff together to bring to sell the second day because I really didn't have anything left in my booth.
00:18:52.367 --> 00:18:53.647
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh my gosh.
00:18:53.647 --> 00:18:54.787
Leeza Hernandez: It was very successful.
00:18:54.787 --> 00:18:56.667
Leeza Hernandez: It was a little bit of a surprise.
00:18:56.667 --> 00:19:06.367
Leeza Hernandez: And then the following year, I just thought maybe it was a fluke, but I went back the following year and I had equal success.
00:19:06.367 --> 00:19:24.867
Leeza Hernandez: And honestly, I've not looked back since and I've been all over the country doing, I don't do many every year, but I have been to LA and Seattle and Chicago and obviously had plans to do a bunch right as the pandemic hit.
00:19:24.867 --> 00:19:31.807
Leeza Hernandez: So that kind of threw the, as we say, spanner in the works, but you say wrench in the works, I believe.
00:19:32.527 --> 00:19:35.107
Leeza Hernandez: Yes, yes.
00:19:35.107 --> 00:19:39.387
Leeza Hernandez: So that sort of put a stop on things during the pandemic.
00:19:39.387 --> 00:19:47.787
Leeza Hernandez: And then when we started to come out of COVID and in-person events were starting to happen again, nothing was happening on the East Coast.
00:19:47.787 --> 00:19:53.127
Leeza Hernandez: And I was getting a little withdrawal, I guess you could say.
00:19:53.127 --> 00:19:59.227
Leeza Hernandez: And so I had participated in cat.com worldwide with their digital events, right?
00:19:59.227 --> 00:20:06.627
Leeza Hernandez: Their online events, which was cat.com From Your Couch, which was really fun, but I was desperate to do in-person once again.
00:20:06.627 --> 00:20:24.707
Leeza Hernandez: I just love the interaction of meeting cat lovers and customers and cat people and vendors and just, you know, the whole energy of being together in-person just is such an amazing energy and it's fun.
00:20:26.047 --> 00:20:29.127
Leeza Hernandez: And I like people and I like cats, I like people.
00:20:29.287 --> 00:20:31.667
Leeza Hernandez: And so I was really missing that.
00:20:31.667 --> 00:20:39.287
Leeza Hernandez: So then CatCon in LA was the first one, I think, to fire up their in-person event again, like right after the pandemic.
00:20:39.287 --> 00:20:42.427
Leeza Hernandez: And I'm living on the East Coast and I was like, you know what, I'm going to do it.
00:20:42.427 --> 00:20:43.967
Leeza Hernandez: And so I did.
00:20:44.867 --> 00:20:46.847
Leeza Hernandez: And yeah, I've done that one now.
00:20:46.847 --> 00:20:49.707
Leeza Hernandez: I think this was my fifth year.
00:20:49.707 --> 00:20:50.287
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh, wow.
00:20:50.287 --> 00:20:52.327
Leeza Hernandez: Two years in person, two years online.
00:20:52.327 --> 00:20:54.187
Leeza Hernandez: So yeah, I love it.
00:20:54.187 --> 00:20:54.567
Leeza Hernandez: I love it.
00:20:54.567 --> 00:20:57.907
Leeza Hernandez: I love all the conventions that I've done throughout.
00:20:57.947 --> 00:21:02.567
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think it's great that we have regional things because not everybody can afford to go to...
00:21:02.567 --> 00:21:03.867
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I've never been to CatCon.
00:21:03.867 --> 00:21:05.587
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I mean, I go to Super Zoo.
00:21:05.587 --> 00:21:08.087
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I just went to the CFA Expo.
00:21:08.087 --> 00:21:16.227
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I was, you know, I was at a bunch of conferences, things early in the year for specifically for the pet sitting industry, but there's a lot going on.
00:21:16.227 --> 00:21:23.167
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I think that there's a reason why a lot of the national organizations rotate, but then you're leaving out the people who are far away.
00:21:23.167 --> 00:21:32.367
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So whenever you start something in a specific area and leave it there, I feel like you get to grow that area and then those who can afford to fly, they fly in and they visit.
00:21:32.367 --> 00:21:35.667
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And maybe they don't go every year, but maybe they make it a special trip or something.
00:21:35.667 --> 00:21:40.847
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I love the idea of keeping it local, keeping it specific to the Space Coast.
00:21:40.847 --> 00:21:46.707
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I want to dig in to Space Cats 2025.
00:21:46.707 --> 00:21:53.947
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I want to learn everything you're doing, everything that it takes to put on a conference just like this, but I need to take a break here.
00:21:53.947 --> 00:22:03.247
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We'll listen to our sponsors and when we come back, Leeza is going to break down what it's like to create a cat convention out of nowhere and bring it to the Space Coast.
00:22:03.247 --> 00:22:04.027
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Don't go anywhere.
00:22:04.027 --> 00:22:07.307
Isabel Alvarez Arata: We'll be right back after these messages from our sponsors.
00:22:11.047 --> 00:22:14.307
Announcer: You know the expression, cats have nine lives.
00:22:14.307 --> 00:22:16.887
Announcer: Well, what if you can give them one more?
00:22:16.887 --> 00:22:22.447
Announcer: The Give Them Ten movement is on a mission to help give cats an extra life.
00:22:22.447 --> 00:22:23.187
Announcer: How?
00:22:23.187 --> 00:22:24.307
Announcer: With spay and neuter.
00:22:24.827 --> 00:22:29.567
Announcer: Spaying or neutering your cat helps them live a longer, healthier life.
00:22:29.567 --> 00:22:33.827
Announcer: And it helps control free roaming cat populations too.
00:22:33.827 --> 00:22:41.107
Announcer: Learn more about the benefits of spay and neuter and meet Scooter, the neutered cat, at givethemten.org.
00:22:42.187 --> 00:22:45.987
Announcer: That's give them T-E-N dot org.
00:23:05.007 --> 00:23:06.567
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Welcome back to Covered in Pet Hair.
00:23:06.567 --> 00:23:13.207
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I'm your host, Fisibel Alvarez Arada, and today I'm having a drink and a chat with Lisa Hernandez of LisaWorks, Inc.
00:23:13.207 --> 00:23:21.787
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And she is going to tell us all about her experience putting together a brand new cat convention called Space Cats.
00:23:21.921 --> 00:23:29.881
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay, Leeza, we wanna play a game first that gives us an idea of what it is that you are planning for this event.
00:23:29.881 --> 00:23:36.901
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I have my handy dandy clock here and my audience knows that I will give you one minute on this clock to give me a rundown.
00:23:36.901 --> 00:23:47.121
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I'm calling this Space Cats Preview and you just kind of give me just a little kind of like elevator pitch on what the show is going to be all about.
00:23:47.121 --> 00:23:48.181
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Are you ready to play?
00:23:48.181 --> 00:23:48.601
Leeza Hernandez: I am.
00:23:48.601 --> 00:23:50.921
Leeza Hernandez: That's a lot of pressure, but I'll do it.
00:23:50.921 --> 00:23:52.561
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think you can do it in your sleep.
00:23:52.561 --> 00:23:53.401
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That's what I think.
00:23:53.401 --> 00:23:55.101
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Three, two, one, go!
00:23:55.101 --> 00:23:57.081
Leeza Hernandez: Okay, Space Cats Florida.
00:23:57.081 --> 00:24:07.361
Leeza Hernandez: It is the first cat convention, cosmic and out of this world that's coming to Florida on the east coast of the USA.
00:24:07.361 --> 00:24:18.401
Leeza Hernandez: And this is in central Florida, a hop, skip and a jump from Orlando, Cocoa Beach, the NASA, Kennebee Space Center and surrounding areas.
00:24:18.401 --> 00:24:26.461
Leeza Hernandez: We're a few hours north of Miami, a couple hours from Tampa, a couple hours south of Jacksonville, nice and centrally located.
00:24:26.461 --> 00:24:50.501
Leeza Hernandez: The idea behind Space Cats Florida really is to celebrate and elevate the cat community in this state by way of education, raising awareness, fundraising, bringing in lots of cat-themed vendors, whether it's for cats or for humans, having some really fun activities.
00:24:50.501 --> 00:25:12.021
Leeza Hernandez: We're going to have a cat adoption lounge, the Luna Lounge, we're calling it, and as well as guest speakers who are going to come in and tell us how to just harmonize with cats, whether it's helping those in fostering adoption and rescue or cats in your own home.
00:25:12.021 --> 00:25:12.601
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Amazing.
00:25:12.601 --> 00:25:12.921
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:25:12.921 --> 00:25:17.101
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You went over by 18, but I didn't want to stop you because that's a perfect elevator pitch.
00:25:17.101 --> 00:25:18.221
Isabel Alvarez Arata: No worries at all.
00:25:18.221 --> 00:25:19.301
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You're allowed to go over.
00:25:19.301 --> 00:25:21.681
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's just a recommended amount of time.
00:25:22.201 --> 00:25:22.681
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:25:22.681 --> 00:25:24.461
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I love the idea.
00:25:24.461 --> 00:25:27.161
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Do you have, you said education.
00:25:27.161 --> 00:25:31.741
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Do you have education ideas for your consumer?
00:25:31.741 --> 00:25:36.061
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Because I assume that the majority of the people who are going to attend are just pet parents.
00:25:36.641 --> 00:25:37.781
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Is that your idea?
00:25:37.781 --> 00:25:59.181
Leeza Hernandez: The goal here is to connect with experts, whether they're cat behaviorists, health care providers, veterinarians, vet techs, weather bears services, as well as celebs, as I guess you could say.
00:25:59.181 --> 00:26:00.381
Leeza Hernandez: Yeah.
00:26:00.621 --> 00:26:14.121
Leeza Hernandez: So the idea is to bring everybody together to really just celebrate cats in general, but also give consumers, the public, attendees an opportunity to ask questions.
00:26:14.241 --> 00:26:21.441
Leeza Hernandez: Maybe they're having some behavioural issues with their cat, or perhaps they recently rescued an animal.
00:26:22.481 --> 00:26:28.801
Leeza Hernandez: Maybe it was a family of kittens or something like that, and they want to know the next steps.
00:26:28.801 --> 00:26:41.181
Leeza Hernandez: Or perhaps they live very close to a cat colony, and they want to help that colony thrive through TNR programming and things like that.
00:26:41.361 --> 00:26:51.501
Leeza Hernandez: So being able to bring in some speakers who can literally speak to those different types of topics is really one of the main goals, right?
00:26:51.501 --> 00:26:58.261
Leeza Hernandez: So when I say raising awareness, it's really about, well, what are the fundamentals of the TNR program?
00:26:58.261 --> 00:26:59.201
Leeza Hernandez: What does that mean?
00:26:59.201 --> 00:27:00.261
Leeza Hernandez: Trap, new to return.
00:27:00.261 --> 00:27:10.281
Leeza Hernandez: And Sterling, the track king, is coming to share and talk about how you can do that in your own neighbourhood, or help others.
00:27:10.901 --> 00:27:23.001
Leeza Hernandez: I mean, I hear so many stories of people finding cats in the backyard, and the thing is here, we have lots of interesting wild animals running around, not just cats.
00:27:23.561 --> 00:27:34.661
Leeza Hernandez: So what can we do to help within the cat community, whether it's through TNR, fostering, adoption, general care, give back?
00:27:34.661 --> 00:27:45.861
Leeza Hernandez: And then obviously the other side of that is those who want to improve the wellness and health of their own cats in their lives.
00:27:45.861 --> 00:28:06.141
Leeza Hernandez: Maybe they've got a multi-cat household and the cats aren't getting along, or perhaps they want to try and figure out the best vet to find, but includes fear-free visits, or help cats overcome any special conditions, or maybe they want to adopt a cat with special needs or a senior.
00:28:06.841 --> 00:28:21.161
Leeza Hernandez: So there's going to be a lot of information from our speakers, our guest speakers, to talk about a lot of that, which I think is any cat convention that you go to, that's such a big component.
00:28:23.061 --> 00:28:29.701
Leeza Hernandez: It's really exciting for me to be able to connect the community in that way.
00:28:29.701 --> 00:28:30.341
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Absolutely.
00:28:30.341 --> 00:28:30.841
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I agree.
00:28:30.841 --> 00:28:39.781
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think it's such an important opportunity for Florida to kind of reach the consumer, teach them, make it fun.
00:28:39.981 --> 00:28:46.021
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I feel like people have no idea what one of these conventions is like until they attend.
00:28:46.021 --> 00:28:51.361
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So bringing it to their backyard or just a few hours away really kind of makes it enticing.
00:28:51.361 --> 00:28:54.901
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And one of the things that I love about cat people is that they're really fun.
00:28:54.901 --> 00:29:04.821
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I know that like people say like cats have a reputation for being aloof and too independent and not affectionate and we all know the cat people know that that's not the case.
00:29:04.821 --> 00:29:10.861
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And we also know that cat people when they let their hair down are really a lot of fun.
00:29:10.861 --> 00:29:12.961
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I love hanging out with cat people.
00:29:12.961 --> 00:29:14.021
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think we're silly.
00:29:14.021 --> 00:29:15.261
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think we're goofy.
00:29:15.261 --> 00:29:22.721
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think we like we're really all heart, all love, which is what I think cats are too.
00:29:22.721 --> 00:29:23.621
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Like they're all love.
00:29:23.661 --> 00:29:30.241
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's just on their terms and with respect to who they are and how they feel about certain situations.
00:29:30.241 --> 00:29:38.761
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But one of the things that I love about bringing cats together is that once we're all like, we know we're cat people, we're like, it's like our, it's a circle of trust, right?
00:29:38.761 --> 00:29:44.001
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Like you must be a good, like a really true cat person if you're at a cat conference.
00:29:44.001 --> 00:29:45.881
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And now I know you're one of my people.
00:29:45.881 --> 00:29:53.501
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So that's what I think is so much fun about these events is that people may be strangers, but they leave friends just because they connected on that.
00:29:53.701 --> 00:29:54.601
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Love of cat.
00:29:54.601 --> 00:29:58.941
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So apart from obviously education, you're going to have shopping there, right?
00:29:58.941 --> 00:30:00.801
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Like, I mean, there has to be shopping.
00:30:00.801 --> 00:30:01.041
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Okay.
00:30:01.101 --> 00:30:03.681
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Tell me about the shopping.
00:30:03.681 --> 00:30:04.161
Leeza Hernandez: Okay.
00:30:04.161 --> 00:30:08.041
Leeza Hernandez: So we have, we are still looking for vendors actually.
00:30:08.041 --> 00:30:15.481
Leeza Hernandez: So if anybody's out there who has cat themed products for cats or for humans, you know, definitely get in touch.
00:30:15.481 --> 00:30:30.261
Leeza Hernandez: But so what we're doing is we have, for the most part, I would say 98% of the vendors, if not 100%, have cat related items or services or products, right?
00:30:30.281 --> 00:30:33.401
Leeza Hernandez: So everything from cat furniture.
00:30:33.401 --> 00:30:36.861
Leeza Hernandez: So we've got Mario who's coming in with space, square paws.
00:30:36.861 --> 00:30:39.821
Leeza Hernandez: Sorry, I've got space on the brain.
00:30:39.881 --> 00:30:48.621
Leeza Hernandez: He builds these amazing cat trees, and it could look like a lighthouse, or it could look like a Christmas tree and things like that.
00:30:48.621 --> 00:30:59.941
Leeza Hernandez: So, and actually Mario is also the architect for our lunar lounge, and he's building a space pod to have our adoptable kitties in.
00:30:59.941 --> 00:31:01.341
Leeza Hernandez: So that's really cool.
00:31:01.341 --> 00:31:02.341
Isabel Alvarez Arata: That is so cool.
00:31:02.341 --> 00:31:03.421
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love the theme.
00:31:03.421 --> 00:31:08.381
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I feel like you nailed it with like just like the location, the theme, space and cats.
00:31:08.541 --> 00:31:11.041
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I mean, I'm nerding out over here over this.
00:31:11.501 --> 00:31:22.241
Leeza Hernandez: It was actually, it was funny because even though I've lived on Space Coast now for about three years, originally, I was looking to call it something that was more Florida-esque, right?
00:31:22.241 --> 00:31:23.821
Leeza Hernandez: Like Suncats.
00:31:23.821 --> 00:31:28.601
Leeza Hernandez: I know there was a show called Suncats, so I wasn't going to call it that, but it was Sunshine Cats or something like that.
00:31:28.601 --> 00:31:30.241
Leeza Hernandez: And it wasn't really sitting well with me.
00:31:30.241 --> 00:31:34.161
Leeza Hernandez: Like, I mean, I liked it, but it wasn't like, oh, yeah, you know?
00:31:35.001 --> 00:31:44.981
Leeza Hernandez: And then, I don't know, one night, I probably was at Kennedy Space Center or something like that, and just Space Cats came into my brain, and I was like, okay, I think this is it.
00:31:44.981 --> 00:31:57.341
Leeza Hernandez: I think this has so much opportunity, so the great thing about it is that we can bring in, you know, it's a really fun way to theme the event besides the cat stuff.
00:31:57.341 --> 00:32:08.981
Leeza Hernandez: And one of our speakers, Ellen Carroza, who's the cat LVT, who's bringing Noggin, Egbert and Squash, she's already picked out little A in costumes to put on the cats.
00:32:09.141 --> 00:32:10.721
Announcer: Oh my gosh!
00:32:10.721 --> 00:32:12.401
Leeza Hernandez: She's planning all these fun things.
00:32:12.801 --> 00:32:23.381
Leeza Hernandez: And I realized, like, we're gonna have a photo op stage sort of area for people with a backdrop that's this really lovely kind of galaxy backdrop, you know, ground.
00:32:23.381 --> 00:32:24.701
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Oh, wonderful.
00:32:24.701 --> 00:32:34.141
Leeza Hernandez: With, you know, stars and, and I'm just thinking about all the fun things we can do with little space ears or, like, you know, just, just fun stuff like that.
00:32:34.141 --> 00:32:42.041
Leeza Hernandez: And then we'll invite people to wear their space cat costumes and, and astronaut costumes, you know, that kind of stuff.
00:32:42.041 --> 00:32:43.481
Leeza Hernandez: So that's really fun.
00:32:43.481 --> 00:32:50.061
Leeza Hernandez: So other vendors that we're gonna have there, we have Valana Cote who does the most beautiful whisker jewelry.
00:32:50.061 --> 00:32:56.761
Leeza Hernandez: We have the, we have a lot of artists coming, including the Maclick with the 50 50 company.
00:32:56.761 --> 00:33:00.541
Leeza Hernandez: We have some local vendors who are also artists.
00:33:00.541 --> 00:33:03.721
Leeza Hernandez: We've got a woman by the name of Ray Marie.
00:33:03.721 --> 00:33:10.561
Leeza Hernandez: She does these incredible portraits that are like, they're so lifelike.
00:33:10.921 --> 00:33:12.501
Leeza Hernandez: It's unbelievable.
00:33:12.501 --> 00:33:17.881
Leeza Hernandez: But we also have vendors who do apparel and stickers and keychains.
00:33:17.881 --> 00:33:27.961
Leeza Hernandez: And, and then we have services as well, like behaviorists and a holistic cat practitioner by the name of Laura Lee Medley, who's with Moda.
00:33:27.961 --> 00:33:28.361
Leeza Hernandez: Okay.
00:33:28.361 --> 00:33:30.821
Leeza Hernandez: So she's going to be, and she'll be speaking as well.
00:33:30.821 --> 00:33:37.181
Leeza Hernandez: So we're talking about behavior with the cats, but then also how to use crystals with your cats and things like that.
00:33:37.181 --> 00:33:38.721
Leeza Hernandez: So that's really cool.
00:33:38.721 --> 00:33:41.261
Leeza Hernandez: So yeah, lots of really fun vendors.
00:33:41.261 --> 00:33:42.641
Leeza Hernandez: And I agree with you.
00:33:42.641 --> 00:33:47.881
Leeza Hernandez: I think there's something about a niche specific event like this.
00:33:47.881 --> 00:33:57.901
Leeza Hernandez: When I first started doing them, I realized I had found my people because a 100% of the population coming through the door was my target audience.
00:33:57.901 --> 00:34:14.741
Leeza Hernandez: Besides meeting new cat friends and cat lovers and geeking out and nerding out over cats in general, you know, unlike street fairs and other markets, this really was about that whole, we all have the same thing in common, right?
00:34:14.741 --> 00:34:17.481
Leeza Hernandez: And that's why we're all here together under one roof.
00:34:17.601 --> 00:34:22.281
Leeza Hernandez: And I really wanted to create an event that carried that energy.
00:34:22.281 --> 00:34:30.181
Leeza Hernandez: And when you have people like Sterling coming down, and Ellen, he's got all these fun ideas with her kitties.
00:34:31.301 --> 00:34:36.661
Leeza Hernandez: You know, I know, I just know it's going to be hilarious and fun.
00:34:36.661 --> 00:34:38.441
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes, yes.
00:34:38.441 --> 00:34:39.041
Leeza Hernandez: Yeah, who knows?
00:34:39.041 --> 00:34:44.261
Leeza Hernandez: We're still confirming some speakers, so we may have a few more big names coming.
00:34:44.261 --> 00:34:51.461
Leeza Hernandez: But even with who we have right now, it's like there's some great names and they're very well established in the cat community.
00:34:51.461 --> 00:34:58.121
Leeza Hernandez: And I know that people on the East Coast will love to meet them and come and ask questions and do the meet and greets.
00:34:58.121 --> 00:35:03.321
Leeza Hernandez: And you know, you get to meet some kitties and take photos and things like that as well.
00:35:03.321 --> 00:35:09.721
Leeza Hernandez: And then we also have, besides the vendors, we also have a couple of activity stations.
00:35:09.761 --> 00:35:15.201
Leeza Hernandez: And so there's one, and this is part of the fundraising sort of side of things.
00:35:15.201 --> 00:35:24.341
Leeza Hernandez: Okay, so the idea here is that you could come in and perhaps you want to make a, you know, do a DIY cat toy.
00:35:24.341 --> 00:35:26.401
Leeza Hernandez: Okay, so we're going to have that station.
00:35:26.401 --> 00:35:30.361
Leeza Hernandez: And we're also going to have a coloring sort of gallery wall.
00:35:30.361 --> 00:35:39.781
Leeza Hernandez: So if there's kids or if anybody likes to sit in color, or they want to draw their own space cat, and then we'll have a galaxy wall to hang every pictures.
00:35:39.781 --> 00:35:45.201
Leeza Hernandez: And the idea is that, you know, for a dollar donation or something like that, that everybody gets to put up.
00:35:45.201 --> 00:36:01.281
Leeza Hernandez: And I think that there, and there's other things too, because we're, we have an event program, and then 50% of proceeds from the event program and a couple of other of those stations, those are going to be donated to help cats in need.
00:36:01.281 --> 00:36:04.921
Leeza Hernandez: So it's a really nice, well-rounded event.
00:36:04.921 --> 00:36:05.261
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Yes.
00:36:05.861 --> 00:36:11.501
Leeza Hernandez: It's small, because it's our first one, and it can get very overwhelming.
00:36:11.501 --> 00:36:16.781
Leeza Hernandez: You, you know, you mentioned earlier about organizing something from scratch, from Cat Scratch.
00:36:16.781 --> 00:36:19.061
Leeza Hernandez: It's, it's been a lot.
00:36:19.061 --> 00:36:19.581
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's been a lot.
00:36:19.581 --> 00:36:20.981
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I can't even imagine.
00:36:20.981 --> 00:36:26.281
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And you had it scheduled for 2024, but because of the recent hurricanes, you've moved it.
00:36:26.281 --> 00:36:29.061
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So what has that experience been like?
00:36:29.061 --> 00:36:32.461
Leeza Hernandez: That I probably lost a few years in about two weeks on that.
00:36:32.901 --> 00:36:49.701
Leeza Hernandez: So even though our event originally was planned for October 26th and 27th, which is next weekend, even though it was still two weeks out, when we got hit with Helene and Hurricane Milton, so much devastation happening on the West Coast.
00:36:49.701 --> 00:36:58.281
Leeza Hernandez: And that's really not too far from where we're holding Space Cats and people's lives have been turned upside down.
00:36:58.281 --> 00:37:01.941
Leeza Hernandez: It didn't make sense for us to, to push this.
00:37:02.181 --> 00:37:22.661
Leeza Hernandez: This event because we want to move forward in a positive way, but we knew and we wanted to be respectful that people's priorities are their families, their homes, some, you know, and so while we were very lucky where we're situated through those hurricanes, other people weren't so lucky.
00:37:22.661 --> 00:37:29.881
Leeza Hernandez: And so I really think it's important to allow them the time and space to recover in the way they need to.
00:37:30.201 --> 00:37:36.201
Leeza Hernandez: And so thankfully, the Convention Center was really great about us postponing.
00:37:36.201 --> 00:37:41.381
Leeza Hernandez: And so we're now going to be at the end of January, so January 25th and 26th.
00:37:41.381 --> 00:37:42.501
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think that's wonderful.
00:37:42.501 --> 00:37:44.841
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Maybe I'll be able to make a trip and visit.
00:37:44.841 --> 00:37:48.261
Isabel Alvarez Arata: If you need an MC for anything, please let me know.
00:37:48.261 --> 00:37:49.761
Leeza Hernandez: We would love to have you, for sure.
00:37:49.761 --> 00:37:51.401
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love to MC.
00:37:51.401 --> 00:37:53.961
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I love to do social media takeovers.
00:37:53.961 --> 00:37:55.221
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I will do any of it.
00:37:55.221 --> 00:37:57.461
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I know a thing or two about cats too.
00:37:58.461 --> 00:38:00.101
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But I think it's wonderful.
00:38:00.101 --> 00:38:02.841
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I think that's a great time to be in Florida too.
00:38:02.841 --> 00:38:03.201
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Right?
00:38:03.201 --> 00:38:06.521
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So like that is officially no longer hurricane season.
00:38:06.521 --> 00:38:09.941
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It is a cool, nice, cool season in Florida.
00:38:09.941 --> 00:38:13.421
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I can't think of a better time to go to the Space Coast, honestly.
00:38:13.421 --> 00:38:18.101
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So how does my audience learn more about you and about the event?
00:38:18.101 --> 00:38:18.501
Leeza Hernandez: Okay.
00:38:18.501 --> 00:38:24.981
Leeza Hernandez: So about me, you can hit me up on Instagram at Leeza works or my website, leezaworks.com.
00:38:25.941 --> 00:38:29.221
Leeza Hernandez: I mean, that's just really more about my illustration than anything else over there.
00:38:29.221 --> 00:38:35.261
Leeza Hernandez: You can visit spacecatsflorida.com, which is the official website for the event.
00:38:35.261 --> 00:38:39.301
Leeza Hernandez: And also we have an Instagram account there, which is new.
00:38:39.301 --> 00:38:43.321
Leeza Hernandez: It's a baby account, but it's growing slowly, but surely.
00:38:43.321 --> 00:38:46.461
Leeza Hernandez: And that's Space Cats Florida all on Word.
00:38:46.461 --> 00:38:50.201
Leeza Hernandez: And let's see, tickets are on sale.
00:38:50.201 --> 00:38:51.881
Leeza Hernandez: We have VIP packages.
00:38:52.001 --> 00:38:58.081
Leeza Hernandez: We have daily passes as well as a weekend pass for adults and for youths too.
00:38:58.081 --> 00:39:01.001
Leeza Hernandez: And obviously we're going to have merch and keepsakes.
00:39:01.001 --> 00:39:09.441
Leeza Hernandez: Oh, and we have a fabulous giveaway raffle-esque type feature of the event too.
00:39:09.441 --> 00:39:15.981
Leeza Hernandez: So every ticket holder gets a free entry into the raffle to win a little robot.
00:39:16.061 --> 00:39:18.381
Leeza Hernandez: Woo, love those.
00:39:18.381 --> 00:39:19.181
Leeza Hernandez: Yes.
00:39:19.181 --> 00:39:22.601
Leeza Hernandez: Well, it's also, we have some other really great prizes to go with it.
00:39:22.601 --> 00:39:25.361
Leeza Hernandez: It's not just the, I mean, it's a little robot.
00:39:25.361 --> 00:39:26.621
Leeza Hernandez: I'm really happy about that.
00:39:26.621 --> 00:39:27.161
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Exactly.
00:39:27.161 --> 00:39:36.201
Leeza Hernandez: We also have other participating companies, either those who couldn't necessarily be with us in person, but they've kindly donated.
00:39:36.201 --> 00:39:44.561
Leeza Hernandez: So we've got some cat beds and we have a couple of cat lady boxes and some other goodies as well.
00:39:44.841 --> 00:39:46.301
Leeza Hernandez: So that's really cool too.
00:39:46.301 --> 00:39:48.321
Leeza Hernandez: And it's just a nice incentive as well.
00:39:48.321 --> 00:39:49.801
Leeza Hernandez: And as part of the give back.
00:39:49.801 --> 00:39:52.641
Leeza Hernandez: This is why I'm doing all of this, honestly.
00:39:52.641 --> 00:39:57.621
Leeza Hernandez: It's when I grew up, I had cats, I made art all the time.
00:39:57.621 --> 00:40:07.461
Leeza Hernandez: When I started getting involved with the cat conventions as an artist and selling my cat art, I was donating a portion of proceeds to help cats in need.
00:40:07.461 --> 00:40:12.501
Leeza Hernandez: And you know, it might not be a huge amount here and there, but it all adds up, right?
00:40:12.601 --> 00:40:16.721
Leeza Hernandez: And it was my way of giving back.
00:40:16.721 --> 00:40:19.801
Leeza Hernandez: We're done with the fostering because I keep failing.
00:40:21.341 --> 00:40:30.121
Leeza Hernandez: So we're sort of out of space now to foster, but you know, this is a nice way for me to be able to give back in a different capacity.
00:40:30.121 --> 00:40:44.981
Leeza Hernandez: So that was one of the reasons why I signed on with Mission Meow as a business partner, because it was an opportunity for me to give back in a small way that may collectively makes a big difference in the lives of those people who help cats in need.
00:40:44.981 --> 00:40:50.181
Leeza Hernandez: You know, I think that's a really amazing mission in itself with Mission Meow.
00:40:50.181 --> 00:40:51.201
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Absolutely.
00:40:51.201 --> 00:40:55.641
Leeza Hernandez: And so I have to just finish up with this.
00:40:55.641 --> 00:41:05.341
Leeza Hernandez: My husband, when I was complaining that there were no in-person cat conventions happening on the East Coast, he kept saying to me, you have event management experience.
00:41:05.341 --> 00:41:06.401
Leeza Hernandez: Why don't you just put on your own?
00:41:06.401 --> 00:41:08.221
Leeza Hernandez: I was like, no, it's too much work.
00:41:08.221 --> 00:41:09.261
Leeza Hernandez: I can't do this.
00:41:10.481 --> 00:41:15.921
Leeza Hernandez: And then last year, he brought it up again because I was complaining, you have to guess.
00:41:17.061 --> 00:41:18.661
Leeza Hernandez: And then I was like, you know what?
00:41:18.661 --> 00:41:20.041
Leeza Hernandez: Let me see if I can find a venue.
00:41:20.041 --> 00:41:26.181
Leeza Hernandez: But again, I said, like, this is what we would like to call a small but mighty event.
00:41:26.181 --> 00:41:40.341
Leeza Hernandez: And I think that it's just the beginning of many years to come and really kind of establishing a presence here in the Southeast of the country, in Florida specifically.
00:41:40.341 --> 00:41:42.821
Leeza Hernandez: And like you just said, you know, that was another thing.
00:41:42.821 --> 00:41:54.861
Leeza Hernandez: The hurricane season going through Milton and Hellingeen really, and then being able to postpone to January made us decide that we are actually going to make this a springtime event going forward.
00:41:54.861 --> 00:41:57.341
Leeza Hernandez: We are going to keep it out of hurricane season.
00:41:57.341 --> 00:42:00.521
Leeza Hernandez: It's way too stressful and it's too much for everybody.
00:42:00.521 --> 00:42:09.141
Leeza Hernandez: So, so we just decided that, you know, some time in that first quarter of the year is probably when we're looking to hold it.
00:42:09.141 --> 00:42:15.001
Leeza Hernandez: Maybe March, April for year two, but end of January will be 2025.
00:42:15.001 --> 00:42:15.941
Leeza Hernandez: And it's exciting.
00:42:16.241 --> 00:42:28.681
Leeza Hernandez: And again, just being able to collectively come together and get excited about cats, helping cats, helping ourselves with our own cats, and then getting to shop and have fun.
00:42:28.681 --> 00:42:31.441
Leeza Hernandez: There'll be some fun activities that we have planned as well.
00:42:31.501 --> 00:42:33.081
Leeza Hernandez: Sort of some after hours.
00:42:33.101 --> 00:42:34.401
Leeza Hernandez: Yes.
00:42:34.401 --> 00:42:35.241
Isabel Alvarez Arata: After hours.
00:42:35.241 --> 00:42:35.861
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Love that.
00:42:35.861 --> 00:42:42.421
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I want to just take this moment to say one thing that surprised me about previous cat conferences.
00:42:42.421 --> 00:42:45.061
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I think this is going to be the case for yours as well.
00:42:45.061 --> 00:42:47.041
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They're very family friendly.
00:42:47.041 --> 00:42:49.801
Isabel Alvarez Arata: So I think people think of a cat conference.
00:42:49.801 --> 00:42:54.961
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Maybe they think of like, you know, like cat con sounds like comic con and maybe it's too adult.
00:42:54.961 --> 00:43:00.941
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And maybe if my kid's not really into this is a great opportunity for kids who are interested in cats, but can't have one.
00:43:00.941 --> 00:43:14.901
Isabel Alvarez Arata: This is a great opportunity for people who, you know, want to do something fun and educational with their kid on a weekend, teach kids about giving back, teach kids about taking care of cats, teach kids about TNR and what that even means.
00:43:14.901 --> 00:43:21.701
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I have a four and a seven year old and I've not yet taken them to one of these because they're usually over school days.
00:43:21.701 --> 00:43:23.961
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But I think that they're so family friendly.
00:43:24.061 --> 00:43:25.601
Isabel Alvarez Arata: They're shopping for everybody.
00:43:25.601 --> 00:43:28.261
Isabel Alvarez Arata: A lot of the vendors have stuff that's great for kids.
00:43:28.261 --> 00:43:34.821
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It really is a great opportunity for grandparents to take the grandchildren for the day or the whole family to go together.
00:43:35.681 --> 00:43:36.901
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I can't stress enough.
00:43:36.901 --> 00:43:41.621
Isabel Alvarez Arata: This is not just for the crazy cat ladies like me and you, Leeza.
00:43:41.621 --> 00:43:42.981
Isabel Alvarez Arata: This is for everybody.
00:43:42.981 --> 00:43:45.101
Isabel Alvarez Arata: There's something for everyone there.
00:43:45.101 --> 00:43:50.181
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I can't stress enough what a great family friendly event it is.
00:43:50.181 --> 00:43:52.441
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's a small investment, a great time.
00:43:52.961 --> 00:43:56.381
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And almost like just like a different world to experience, right?
00:43:56.381 --> 00:43:56.901
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's just like-
00:43:56.901 --> 00:43:58.241
Leeza Hernandez: It's out of this world.
00:43:58.241 --> 00:43:59.501
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It is out of this world.
00:43:59.501 --> 00:44:01.641
Isabel Alvarez Arata: It's unlike anything else you'll ever see.
00:44:01.641 --> 00:44:04.201
Isabel Alvarez Arata: And I can't wait to hear how it goes down.
00:44:04.201 --> 00:44:07.401
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Hopefully, I'll have the opportunity to join you in January.
00:44:07.401 --> 00:44:12.341
Isabel Alvarez Arata: But I just want to propose a toast to you and everything you're doing for the Space Coast Cats.
00:44:12.341 --> 00:44:12.861
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cheers.
00:44:12.861 --> 00:44:14.821
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you for being my guest.
00:44:14.821 --> 00:44:16.881
Leeza Hernandez: Oh, thank you so much for having me.
00:44:16.881 --> 00:44:19.381
Leeza Hernandez: Yeah, this has been an absolute blast off.
00:44:19.621 --> 00:44:22.261
Leeza Hernandez: Ah, sorry, now the puns come out.
00:44:22.261 --> 00:44:23.701
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Though you have to have the puns.
00:44:23.701 --> 00:44:24.961
Isabel Alvarez Arata: You can't do enough puns.
00:44:24.961 --> 00:44:28.361
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I feel like cat people love a pun and we embrace it.
00:44:28.381 --> 00:44:29.601
Leeza Hernandez: Absolutely.
00:44:29.601 --> 00:44:32.101
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I want to propose a toast to my executive producer, Mark Winter.
00:44:32.101 --> 00:44:38.381
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thank you, Mark, for letting me do these awesome interviews and to our audience for joining us for these awesome conversations.
00:44:38.381 --> 00:44:45.201
Isabel Alvarez Arata: I hope I'll get to meet any of you in Florida or in any of the upcoming conferences and conventions.
00:44:45.201 --> 00:44:46.261
Isabel Alvarez Arata: These are just so fun.
00:44:46.261 --> 00:44:50.281
Isabel Alvarez Arata: If you are an avid pet lover, you got to find the closest event to you.
00:44:50.281 --> 00:44:54.041
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Just dip your toe in and you'll see just how hooked you become.
00:44:54.041 --> 00:44:57.761
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Here's to a life covered in pet hair because there's no better way to live.
00:44:57.761 --> 00:44:58.461
Leeza Hernandez: Cheers.
00:44:58.461 --> 00:44:59.081
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Cheers.
00:44:59.081 --> 00:45:00.041
Leeza Hernandez: Thank you.
00:45:00.041 --> 00:45:05.861
Isabel Alvarez Arata: To learn more about covered in pet hair, please visit coveredinpethair.com or petliferadio.com.
00:45:05.861 --> 00:45:08.721
Isabel Alvarez Arata: Thanks for watching and I'll see you next time.
00:45:08.761 --> 00:45:14.721
Announcer: Let's Talk Pets, every week, on demand, only on petliferadio.com.