Ever fear that Seattle might be losing its famously weird edge? Think of my tour through this past weekend’s Sea-Meow Convention, a two-day cats-travaganza at the Seattle Center, as an antidote to such worries.
The event felt like a dreamy SNL Stefon nightclub setup: Killer cat-loving attire, furries, and outfits between those extremes that Andrew Lloyd Webber would love. Cat backpacks. Kitten-petting chambers staged to raise money for local charities and adoption centers. Oodles of cat-themed merch, from cat toys to cat fashions to cat-filled children’s books to cat humiliation devices. (Lots of merch honored the cat anus, if you’re into that.) There were also expert panels about better kitty care—including a full hour dedicated to feline dentistry—and musical acts that ranged from trombone-playing cat cosplayers to a full hip-hop set all about cats. (One hook from our new favorite MC, Moshow: “Cats need their paws, so you better not declaw.”)
After debuting in 2019, the Sea-Meow Convention went on a pandemic paw-ss until returning this year. Thankfully, three years off didn’t stimy the capacity crowd’s en-mew-siasum. I admittedly missed some of the zanier moments of the two-day event, including a cat cosplay contest hosted by the local team at GeekGirlCon, so head to Sea-Meow’s official Instagram for even more photos and videos.
Scenes from the Sea-Meow Convention at Seattle Center. SAM MACHKOVECHScenes from the Sea-Meow Convention at Seattle Center. SAM MACHKOVECHScenes from the Sea-Meow Convention at Seattle Center. SAM MACHKOVECHScenes from the Sea-Meow Convention at Seattle Center. SAM MACHKOVECHThe cat-obsessed rapper Moshow gets down with an equally enthusiastic ASL interpreter. SAM MACKOVECHSay hello to Mew. Sam MachkovechIf you think this cat’s nose-pressed-into-glass expression is intense, imagine how it reacted to Sea-Meow’s catnip toys section. SAM MACHKOVECHScenes from the Sea-Meow Convention at Seattle Center. SAM MACHKOVECHKittens include Luff, Batten, Jib, Boom, Cringle, Jibe, and Scupper. SAM MACHKOVECHKittens include Luff, Batten, Jib, Boom, Cringle, Jibe, and Scupper. SAM MACHKOVECHThese people paid $5 each to play with these kittens. SAM MACHKOVECHWorth it. SAM MACHKOVECHFun fact, according to Sea-Meow signage: Kittens are more amenable to strangers than older cats are. SAM MACHKOVECH
Galaxycatvet.com gets to the heart of their work in one of Sea-Meow’s more macabre booths. SAM MACHKOVECH
Scenes from the Sea-Meow Convention at Seattle Center. SAM MACHKOVECHScenes from the Sea-Meow Convention at Seattle Center. SAM MACHKOVECHLots of cat cosplay options filled this table, but I was focused squarely on the unique torture that is putting a cat into a Link costume from Legend of Zelda. SAM MACHKOVECHScenes from the Sea-Meow Convention at Seattle Center. SAM MACHKOVECHScenes from the Sea-Meow Convention at Seattle Center. SAM MACHKOVECHOkay, the holiday sock on the right might be too much. Did we really need to combine cat-ass with a mistletoe?! SAM MACHKOVECHScenes from the Sea-Meow Convention at Seattle Center. SAM MACHKOVECH
