What is the Internet good for, if not for cat videos? Now your cute cat videos can net you some cash and help out some cat shelters:

Friskies® Presents “The Friskies:” The Search for the Next Great Original Internet Cat Video

Cat Food Brand Launches Major Award for Best New Internet Cat Videos of 2012

ST. LOUIS – September 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Many great art forms have awards for the best new work created each year. Films have the Oscars®. TV shows have the Emmys®. And now, finally, Internet cat videos have “The Friskies.”
The Friskies® cat food brand is proud to announce “The Friskies,” a national contest to find and honor the best in original Internet cat videos with significant prizes and charity donations, including a $15,000 Grand Prize.
For years, people have been creating, posting and sharing Internet cat videos – just for fun. Now, cat owners and their cats have the opportunity to earn much more than giggles and skyrocketing video view totals. They have an opportunity to be recognized for their achievements.
“We love cat videos because they showcase the imagination of both cats and their owners,” said Shaun Belongie, Friskies brand manager. “Some may say that there are too many cat videos on the Internet already. We don’t think so. We’re launching ‘The Friskies’ because we think the next great cat video is just waiting to be discovered.”
“The Friskies” formally celebrates the genre of Internet cat videos by awarding cash prizes and trophies in specific categories. The contest also rewards the online community’s participation efforts with donations of Friskies cat food to cat charity organization partners. Friskies has committed to donate 125,000 cans of cat food to cat charity organization partners. Each time someone enters the contest, votes, or likes or shares a video; five additional cans of Friskies cat food will be added to the total number of cans to be donated, up to a total of 250,000 cans.
Contest Overview
The call for entries is open now through October 12 at www.TheFriskies.com. Up to Twelve finalists will be chosen for the judging and public voting phase in October, and winners will be announced in November. Each finalist will receive a one-year supply of Friskies cat food, and an original Friskies cat statue, the “Cat-uette.” The grand prize winner receives $15,000 and the honor of “Best Video,” and four category prize winners receive $2,500. The Cat-egories include:

• Catness: The essence of cat behavior – moments of pure cat awesomeness
• Catcom: Your cat in a humorous situation
• Catventure: An indoor cat adventure
• Catch All: For entries that don’t fit into one of the other categories

Entries must be original videos no longer than three minutes. Videos will be judged on originality, overall artistic impression, cinematography, technical production, audience appeal and entertainment quality, cat playfulness or quirks, sense of a story being told, and portraying cat’s perspective.
Contest Judges
For a contest of this magnitude, Friskies recruited a highly-qualified panel to judge the finalists’ videos. The judges hail from acclaimed professional backgrounds in art design, various aspects of the film industry, and cat lifestyle media:

• Wayne White: Iconic folk artist, original set designer for Pee Wee’s Playhouse and star of this fall’s acclaimed documentary Beauty is Embarrassing.
• Michael Showalter: Actor, comedian, cat humorist, and professor at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts known for co-writing the cult hit Wet Hot American Summer and as a member of the sketch comedy trio Stella.
• Tim League: Film industry trendsetter known for founding Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, Rolling Roadshow and Fantastic Fest, the largest genre film festival in the nation.
• Karen Nichols: Managing editor of award-winning online cat lifestyle magazine Mousebreath, and Internet cat video creator and aficionado.

Cat Shelters Nationwide To Benefit
The best Internet cat video stars and their directors aren’t the only winners of “The Friskies.” The contest is possible in part because many rescue cats have found happy homes…with owners who love sharing videos of their cats’ awesomeness on the Internet.
Based on numbers of entries, views and votes, Friskies will donate up to 250,000 cans of cat food to shelters and rescue organizations across the country. Twenty-five cat charity organizations each may receive 10,000 cans of Friskies cat food by the end of this year. Visit www.TheFriskies.com for more information about the charities, and the many ways to become part of “The Friskies.”
Contest Rules
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., 18 years of age or older at the time of entry (19 years of age or older if a resident of AL or NE.) Entry period ends at 12:00:01 p.m. ET on 10/12/12. See Official Rules at www.TheFriskies.com. Sponsored by Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, Checkerboard Square, St. Louis, MO.
About Friskies
The Friskies® brand offers a complete line of great-tasting cat foods, including more than 60 wet, dry and treat varieties. Friskies is manufactured by Nestlé Purina PetCare, a global leader in the pet care industry. Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. The North American headquarters for Nestlé Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis; Mo. Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A. – the world’s largest food company.
OSCARS® is a trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and EMMYS® is a trademark of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.  All other trademarks are owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. or used with permission.