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Matilda's Annual Celeration & Cat Fashion Show - August 3, 2017

Cats Take to the Catwalk at Algonquin Hotel Cat Fashion Show & Fundraiser on August 3rd

   

Annual Event Celebrating Resident Cat, Matilda III, Aims to Raise $10,000 for Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals

Wednesday, July 12, 2017 – New York, NY – It’s not quite New York Fashion Week, but eight felines will be strutting their stuff in one-of-a-kind outfits designed by certified animal fashion designer Ada Nieves in celebration of The Algonquin Hotel’s most famous resident, Matilda III, The Algonquin Cat.

Matilda's Annual Celeration & Cat Fashion Show - August 3, 2017

Matilda’s Annual Celebration & Cat Fashion Show will take place on Thursday, August 3, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. This year’s theme is a tribute to Tony award-winning musicals, and highlights will include:

  • Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts
  • Cat fashion show
  • Special performance from Cats, the musical
  • Silent auction featuring a variety of items, including Pet Tree Houses, Sleepypod, one-year supply of Merrick cat food, and a pair of tickets to Cats, featuring a backstage meet-and-greet
  • Special gift for all guests from Cat Sushi
  • On-site mobile adoption unit with cats and kittens available for adoption from Linda’s Cat Assistance in front of the hotel that day from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are available for $60 per person, which includes the reception and cat fashion show. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals. Visit the Alliance website for additional information, to purchase tickets, or to bid on silent auction items.

Guests are encouraged to wear their best feline-inspired outfit and share photos from the event on social media using the hashtag #AlgonquinCat.

Learn More & Buy Tickets


The Algonquin HotelAbout The Algonquin Cat
For many years the history of The Algonquin Cat was believed to have its origins in the 1930s, when a stray cat came wandering into the hotel for food and water. After the hotel acquired an out-of-print book written by the hotel’s first general manager, Frank Case, a chapter was discovered about a cat named Billy. Based on the timeline of the book, the hotel is now proud to say the lineage of The Algonquin Cat dates back to the early 1920s. Two days after Billy passed, a stray cat wandered into the hotel and The Algonquin welcomed Rusty. The famous classical actor, John Barrymore, was a resident at the time in the early 1930s, and Rusty was renamed Hamlet in his honor. Hamlet is said to have been Barrymore’s greatest stage role. The hotel has had a total of 11 cats, including Billy. The lineage includes seven Hamlets and three Matildas. Each cat that has reigned at The Algonquin has been a rescue. In 1980, author Hilary Knight immortalized The Algonquin Cat with his cartoons for a children’s book on which he collaborated with Val Schaffer. The current Matilda began her residence in December 2010.

Today, Matilda is looked after by the hotel’s Chief Cat Officer, Alice De Almeida. The hotel’s Executive Chef cooks her special meals on holidays. She receives fan mail and gifts constantly, from around the world, including Japan, Australia, and Russia. Matilda can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. She can also be reached via e-mail.

The Algonquin Hotel is located at 59 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036. algonquinhotel.com

Media Contact

Jane Coloccia, JC Communications, LLC
Phone: (917) 930-0062
E-mail: Jane@JCCommunicationsllc.com