How watching cat videos can be a full-time job

There is no shortage of cat content on the internet. In the first half of 2022 alone, more than 18 million cat videos were uploaded to YouTube. That’s 90,000 clips uploaded per day. But for Will Braden – Seattle’s most dedicated “cat person” – that wasn’t enough.

He wanted something curated, something with more substance. He also wanted to support cats in need. So in 2012, he helped found CatVideoFest, a 75-minute show featuring the best and newest cat videos from around the world, shown annually in theaters to raise money for local animal shelters and animal welfare organizations.

“With CatVideoFest we are bringing cat lovers together in one place. “You’ll see cat videos, but you’ll also be one of your people,” Braden says, as his own cat Nin – whom he calls his “superior” – sleeps soundly behind him.

“It’s impossible to be in that environment and feel embarrassed. It’s just unironically cheerful and funny. The icing on the cake is that you’re raising money for your local animal shelter.”

Although it’s not a film you’d normally pay money to see in the cinema, CatVideoFest has become a real phenomenon. According to Braden, the audience is growing by about 30 to 40 percent each year. This year alone, the company has grossed over $410,000 in the U.S. – double its 2023 profit – and raised nearly $45,000 for local animal shelters and charities.

This year the first screening will take place in Australia. The film will be shown in 129 cinemas nationwide, with a portion of the proceeds going to local animal shelters such as Maneki Neko Cat Rescue in Melbourne.

Since taking over the festival’s helm in 2016, Braden says CatVideoFest has become his full-time job. He watches around 15,000 cat videos every year, some of which he finds on social media, through friends or even in never-before-seen student films. In order for a clip to make it to the final reel, which typically consists of around 200 videos, it must be relatively short, engaging, and feature cats in a friendly manner (also known as “No Cats in Danger”). Braden also requires credit permission for every video he uses, as well as the music it contains.

“It takes a whole year, and once it’s done, it starts all over again. My business card literally says, ‘I watch cat videos for a living’.”