“If your partner loves cats, they’re probably a keeper,” say the folks from CatCon. The annual convention in Los Angeles brings together cat people from all over the world. CatCon has led to adoptions for hundreds of kitties over the years. But in this story, it led to wedding bells!
Ashley and Andrew holding hands at CatCon 2015. Images and media via TikTok/CatCon Official
Recently, CatCon shared the romantic story of Ashley and Andrew, who flew from Cleveland to CatCon in 2015, the year it was founded. (It actually started as a Cat Art Show in 2014 and grew from there.)
Hey, 2015 is the first year that Cat Man Chris and Jess were there, so maybe they saw each other!
Chris meeting some of our first CaM family members in 2015 at CatCon.
Ashley and Andrew with her house panther. Images and media via TikTok/CatCon Official
Love Blooms at CatCon
The young Ohio couple had been dating for about six months when they decided to take the trip.
Back at home, Andrew’s fraternity brothers gave him some flack for attending a cat event with “some girl” he had just met, although they’d been dating half a year.
But Andrew didn’t let the frat boys discourage him. Instead, he told them he was having an “awesome time” with his date. He even wore a shirt that read, “Check Meowt” with a cat on it, and she wore fluffy black cat ears.
“Seeing how he stuck up for me and shared my love for cats made me realize he was ‘the one,'” Ashley said.
Four years later, they got married!
Sitting atop the wedding cake was a sculpture that showed them with their black kitty.
Flash forward two more years, and they had another baby, their first human child, seen snuggling with the house panther. Have you ever seen a happier baby?
Carter with a cute house panther
From the start, their human child loved cats, and his first word was ‘kitty!’
Andrew holds Carter to look at two cats on a cat tree.
TikTok/CanConOfficial
Another Frat Bro Turned Cat Dad
On Instagram, Ashely shared an ameowzing update: One of Andrew’s fraternity brothers who had teased him about going to CatCon later became a cat convert too!
“Just wanted to send a funny update- one of the fraternity brothers who teased my now husband for attending a cat convention with me (we are all friends now) saw this video and messaged me laughing because now HE is dating a crazy cat lady who has moved her cat in with him even though he is allergic to cats 😂 so we have successfully converted one of them lol,” Ashely shared.
Online there were thousands of responses to the love story.
“This is the 21st Century and people are still making fun of men who like cats?” asked one person.
“The couple that cat together stay together,” said another person.
“That’s why dudes should not listen to their friends, haters gonna hate. ❤️❤️❤️” remarked another.
Highlights of CatCon 2023
Here’s more about CatCon 2023, which took place from August 5 to 6 at the Pasadena Convention Center.
“It’s an in-real-life dog park for cat people,” says CatCon founder Susan Michals.
The convention was sold out with over 11,000 visitors, the most in its 8-year hisstory. We see lots of familiar faces, like actress Angela Kinsey,Uno, the one-eared cat, Nathan the Cat Lady, Sterling TrapKing Davis, Adventure Cat Leo, and rescuer Grace Choi from the Happy Kitty Rescue.
Highlights from CatCon 2023 with Sterling TrapKing Davis and Nathan the Cat Lady, and actress Angela Kinsey.
Special Tribute to Rescuer Ashley Morrison
The event also honored the late “Youngest Old Cat Lady,” Ashley Morrison, with a special tribute booth.
“I got to meet so many wonderful people, and hear so many terrific stories about Ashley this past weekend. It really filled my heart. You guys are the best.🥰❤️😻,” said Ashley’s mom Cindi.
Cindi Morrison at CatCon 2023 in a tribute booth to Ashley Morrison. Image via Instagram/Ashely’s Kitten Academy
Hundreds of tributes signed to remember rescuer Ashley Morrison.
You can see much more on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Video by CatCon Worldwide/TikTok
