Friskies® Gives an Homage in Fromage

ST. LOUIS, March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A cat paws the keys of a piano and 20 million online views later, she's a well-known performer. Another curious feline learns to flush the toilet so he can confirm if the water drains counter-clockwise, resulting in joy for more than five million viewers.  Cats are quickly dominating the Web – in fact, they're the "Big Cheeses" of the Internet.  To celebrate the launch of Tasty Treasures™, a new variety of wet cat food featuring the taste of cheese, Friskies® commissioned a golden cheese sculpture of these feline champions of the Internet.

Friskies appointed master cheese carver Troy Landwehr from Wisconsin, our nation's cheese capital, to hand craft the unique cheese sculpture.  Using a 640-pound block of Wisconsin cheddar cheese, Landwehr's carving depicts four iconic Internet cats engaged in the various activities that made them famous: Standing Cat, Nora the Piano Cat, Gizmo the Flushing Cat and Monorail Cat. Surpassing online video competition with a "new breed" of viral video content, these cats share a combined 30 million online views.

The cheese sculpture was unveiled on Saturday, March 12, at I Can Has Cheezburger's  "The Internet is Serious Business" party at South by Southwest Interactive. Through sites like I Can Has Cheezburger, owners share their cats' wonderfully dynamic personalities with millions of viewers every day.

"Cats have always brought smiles to their owners' faces, and now owners are sharing these fun moments online, which is why Friskies was delighted to partner with I Can Has Cheezburger to celebrate the growing popularity of cats on the Web by showcasing the 'Big Cheeses' in a playful way," said Aaron Williams, Assistant Brand Manager of Friskies. "Because our research tells us that many cats like cheese, we thought the cheese sculpture was a perfect way to acknowledge these high-profile felines and our new cheese-flavored product at the same time."

In a recent survey(1) of 738 cat owners conducted on behalf of Friskies, 46 percent said their cats like the flavor of cheese.  Three in five said they would serve their cats food made with cheese. The online survey took place in February 2011.

"We developed Tasty Treasures to bring new excitement and something a little unexpected to cats' mealtime," said Williams. "The bursts of color and the taste of cheese in every bite make Tasty Treasures a fun experience that stimulates cats' senses and satisfies their hunger for variety."

Available nationwide for a suggested retail price of $0.52, Friskies Tasty Treasures are 100 percent complete and balanced nutrition for cats of all ages and available in four new wet product line SKUs: With Turkey and Cheese in Gravy; With Chicken and Cheese in Gravy; With Ocean Fish, Tuna, & Cheese in Gravy; and With Chicken, Tuna & Cheese in Gravy.

To learn more about Friskies Tasty Treasures or to see photos and video of the Friskies "Big Cheeses" cheese sculpture, visit our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/Friskies.

About Friskies®

Friskies® offers a complete line of great-tasting cat foods, including more than 60 wet, dry and treat varieties that help cats enjoy multiple sensory experiences. Friskies is manufactured by Nestle Purina PetCare, a global leader in the pet care industry. Nestle Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. The North American headquarters for Nestle Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Mo. Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A. – the world's largest food company.

(1)The survey results are from an online omnibus of 738 cat owners conducted by Opinion Research Corporation.  The online omnibus study is conducted twice a week among a demographically representative U.S. sample of 1,000 adults 18 years of age and older.  Interviewing for these surveys was completed on January 31-February 1 and February 3-4, 2011.  The margin of error is +/- 3.6%.

SOURCE Friskies