Purina® Cat Chow® Real Stories Project Contest Finalists Revealed; Vote For Favorite Finalist Story To Help Select Grand Prize Winners

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Purina^® Cat Chow^® recently announced the 10 finalists of the "Purina Cat Chow Real Stories Project Contest," a nationwide search to find, showcase and celebrate cat stories that highlight the special relationship between cat people and their cats, as well as the many ways our cats are always there for us. Cat people across the country can help select the five grand prize winners of the Purina Cat Chow Real Stories Project Contest by voting at www.yourcatstory.com for their favorite cat relationship finalist story until Sept. 18, 2012.

The Purina Cat Chow Real Stories Project Contest will honor five grand prize winners who will each receive a $5,000 cash prize and a one year supply of Purina^® Cat Chow^® brand cat food for one cat.  Grand Prize winners may also have their cat relationship story told through a Purina Cat Chow brand online video. The winners' videos will be shared online with the Purina Cat Chow Community on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

"The stories submitted to the Purina Cat Chow Real Stories Project capture all of the rewards that come with owning a cat – commitment, loyalty, companionship and support," said Vincent Biroscak, Purina Cat Chow brand director. "We're asking for cat people from across the country to vote for their favorite finalist story to help select our grand prize winners."

Meet the Purina Cat Chow Real Stories Project Finalists and their cats:

• Kathy C. and Oreo (Glendale, Ariz.)
• Lisa H. and Kira (Tulsa, Okla.)
• Lucky H. and Sinbad (Jacksonville, Fla.)
• Kristen M. and Joey (La Palma, Calif.)
• Deena P. and Marsha (Colbert, Ga.)
• Laura P. and Minnie (Farmingdale, N.J.)
• Pat S. and Fluffy (Bonita Springs, Fla.)
• Valerie T. and Misty (Brownsville, Pa.)
• Marsha C. and Lexus (Saute-Nacoochee, Ga.)
• Jennifer W. and Neuman (Phoenix, Ariz.)

To view the finalists' submissions and vote (limit one vote per person per day for all voting channels combined) visit www.yourcatstory.com from now until Sept. 18, 2012. You can also cast your vote at www.facebook.com/purinacatchow.

Purina Cat Chow will also recognize five of the finalists' cat relationship stories as runners-up with a $1,000 cash prize each and one year supply of Purina^® Cat Chow^® brand cat food for one cat. In addition, 40 stories will receive an honorable mention and a $100 gift card. In total, the contest will award more than $30,000 in prizes.

In addition to the consumer vote, the finalist entries will be evaluated by an independent panel of judges who will score the entries using the following criteria:

• Originality in describing your special relationship with your cat(s) (30%)
• High quality storytelling captured in the essay and/or photo or video (30%)
• Effectively demonstrating the Purina Cat Chow brand belief of "always there for you" (40%)

To enter the Contest, cat people were invited to complete an online entry form and submit a brief essay (600 characters or less) about their special relationships with their cat. Entrants each selected a theme that best described their story from the following options: My First Cat, Why I'm a Cat Person, Forever a Cat Family, How We Found Each Other, Generations of Care, Always There for Me, and Memories.

The five grand prize winners, five runners-up and honorable mentions will be announced on or around Oct. 1, 2012 at www.yourcatstory.com.

About Nestle Purina PetCare and Purina Cat Chow Brand Cat Food

The North American headquarters for Nestle Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Mo., where Ralston Purina was founded more than a century ago. Nestle Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. One of the leading global players in the pet food industry, Nestle Purina PetCare is part of the Swiss-based Nestle S.A. – the world's largest food company. With nutrition for each life stage, Purina^® Cat Chow^® brand Cat Food offers a family of products with 100 percent complete and balanced nutrition for physical health and well being. For more information on Purina Cat Chow, visit catchow.com.

SOURCE Purina Cat Chow