The Cat Tour Begins

The 7th annual cat tour in the Wedge neighborhood of Minneapolis was a major success earlier this week. About 100 cat enthusiasts prowled the streets to admire all the local kitties!

Cats as Celebrities

The cat tour happens every year in a place called the Wedge. It's exactly what it sounds like. Neighborhood cats become celebrities for the day. They sit in their favorite windows while people walk by, cheer them on, and take photos.

Joining the Tour

Families with cats can register their homes as official cat tour stops beforehand. This way, their cats get added to the official cat tour roster. Many also put posters in their windows with their cat's names and fun facts. This helps neighborhood cat fans get to know them even better.

The Hunt for Bonus Cats!

Not everyone manages to register their cats in time. So, cat tour participants are always on the lookout for what they call bonus cats. Each time a bonus cat is spotted, there's much rejoicing in the crowd.

How It All Started

The neighborhood cat tour exists because of one man named John Edwards. When John first moved to the area, he noticed lots of window cats whenever he went for a walk. He began posting photos of those cats to his social media page called WedgeLive, which he also uses for hyper-local journalism.

A Fun Community Idea Grows

As the cat photos became popular, John had an idea for a cat tour. He thought it would be a fun way to bring the community together. In 2017, he organized the first cat tour with a 30-person turnout. Since then, it's grown bigger and bigger each year. This year's event saw around 500 people participating!