It’s a surreal thing, watching strangers interact with something you made. You don’t know if they’ll scoff, smile, or walk away. That was me at CatCon 2025, standing behind a booth with a magnetic cat toy I built, smiling like I’d done this a thousand times. I hadn’t.
It was Turnipet’s first time exhibiting- and at CatCon’s 10-year anniversary. Big milestone. Big crowds. And for a small business like mine, a big leap.
Thankfully, I had help. My partner and I tackled setup together, and it went surprisingly smoothly: part planning, part adrenaline. I threw on my best “let’s do this” face and leaned into the excitement.
Here’s the thing about CatCon: everyone there is just as obsessed with cats as you are. Some were dressed like them. Some pushed cats in strollers. Cat-themed shirts everywhere. And everyone was incredibly kind.
People came up curious, excited, skeptical. I heard things like:
“This is genius.”
“Wait, how is it magnetic?”
“My cat would go feral for this.”
And sometimes: “My cat might destroy this in two seconds.”
I met kids who couldn’t stop snapping the toys on and off while laughing hysterically. One mom and her son returned to the booth several times before finally picking one out. I hope their cat loved it.
I also chatted with fellow vendors, like the team at Yeowww, who’ve been doing this for years. They offered advice, encouragement, and made me feel right at home.
Food? Almost an afterthought. I shoveled more than one hot dog behind the booth between demos.
By the end of the weekend, I was drained physically and socially. But also revitalized. Not from the hot dogs, from the joy of seeing people get it. Watching kids light up. Hearing cat lovers call it the most innovative toy at the convention. What a great feeling!
Missed CatCon? Get the Magnetic Catch Wand here!