LA Feline Film Festival is the cat’s meow

There isn’t a day that goes by without a new video going viral on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube of some cat looking cute, being mischievous or even saving the day.

So it was just a matter of time before these Internet videos would go legit. This Sunday, cat fanatics will descend on Christmas Tree Lane at Exposition Park for the LA Feline Film Festival.

And the festival is pulling out all the stops with personal appearances by three feline superstars -- Lil Bub, Tara the Hero Cat and Dusty the Klepto Cat.

Lil Bub, the 3-year-old cat known for her “perma-kitten” appearance and that helped raise $100,000 for animals in need, will participate in a meet and greet.

Joining her in the Celebrity Cat Tent will be Tara, who made news after a video went viral earlier this year that received more than 500 million views and that shows her chasing down a vicious dog attacking her 4-year-old owner. Then there’s Animal Planet sensation Dusty the Klepto Cat, who has a penchant for stealing items and leaving them on his owner’s porch.

The festival is based on the popular Internet Cat Video Festival, which began two years ago at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“They did it as an experiment,” said LA Festival director Erik DeLeo, founder of the green cat product company Organikat.

“They have an event space next to their building, and they throw events during the summertime,” said DeLeo, who owns two cats.

“One of the employees suggested they compile a bunch of cat Internet videos together. People thought it was kind of weird at first. But when they did it, 10,000 people showed up. It instantly became a thing. And a friend of mine saw a story on the festival and me you should bring this to L.A.”

The films don’t start until 8 p.m. “From 1-7 p.m. it’s kind of a traditional fun outdoor festival except it’s a celebration of the cat,” said DeLeo.

There will be musical acts, a comedian and a cat costume contest. Several shelters are also participating in the festival with some offering cats for adoption.

The 75-minute cat video reel, which premiered last month at the Walker Center, was edited by Will Braden, the creator of the popular Henri, Le Chat Noir series. Braden will also do a short Q&A Sunday night before the films begin.

“I haven’t seen the reel yet, but each year the reel is different,” said DeLeo.

For more information go to https://www.lafelinefilmfestival.com