Featured Blogger: Amy Bajalis of Love Meow

A self-proclaimed cat lover, Amy Bajalis shares her passion for felines on her blog, Love Meow.  In addition to posting oodles of adorable cat pictures and videos, Bajalis also uses her blog to draw attention to the importance of animal rescues and adoptions. Fans of this addictive blog can also keep up with cute cat news on Twitter and Facebook!

Q: When and why did you start blogging?

A: It was fall 2009 after we adopted Flip into our home. He is a shy black cat with the sweetest heart. A couple months later, we were found by two other cats Jackie and Shadow. Together with Flip and Lucy (our youngest adopted kitty), they became my inspiration for Love Meow, a blog dedicated to spread the love of cats.

Q: How do you think your blog stands out amongst other animal-lover blogs?

A: Most posts on Love Meow have a story behind it. Love Meow has published many amazing and inspiring stories shared by animal shelters, rescuers, foster parents, and cat lovers. They have touched the hearts of so many that now we have approximately 50 thousand Facebook likes and the number is growing fast daily. In an effort to raise the awareness of animal adoption, for each comment my readers make, I put 5cents into a fund which goes to an animal shelter nominated by my readers.

Q: What does your family think of your blogging?

A: My husband is my biggest support for my blog. He is a real cat lover who understands and loves cats with a passion. My blog has brought many interesting topics into our family conversation. It’s been a joy to talk about things we all enjoy.

Q: How many picture/video submissions do you receive daily, and how do you choose which ones to post?

A: I get numerous submissions each day from cat lovers, and I hand pick material to post on the blog. Often times I reach out to cat lovers about the photos they took and the story behind them. Though there are many cute pictures and videos on the internet, I focus on the new, original and inspiring ones that show how wonderful these furry creatures are.

Q: How much time daily do you spend blogging?

A: It varies. I update the blog about three times a day, but I spend a lot of time responding to readers’ questions and learning what they like on the blog, keeping every post interesting to them. My readers have been the biggest help in shaping this blog.

Q: How many times have you redesigned your blog since it started?

A: I have redesigned my blog about two times since it started. I changed the banner and layout to make the blog more user friendly and inviting.

Q: How much do you correspond one-on-one with readers?

A: Whenever my readers email me about questions regarding their cats, I will respond to each of them as soon as possible and with as much help as I can provide. I have made many great cat lover friends over time. Some of them have shared their stories on Love Meow.

Q: What joys did you not expect when you started blogging?  What pains?

A: There have been so many joys – the continuous support from my readers, the influence some of our stories have made on the internet, people telling us they are considering adoption after reading our stories, helping local shelters and raising the awareness of animal rescue and so on. There are always ups and downs, but I take each setback as motivation to push myself forward.

Q:  What’s something your readers don’t know about you?

A: My readers might not know that I am very into photography and most of the photos that I have taken are about cats.

Q: What’s your personal favorite blog post?

A: I have so many favorite posts. To name a few: I did an exclusive interview with the internet sensation Maru the cat and another one with Simon Tofield, the author of Simon’s Cat. The story about a feral cat that changed from fear to acceptance and trust. Stories about marines rescuing cats in Afghanistan and sailors bonding with 3 stowaways. Out of all the stories, my all time favorite has to be the cat who was born without eyes.

 

ADVERTISERS: For the next week, use discount code “MEOWAD50” to target Love Meow’s audience for 50% off on a 728×90 Leaderboard, a 300×250 Rectangle, or a 160x 100, 160×200 or 160×600 Blogad unit!

Tags: interview