Winnipeg cat expo brings hundreds of feline friends together

A pair of cats in attendance at Winnipeg's Meow Mania on April 13, 2025. (Source: Daniel Timmerman/CTV News)

Winnipeg cat lovers were in for a treat this weekend with the return of the Meow Mania spring market and adoption fair.

“What’s not to love about cats, you know, they’re lovable, they’re funny, they can make you laugh when you know you’re feeling down,” said Sabrina Naayen, event organizer of Meow Mania.

Hundreds of people lined up outside St. Norbert Arena at 3450 Pembina Hwy. on Sunday morning to check out 40 different local vendors each with cat-themed items for sale. Naayen first hosted the inaugural event last fall which she said was a big success.

“The response to our last event was overwhelming,” Naayen said.

“We had just over 1000 people come out. We had a huge line at the door. 150 people came in. There was a lot of enthusiasm for the event, a lot of excitement. Everybody loved it, and the demand is definitely there.”

Six local rescues brought cats available for adoption and several feline celebrities took time to do meet and greets throughout the day. Naayen said 300 tickets were pre-sold ahead of the event and 150 swag bags were given out in the first hour alone.

“We’re planning our next event already for the fall,” Naayen said.

“This is going to be a semi-annual event, and we’re looking forward to what’s to come. You know, we’re hoping that with each event, we can do something a little bit differently to keep the cat community really excited and engaged.”