This is Sparta: Cat Celebrity!
Have you met Sparta, the Mean Kitty of YouTube?
This famous feline, an Egyptian Mau, took the video meme circuit by storm in September 2007, starring in the cat music video "Hey Little Sparta" by Cory "Mr. Safety" Williams, director of SMP Films. The "Mean Kitty Song" quickly became an Internet sensation and the second most popular animal video of all time on YouTube. [1]
Fans flooded Cory's inbox with email. Carried away by Sparta-mania as much as anybody, Sparta's owner finally had to set up a special video channel for "The Mean Kitty" so he could get back to hosting and producing his own online shows.
Sparta and Cory share their pad with Loki, another cat, and another feeder-person named Stephanie. Fans of Sparta have been treated to advice on "How to Annoy Your Cat (in a nice way)," an interactive Choose Your Own Adventure story to Find Sparta and the occasional random cute kitty video, to Cory's chagrin.
Alas, life is not all about pouncing humans and salmon steaks (a favorite treat of this cat celebrity). There is some sad news about Sparta. But first, let me introduce you to The Mean Kittty Song, or, if you've already run across it, let's take a trip down memory lane.
"Hey Little Sparta" aka "The Mean Kitty Song"
The Video that Launched a Cat Celebrity's Career
The Mean Kitty Story
One Good Little Deed...
Note: if your kitten has a biting problem, many cat experts recommend that you not wrestle with it or use your hands for play. Instead, encourage it to channel its aggressions on toys. That won't work in every case, but if you use your hands, you're sending mixed messages with a "toy" that's more entertaining than all the others!
More "Sparta The Mean Kitty" Videos
Besides the Mean Kitty Song, which videos of Sparta are your favorites?
Eco-Friendly Cat Toy Ideas!
Make Your Own Cat Toys: Saving The Planet One Cat Toy At A Time
Amazon Price: $11.95 (as of 12/16/2009)
Yeah, we've all bought those little plastic toys whose ultimate fate is a landfill, or Made in China toys that probably have lead in them. This book makes it easy, though. It goes beyond the paper bag and paper ball to bring you 50 great cat toy ideas and other eco-friendly tips for saving the planet!
Plus, this lens donates all proceeds (such as they are) to the Humane Society, so a portion of your purchase will help our furry friends!
Capturing Feral Cats
A Public Service Announcement
This video raises awareness of The Stray Cat Alliance, which provides free human traps and pays for spaying and neutering.
Sparta Diagnosed with Feline Leukemia
Sparta could have had FeLV before he ever came into Cory's home. My friends lost a cat to FeLV even though they had her vaccinated while still a kitten, right after bringing her home. But it's a sad reminder that FeLV is a widespread disease. Even if your cat is indoor-only, you aren't, and germs can travel long distances on hands, clothes, and shoes.
On the other hand, there is hope for Sparta! FeLV is a serious disease that hampers the immune system and can lead to cancer, but many cats with FeLV live long, happy lives. Sparta is in good spirits and doesn't show signs of being sick. Let's pray for many more great Mean Kitty Videos.
One More Mean Kitty Video For the Road
Sparta Wins!
Other Cat Lenses You Should See
Not-So-Mean Kitty Stars
First, because my cat will NOT be pleased if I feature another cat and don't show off her fabulous moves. And second, another cat on Squidoo needs to tell you why you shouldn't declaw your cat. (Sparta's got the cool nail caps -- yours can too!)-
Samhain the Cat
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My owner has neglected to make a shrine to the house god, so I have threatened to yark on her Dance Dance Revolution pad every day until she submits. (Could be worse-- at least it's easy to clean.) My name is Samhain, and I was adopted from a shelte...
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Why Declawing Cats Is a Bad Idea
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A lot of humans who care about us cats know that declawing is wrong. They will tell you about how cruel and painful the operation is, and all the problems that declawing can cause. But being mere humans, they only know the half of it. Let a cat ...
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Feline Frequent Flyer Tips: Pets on a Plane!
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Airplanes. Cat carriers. Airport security. Oh, the indignity of it all! Well, if we must board those infernal contraptions, the least our owners can do is let us fly in style. I won't say "in comfort," but a good under-the-seat soft-sided cat carrier...
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Internet Fame for Your Cat
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We all think of our cats as our children and so we are thrilled when they get recognition. First we will look at photo hosting sites, then funny and cute photo places. Even a pet dating service! After that we will look at how popular blogs mixed wit...
Fan Feedback For the Mean Kitty
Go to Sparta's YouTube channel, if you want to leave fanmail for this feline superstar!
But there's a lot of cat fans out there, and a lot of web-savvy cats. So, just in case anyone has a comment to make, here's a guestbook for ya!
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- jANA jANA Oct 8, 2009 @ 11:06 am
- I LOVE T WATCH MEAN KITTY SPARTA AND LOKI! ^------^
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- cmauze cmauze Aug 16, 2009 @ 1:08 pm
- Speaking of capturing stray cats, did Sparta ever get neutered? It's important for pet cats as well as homeless strays and ferals. I presume Cory knows that (now) since he's aware of the cat overpopulation problem and what happens to a majority of our furry friends who have the unfortunate luck to wind up in "shelters".
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- mean kitty luber mean kitty luber Aug 9, 2009 @ 1:11 pm
- I love the mean kitty. I have a mean kitty and a mean kitten.How do you get them to stop fighting?
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- Raymond Raymond Aug 1, 2009 @ 9:07 pm
- I got my cat to not bite by offering my thumb to him when he felt like biting. You let him get your thumb in his mouth, and then you close the trap with your index finger and/or others. When he figures out that his jaw gets clamped on when he bites, he will soon stop. Sometimes, I had to thump him lightly on the nose with a cocked finger to slow him down. Hey, I had the cat 23 years and he loved me, came when I called, and my brother and I watched him fetch! He fetched back to us, a string and a bell, only twice. Whe he saw us looking, he fell out of it.
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- Kitty Katz Kitty Katz Jun 29, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
- Do Sparta and Wilber the Cat correspond? I'd love to see a little story about the two stars meeting.
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