BJ Bangs recipient of 2017 Winn Feline Foundation Media Award

BJ Bangs knows cats matter, and this year, Paws for Reflection founder and author was honored with the 2017 Winn Feline Foundation Media Award, which recognizes journalists and editors who publicly support promote awareness of feline health.

This is a huge deal as Paws for Reflection is serious about cat issues, and educating people about feline health issues is one of our top priorities.

Vicki Thayer, DVM, DABVP (Feline) Executive Director of the Winn Feline Foundation, presented the award via video conference before over 450 people at BlogPaws 2017, thanking BJ for her tireless advocacy, supporting the health and well-being of all cats. Thayer commended BJ for her endless support to promote Feline Fix by Five Month’s initiative to have all cats spay/neutered by five-months.

BJ connected withSpay USA founder Esther Mechler, who spearheaded the Feline Fix by Five Month’s Initiative earlier this year, and is working on a media campaign to help spread the word to veterinarians and the general public about why early spay/neuter is so important. BJ has written a number of posts about cat overpopulation, and Feline Fix by Five could be revolutionary in helping reduce the numbers. By reducing the number of ‘oops’ litters, the number of kittens entering shelters could be dramatically curtailed.

BJ is thrilled to be recognized as she joins the ranks of some of the top feline writers in the country, including Steve Dale, pet columnist, host of two nationally syndicated radio shows, Steve Dale’s Pet World and The Pet Minute, who sits on the Winn Feline Foundations Board of Directors, and Amy Shojai, who has authored over 30 pet care books and one of the original founders of the International Cat Writers Association.

BJ Bangs recipient of 2017 Winn Feline Foundation Media Award

Since 2005, the Winn Feline Foundation Media Award has recognized journalists and editors who publicly support the mission of the Winn Feline Foundation to advance feline health studies and to communicate facts about feline health. Past recipients of the Winn Feline Foundation Media Award include Beth Adelman, Pam Johnson-Bennett, Steve Dale, Amy Shojai, Susan Logan, Kim Thornton, Kari Winters, Darlene Arden, Lorie Huston, Fran Pennock Shaw, Dr. Arnold Plotnick.

What’s special about the Winn Feline Foundation is that it’s all about research into feline health issues, including FIP and Feline Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Since 1968, the Winn Feline Foundation has funded over $3 million in health research for cats at more than 30 partner institutions world-wide. Projects funded by The Winn Feline Foundation have provided much of the information that is used every day in all aspects of feline veterinary medicine.

In 1968, the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) created what would later become Winn Feline Foundation, establishing a source of funding for medical studies to improve cat health and welfare. A 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, the New Jersey-based foundation was named in honor of CFA’s longtime attorney and advisor, Robert H. Winn. CFA continues to actively support the Foundation and remains dedicated to Winn’s original vision — to promote the health and welfare of all cats by developing or participating in projects for their betterment, including the funding of research and education.

‘When Steve Dale contacted me, letting me know I had been selected for this prestigious award, I was speechless. I was absolutely thrilled to be recognized by such an awesome organization that is doing so much to better the lives of cats world-wide,’ she said.

BJ Bangs is an award-winning blogger, journalist, photographer, and communications professional, having been honored by the International Cat Writer’s Association for Best Health Blog. Paws for Reflection focuses on cats. Her pet articles have been published in Cat Fancy, CatTalk, Catster, MaineToday Media, and other traditional print and online publications.

As more and more people turn to the Internet for information, blogging is a perfect avenue to educate and inform people looking for feline information. She points out, at Paws for Reflection, we’re serious about cats, writing about cat health, cat rescue and cat news. We delve into why cats are the absolute best soul mates. We sprinkle in a little humor with lots of travel tips, photos and a few feline tales, making Paws for Reflection a must stop for cat information on the cat crazed Internet.

She is an award-winning journalist, photographer, communications professional, and blogger, who has developed a real love for cats, and shares that love by writing about issues that affect them. That includes health issues like stroke, FIP, asthma, arthritis, and overpopulation.

Cats are unique in that each have their own personality, she says. No two are alike. They show undeniably unconditional love. They are there for you when you are down, upset, happy or jubilant. There’s nothing better than snuggling up in front of the wood stove with five of the best feline friends. They truly are my BFFs.

Paws for Reflection, at www.bjbangs.net, focuses on anything and everything that impacts cats around the world. That includes travel, books, rescue, state and local legislation impacting pets, horrific abuse stories, social media, humor, pet heroes, and problems caused by overpopulation. While there are lots of cat blogging sites on the internet, BJ believes Paws for Reflection brings a bit of a different twist to the mix because she incorporates her personal experiences with hard and proven facts. With five cats, and three that have passed across the Rainbow Bridge, there are several tales to share.

Leave your Paw Prints here

Have you ever won an award that you felt was life changing? Paws sure did with this one. We are so pleased to be recognized for our work to help cats? What is your favorite cat related cause? Please weigh in and share your thoughts.