All Cats Are Cute: Music, Cats, and the Art of Being Present with CatBeats
In catbeats' words:
Over 20 years ago, I got my first design job at Furnace Manufacturing [ furnacemfg.com ], apprenticing under Eric Astor, with whom I had previously worked with at Lumberjack Distribution, alongside my other music-oriented job at Record Convergence. As time went on and Furnace grew, I used Furnace to press records for Catbeats and El Huervo. Our shared love for cats brought us together again, especially since Furnace has adopted two rescue cats, Tibby and Slippy, who now patrol the warehouse. Inspired by these feline employees, Eric came up with the idea to create a benefit LP for cats. We reached out to Brooklyn Animal Action, an organization that has cared for cats belonging to my old high-school friend Kristiina Wilson, including the famous Steve B, whom I collaborated with on a single.
What you MAY SOON hold in your physical paws is the result! An album that celebrates cats and embraces the diversity of all beings. Cats are cats, but aren’t we all cats, in a way? Take to the streets and meowl at the moon: ALL CATS ARE CUTE!
Benifitting Brooklyn Animal Action: brooklynanimalaction.org
Kindness is having a weird moment right now, and I mean that as a compliment. I sit down with CatBeats, a cat-loving electronic musician (and my longtime friend), to talk about how cats can pull us out of our heads and back into the present, whether that shows up as music, meditation, or just learning to live by consent and patience.
We dig into how CatBeats began: two cats, a noisy news cycle, and a need for healing music. From there, we get real about grief and what cat grief can look like after a loss, including why animals can struggle quietly in ways people often overlook. We also explore “music for cats,” including research and shelter use cases, and why purring, rhythm, and familiar sound cues may matter more than we think.
Then we pivot to community and impact: the All Cats Are Cute charity vinyl and why we chose Brooklyn Animal Action, plus how rescue, TNR, and community cat support depend on humans who rarely get enough backup. We also hit punk history, ethical questions around exotic cats and animal cafes, and a very practical cat behavior tip for stopping nighttime foot attacks (yes, it works, and yes, it takes commitment).
If you care about cat behavior, animal welfare, cat rescue, and the oddly healing power of a good purr, you’ll find a lot here. Subscribe for more, share this with a cat person in your life, and please leave a rating or review so the show can reach more listeners.
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