Theresa Machmiller, Delyn Kosbab of Kitty Harbor, and Mick Szydlowski were enjoying the event at Ola Salon called SpudNeuter meant to raise funds for Kitty Harbor. Delyn is holding Oskar and Mick is holding Klaus.
The somewhat oddly named "SpudNeuter" event at Ola Salon on June 30 was a blend of food, music and fun and included a very famous presence who kindly lent his name to the effort to raise funds for feline rescue organization Kitty Harbor.
In attendance were the now famous Oskar the Blind Cat and his companion Klaus who have become internet sensations following appearances on the Ellen Degeneres show, Keith Olberman's show on MSNBC and others.
Oskar, who has been blind since birth was seen in the first video batting at the air coming from a hair dryer (on cold setting). It has been seen over 2 million times and his humans Mick Szydlowski and wife Bethany have taken him around to places all around the nation. They moved from Omaha to Seattle in November of last year. They went on to make a series of other videos including one of Oskar as a kitten playing with toys that has been seen 4 million times. Oskar's toy video won a $15,000 grand prize in the Friskies Video Contest.
Oskar and Klaus have their own webstore too http://www.oskarandklaus.com where sales support animal rescue organizations across the nation.
Szydlowski said, "He has never known sight. He was adopted from a small farm in Glenwood Iowa, so he has come a long way to Seattle. He has a buddy, Klaus, who has no disability who is teaching Oskar the ways of being a good cat."
The couple adopted Oskar with no other intention but to give him a good home.
"He's a very brave cat and what we would call a disability doesn't slow him down at all, " Mick sai. "What we started doing was collecting video clips for our own memory of what he was doing, and what he liked doing was to play with the air coming out of the hair dryer when my wife was drying her hair. It was a very funny video and I shared it on YouTube and on Facebook so our family and friends could see it. But through the magic of the internet crazy things happen. At this point all the videos have been viewed 11 million times."
"We wanted to donate something to the silent auction so initially wanted to donate a gift basket but then we were asked to come out so this is really their first public appearance."
They have their own website, Facebook page and YouTube Channel.
Kitty Harbor was hoping to raise $7,000 for a ring worm isolation room to prevent cross-contamination, and to install a security system in their Harbor Ave SW facility. The event featured a silent auction, live music, food and beverages at Ola Salon on Avalon Way SW.
