Researching Catster

        After analyzing all the different parts of the magazine, doing background research of Catser allows for understanding of the reasons why they styled the magazine the way they did. Knowing the information such as audience, purpose, and history explains why certain techniques were used. Learning about these may influence how I will make my magazine, for Catster magazine is similar to what I intend, so by having similar purposes and audiences, it makes sense that I adopt the steps it has taken for its own work.

        The audience for Catster magazine consists of cat lovers and cat owners. Their target influences their work, for if they want to sell to cat fans, they have to make a feline-based magazine. My own audience is similar but not exact. While it does include cat lovers and cat owners, I want to branch out to other species like dogs. It is also not pet specific, since I will cover the well being of strays. Thus, my magazine would do what Catster is doing, just with more animals.

        The mission of Catster magazine is to provide tips, advice, and news to help keep a cat happy and healthy. They cover cat wellness, useful information for pet owners, fascinating breeds, and adorable photos, all with style and wit. Since this is their purpose, it makes sense that they use the voice and visuals that they do. For example, Catster is very lighthearted and playful because of its intention to entertain with cute cats. My mission would, again, include this, yet apply it to other animal species and those that are not pets as well.

        Catster was originally named Cat Fancy but that was then replaced with Catster and Dogster. Catster released monthly. It's first issue was published in 1965. Since then, each issue was dedicated to a certain breed, indicated via the cover. The magazine also has had health tips, polls, editor's notes, stories written by cat owners, cat products, cat themed fashion, and a picture gallery in the past issues. While Catster now does not focus on certain breeds per issue, it has kept the content provided the same. This is useful to me because it shows that I will not start out with the perfect magazine, rather, I have to get started, then I learn what works as I progress. I will make note of absolutes and be sure to broaden (like instead of focusing on one type of animal like Cat Fancy did).

         My research came from the following sources:

https://www.rbdigital.com/miamidadefl/service/magazines/landing?mag_id=9106

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Fancy