• by Tanya Gazdik , December 11, 2012

Friskies is launching an app that allows people to see themselves in cat form using cat photo templates and quirky captions.

The app, called "Catify Yourself," allows users to choose a cat background template (including holiday-themed options) featuring a cat in a playful pose, and then add their own photo or a photo of a friend or family member.

Then users can add a caption from the list. Friskies offers dozens of funny captions to fit a variety of expressions and situations including “Awkward,” “Somebody a grouchy bear today?” “I’ll explain later,” “Can you pick up some paper towels on the way home?” and “Do you feel as good as I look?”

The St. Louis-based brand, owned by Nestlé Purina PetCare, has created a how-to video to get users started. The app is available for free.

“Cats have incredible sensory abilities and playful imaginations,” said Shawn Brain, assistant brand manager for Friskies, in a release. “We’re fascinated by them, and this app lets us have fun with the idea of what it would be like to be cats for a while, at least in photos, and share those photo moments with family and friends.”

In addition to sharing with family, friends, images created with the “Catify Yourself” app can be used as mobile phone wallpaper or social media profile pictures. Create and upload photos to share with us anywhere you’d use a photo of yourself, including Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and even LinkedIn.

Friskies offers a variety of free tablet and mobile games and apps for cats and humans, including “Cat Fishing” for cats on iPhone and Android mobile and tablet platforms, and “You vs. Cat,” the first Friskies game you can play with your cat, for Android and iPhone tablets.