2026 Cutest Cats Contest

Do you have an adorable feline friend you’re eager to show off? Submit a high-resolution photo of your cat or kitten to our Cutest Cat Photo Contest, sponsored by CareCredit, for a chance at stardom in Washingtonian.

Submissions will be accepted starting March 16th, and the deadline to enter is 11:59 PM EST on April 17th.

All entrants will be on display in a photo gallery on our website and will receive a personalized, digital faux Washingtonian “Cutest Cat” cover with the cat’s image and name. Voting will happen from April 29th and will close at 11:59 PM EST on April 25th.

A “People’s Choice” favorite will be determined by most votes received during that time period.

Jonathan Wainberg, SVP and GM of Synchrony’s Pet Business, and a panel of judges at Washingtonian, will also select a “Judges’ Pick titleholder.

The two winners will be announced on our Instagram feed on @washingtonianmag, and both will be awarded a full-page feature in a future Washingtonian’s issue.

Each submission is $35, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit City Dogs & City Kitties Rescue. Multiple entries of the same cat are permitted, but only one subject per photo (i.e. no multiple cats or humans in the same photo). Visit the rules tab for full details.