Kitten Bowl 2021: Date, Time, and How to Watch
Get ready for some serious cuteness. Super Bowl Sunday is here, which means it’s time for the most-anticipated showdown of the year (at least if you’re a cat-lover). We’re talking, of course, about the Kitten Bowl, the annual Hallmark Channel event promoting shelter pet adoption.
The 2021 Kitten Bowl kicks off at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 7
Forget Tampa Bay vs. Kansas City. Over at Hallmark Channel, the 2021 Kitten Bowl will see four ultra-adorable teams compete for the coveted championship trophy.
The eighth-annual event begins at 2 p.m. ET. Actor and animal rights activist Beth Stern returns to host the big game from Hallmark Channel Stadium. The players are rescued kittens from across the country drafted by North Shore Animal League America and Last Hope Animal Rescue and Rehabiliation. Cameron Mathison and Tamera Mowry-Housley will also be on hand to provide play-by-play commentary.
“I am honored to host this adorable, lifesaving event, for which Animal League America supplied all the kitten cat-letes, who have all been adopted!” Stern wrote on her blog.
How the Kitten Bowl promotes pet adoption
During the Kitten Bowl, the show’s shelter partners will host adoption events to give cats a forever home. The shelters that have the most animal adoptions will receive cash grants from the Hallmark Channel. More than 50,000 shelter cats have been adopted since the first Kitten Bowl in 2014.
If you’re interested in adopting a cat, visit Hallmarkchannel.com or AnimalLeague.org to find a participating shelter near you.
How to watch the Kitten Bowl 2021, even if you don’t have cable
The Kitten Bowl airs exclusively on Hallmark Channel. If you don’t get the network as part of your cable package, you have a few options for tuning in.
Frndly TV is your most budget-friendly option if you’re looking to watch Hallmark Channel. This slimmed down streaming service costs just $5.99 per month. That gets you Hallmark Channel and its sibling networks Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama. You’ll also be able to watch UPtv, The Weather Channel, Game Show Network, and nine other channels.
Cord cutters can also sign up for one of several other streaming TV services that offer the channel. Sling TV, Philo, FuboTV, and AT&T TV all have packages that include Hallmark Channel. Most of these services offer a free trial, so you can try before you commit.
What about the Puppy Bowl?
If you’re more of a dog person than a cat person, you can tune in to Puppy Bowl XVII, airing Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. ET on Animal Planet. The three-hour event featuring Team Ruff and Team Fluff will also be available on the new streaming service Discovery+. Like the Kitten Bowl, the Puppy Bowl promotes shelter pet adoption.
Kitten Bowl VIII airs Sunday, Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel.
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