Antioch woman's 'pet project' could win $10,000

After she watched her cats scare away countless birds from her Antioch backyard's bird feeder, an ad for a homemade pet project contest sparked Candace Walters' imagination.

Walters stumbled upon the contest to create an innovative “pet project” about a month ago and is now in the top 20 and just votes away from a $10,000 prize. Two winners will also head out on a trip to New York City, where the design will be showcased at a private event held by Purina.#8220;I was watching my cats and thought about a problem I could solve for them,#8221; she said.

The #8220;birdie blind#8221; that Walters created acts as a two-way mirror for her three cats, allowing them to get up close and personal to birds feeding just outside the backdoor's window.

#8220;I thought that if I could find a way to put that on a frame, it might be a good way for the cats to be able to watch the birds eat,#8221; she said. #8220;There's only so much that they can do during the day, and they like watching the birds so much.#8221;

Walters, who is a design manager for a major corporation, already has a plan for what to do with the cash if she is one of the contest's two winners.

#8220;Definitely part of that money is going to Save-A-Pet in Grayslake,#8221; she said. #8220;That's where I got one of my cats. They have been in financial trouble recently.#8221;The contest weights the designs in three categories: 50 percent is based on creativity, 25 percent is based on the quality of the project, and the final quarter is based on how the project enhances that cat owner's home.

Voters have until noon on Sept. 14 and can vote once per day at www.tidycats.com/PetProjects/.