I feel like everyone is talking about these blue cats! I have seen them everywhere, so I decided to have a little wander through the world of Cool Cats NFT. They are a promising project that has already shown significant gains in the two months since their launch. Their current floor price sits at 1.2 ETH, and I feel confident this is just the beginning.
In researching the project, I was happy to find an abundance of information on the project's origins. Clon, the Cool Cats creator, explains it best in this blog post, where he details how Blue Cat was refined over ten years. That’s actual years, not NFT years. So, is it any wonder Blue Cat at is perfectly cool? You can find additional artefacts in the ‘#origins’ channel of the Cool Cats discord, where Clon has shared many forms his cat has taken throughout its development. I love this kind of storytelling, and projects that make it easy to see their origins will always get my attention.
The history of Blue Cat’s evolution makes it easier for me to imagine Cool Cats’ further development. The Cool Cats website states blue skin is exclusively reserved for Gen 1. Maybe red and yellow are the next traits we shall see. But that isn't the only way the project is progressing. They also have merch, games, and I am already daydreaming about a Cool Cats movie or TV series.
Last week, the Cats even announced a collaboration with TIME magazine, and they are currently holding a competition for the best TIME, Cool Cats meme. This competition is a brilliant way of involving the wider community, which was just the sort of thing I was after. I am sadly not a cat owner, I am too early in my career, and the cats are already out of my budget. I wish I could have bought one from the beginning, but I missed it. I am sure I will miss many opportunities, but luckily, there are still plenty of ways to join in the cats fun and even find income. One such method is by getting involved with competitions and giveaways. Another is with derivative projects. And sometimes, the giveaways can lead to derivative projects. Or at least that was the case for @floseth, the creator behind Cool Hands for Cool Cats.
JL: How did cool hands start?
Floseth: I started the cool hand by participating in the Cool Cats giveaway on Twitter. It was a fun way to show my interest.
JL: So, you drew the hands to win giveaways?
Floseth: Yes.
JL: Did you win?
Floseth: No, I didn’t win, but it was fun, and I saw quite quickly that people found an interest in it.
JL: Why only 99 hands?
Floseth: I didn’t draw hands to make massive money, and I wanted them to be rare.
JL: What price did you sell them?
Floseth: I sold them at 0.02 because I wanted to play the NFT game, acquire a cool cat, and of course, I gave the buyers the right to their hands. I know some of them are planning to make stickers.
JL: What does Clon think of the Cool Hands?
Floseth: Before starting the derivations, I wrote to the cool cat’s staff, I didn’t want to do anything awkward. Besides, I have a lot of respect for the team and Clon’s work. In life, I am a creative director, and I know the artistic merit very well. I would not have done the derivations without being sure not to annoy anyone. My hands were even retweeted by some members of the staff.
JL: How did you come up with the ideas for the cool hands?
Floseth: I like simple visuals with a lot of symbolism, probably related to my job in an advertising agency, and the hands allow that. Just before hearing about the Cool Cats, I drew this hand, probably nothing.
JL: What will you do now that you have made all 99?
Floseth: I don’t know right now, but I can go further with the hands. I also want to work on my artwork. I am pretty new in NFTs, five months, just the time to read, learn.
JL: Were you able to buy a cat?
Floseth: I did, yes, and looking for a second one.
Floseth is indeed a very cool cat. I love the humbleness of his project and his tenacity to grab a cat. It is that kind of ambition that will help propel the Cool Cats’ legacy. Similarly, @iamcfw demonstrated his talent and hustle when he created Cool Cats 3D.
JL: What are 3D cats?
CFW: 3D cats is a project, which happened by chance. I love the CoolCats community, so I wanted to see how many cats would like 3D and turned two of them. The community went mad! The very same day, Elu & Clon, founders of the project, approached me on the DMs. They loved what they saw. Everyone wanted a 3D cat & I took Clon’s suggestion on monetising it. Opensea was the easiest way to deliver these as NFTs, and that’s how the collection came into being.
JL: How much does it cost to get a 3d cat made?
CFW: I initially started with 0.05, & then the demand was insane. I couldn’t open my discord because I was flooded with DMs, so I upped to 0.1 and then 0.15. The highest pieces went for 0.2 because of the complexity.
JL: Do you have to own a Cool Cat to get a 3d cat?
CFW: Yes! I’ve been approached by cat owners to get their cats made 3D.
JL: How many 3d cats have you made?
CFW: I’ve made 86 so far.
JL: Do you want to make more?
CFW: Not anytime soon, maybe for the gen 2. It was never my conscious decision to take it this way, but it worked, and it’s not just me. There are so many derivative projects in these communities.
And CFW is correct, there are too many cat derivatives to mention them all, and these cat adjacent projects are a great sign of a healthy subculture. They are proof that people really do love the cats, and perhaps it is an indication of increasing value.
However, you might be asking how the derivatives are even allowed to be. Are they not infringing? Cool Hands for Cool Cats and Cool Cat 3d were made for Cool Cat holders only. The cat owners have non-exclusive rights and can do whatever they want with the image of their cat. But not all derivation projects follow these rules, and some projects are likely stealing IP, but Clon makes his stance clear on those kinds of projects in this post. He’s got better things to do with his time. Indeed, even the unaffiliated projects are beneficial to cats’ value.
So, without a cat and with Clon’s pseudo blessing, my desire to participate led me to many derivation projects; projects that didn't require cat ownership, projects that are just different enough. Out of all the options, the Cool Pixel Cats project was the one I liked the best. I am a fan of pixel art, and their first drop sold out quickly. On their second drop, I was able to scoop a cutie for 0.015ETH. A much more sensible investment for my current situation. That same day I got an offer for .04ETH. It would have been an excellent return, but I am holding my pixel cat. It makes me feel just a tiny bit cooler, and hopefully, it can appreciate alongside the Cool Cats.
I learned a lot from the cats! I learned how a good idea a decade ago is now having its moment. I learned that the love for cats is real and runs deep. And, I realised that there are many ways to get involved and benefit from these avatar projects. Perhaps the best advice is to buy early with projects that make it easy to picture, merch, derivation, and evolution and then hold on tight. Maybe one day I will own a Cool Cat. Not sure when. Not sure how. Until then, I will keep my eye out for the next project that shows equal promise.
Up next the final story in the series, Collectibles Craze Part Three: Deadfellaz, Dorkis and The Avatar Project.
