paper bag & string: iPad

Dashiell the cat, a product tester, analyzes the iPad painting app.

Delia, Archer and Dashiell snagged jobs many would envy. They specialize in testing high-tech gadgets for CNET, a respected electronics and computer product review site.

The three freelancers followed an unusual career path. They are all self-taught. And they never worked a day in their lives, before this assignment. They prefer to take long naps during the hours of 9-5.

However, the freeloading feline product testers get by on their charm and good looks. And they possess discriminating taste, a key qualification for the job.

The cats were hired--along with their human, Amanda Kooser--as product testers and reviewers for Crave the Gadget blog from CNET. The kitties first assignment for Crave was to review Paint for Cats, an iPad painting app.

As reported by Kooser, the felines took their new job seriously.

Delia--a small black domestic shorthair kitty--was the first to run sophisticated tests on the painting app in the ~~state-of-the-art research laboratory~~ bedroom.

Delia the cat is responsible for performance testing.

With the eye of an engineer, she observed the rainbow-striped mouse wiggling on the screen. Then noted when she placed a paw on the screen to touch the mouse, a puddle of color appeared. The result pleased the reviewer. It was difficult to disengage the tester from the product. And even harder to catch that @#*! mouse.

The second reviewer, Archer--a large black domestic shorthair kitty--carefully examined the app. He ran some tentative tests and confirmed his co-worker's results.