Apparently cat videos play as well on-air as they do online. Kitten Bowl II, Hallmark Channel’s counter-Super Bowl programming stunt on Sunday afternoon, exceeded the ratings performance of last year’s inaugural event, reaching 1.3 million total viewers during its premiere airing, and generating more than 50,000 tweets for the day.

From noon to 3 p.m. on Feb. 2, as Super Bowl-related fare aired across cable and broadcast networks, Hallmark Channel saw Kitten Bowl II up 28% over 2014’s total viewership, the network said. The show also outperformed Kitten Bowl I by double digits in key demographics: Among adults 18-49, viewership increased 40%, with 394,000 viewers; and among women it rose in two sub-demos, up 37% to 284,000 women 25-54 and up 38% to 248,000 women 18-49, according to Nielsen.

On the second screen, Kitten Bowl II gave Hallmark Channel its best day ever on Twitter; #KittenBowl was a top trending for part of the day, garnering some 50,000 tweets reaching nearly 36 million users, the company said. The special also trended in the Top 10 on Facebook, reaching 1.7 million unique users.

Both the line-up and a cause for the paws served to shore up the ratings and social-media performance.

Calling the action as the 92 kitty contestants played the field were legendary New York Yankees radio voice John Sterling and award-winning reporter/sports analyst Mary Carillo. A range of celebs made guest appearances, including Boomer Esiason, Kevin Nealon, Regis Philbin, Mario Lopez, Maria Menounos, Kat Dennings, Bob Harper, Fiona Gubelmann, Tricia Helfer, Heather McDonald, Deidre Hall, Jenn Brown and Camren Bicondova.

Additionally, Hallmark Channel used Kitten Bowl II to support its Pet Project, an evergreen initiative spotlighting animal rescue and pet adoption. The network worked with North Shore Animal League America and Last Hope Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation to adopt out each of the show’s 92 kitty contestants. 

“[T]o have experienced this kind of growth, both on air and in social media, in our second year is remarkable,” Bill Abbot, president and CEO, Crown Media Family Networks, said. “Beyond the success we have achieved in terms of tune-in and engagement, we are incredibly proud of the message Kitten Bowl sends about the importance of adoption, and it is our hope that viewers across the country will be moved to rescue their next pet and give a shelter animal the loving home they so deserve.”

Broadcasting & Cable'sJonathan Kuperburg contributed to this story.

Hallmark Channel has wrapped up Day One of the Kitten Bowl Combine.

At Hallmark Channel Stadium in New York City, Beth Stern today hosted 92 adorable and adoptable kittens from North Shore Animal League America and Last Hope Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation, with the “cateletes” exhibiting plenty of affability, attitude and agility.

The kittens were strutting their stuff ahead of the draft for the eight teams that will compete in the inaugural season of the Feline Football League and the second annual Kitten Bowl. Ultimately, they’re also playing for take-me-home-field advantage with prospective adopters.

Stern, a spokeswoman for the North Shore Animal League America, will once again be joined by the radio voice of the New York Yankees, John Sterling, who will call the contest, kicking off on "Su-purr Bowl Sunday," Feb. 1.

On Feb. 2, Hallmark Channel’s Kitten Bowl I averaged 1.04 million watchers on live + same-day basis within its noon to 3 p.m. window and 3.2 million unduplicated watchers during that window. The debut and its three encores reached 6.1 million viewers, according to network officials.

Viewers and cat enthusiasts will be able to follow season game highlights and scores on Hallmark Channel’s digital and social platforms. The competing FFL teams: Good Witch Wildcats, Hallmark Channel Hearties, Countdown to Christmas Cheetahs, Cedar Cove Cougars, Northpole Panthers, HMM Mountain Lions, North Shore Bengals and Last Hope Lions.

The kittens will be joined by celebrities and personalities from the entertainment world as they compete on obstacle courses filled with yarn balls, lasers and toys on string. The FFL and “Kitten Bowl II” are part of Hallmark Channel’s corporate initiative “Pet Projectz” that celebrated pets and the joy they bring to our lives.

 Kitten Bowl II is executive produced by Eyeworks USA's (Spike’s Bar Rescue, Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell) JD Roth, Todd  Nelson, Adam Kaloustian and Brant Pinvidic, with Jesse Drollette serving as co-executive producer.