Crazy Cat People
I went to my first ever cat show yesterday. A smallish, regional affair, with maybe 100 or so contestants. And… wow.
First of all, I had no idea that there are actually people out there who would pay upwards of $2,000 for a purebred cat. Worse yet, I had no idea there were breeders out there who would try to sell a purebred cat WITH AN UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION, for crying out loud, for upwards of $2,000.
The whole thing just made me sad… there are so many thousands of kitties out there who need homes, and here people are spending thousands upon thousands of dollars breeding and trading them. I just don’t get it. Well, I get the part about maintaining certain breeds. But appreciating the finer characteristics of a breed is one thing, while purchasing a cat-shaped accessory is altogether different. *sigh*
At the show, there were rows upon rows of cats in carriers. Not your standard carriers, mind you, but carriers that allowed passersby to see the cats inside in all their glory. The brand of choice seemed to be Sturdi Products, such as this one:
Interspersed among the carriers were elaborate grooming stations, full of an array of brushes, combs, and whatnots the likes of which I have never seen.
There were four small show rings, each of which featured a small platform atop a folding table, where the judges would examine each contestant. Behind the judge was a row of steel cages, where contestants in a given round would await their turn. The judge would remove the contestant from the wire cage, bring it to the platform, and wave a feather toy at it while examining the cat from head to toe. He/she then disinfected the platform and moved on to the next cat. After all the cats for that round, he/she would announce the results.
I have to say my favorite part was when one of the toms sprayed a judge. That was amusing. Other than that, watching a cat show, when you have no idea what it is that the judges are looking for, gets old pretty quickly.
I took to wandering the aisles, and did find it valuable to be able to see live specimens of breeds I’d only seen in books. I don’t think I’ve seen that many un-neutered male cats in one place, though. I have to admit they had me wondering whether I had a scalpel blade and a pair of hemostats in the car. 
So would I recommend going to see one? Sure. It was definitely interesting. People watching always is.
And you thought it was a cat show.
Jun 20, 2011 | 2 | Animal Tales
August 11th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
It’s so true! I volunteer at an animal shelter and there are so many cats in need of homes!
August 19th, 2011 at 2:02 pm
I used to go to cat shows. The judging is interesting but the best judging is in the household cats category. The judges who do this clearly love ALL cats, not just purebreds. On several occasions I have seen a judge ask the cat’s owner the story of the cat’s origin, ie, how the human and the cat found each other.
I have the large version of a Sturdi carrier (or something like it). It’s great when I bring one of my three cats home from the vet and the other two act like they have never seen this cat before. I can secure the returning cat until the vet office smell wears off.