Last weekend my husband Marty and I were so excited about attending the first ever cat show held in Ormand Beach, Florida. I really love the Cat Fanciers’ Association’s (CFA) shows and one of the main reasons I truly prefer attending CFA sanctioned shows is that their registry does not allow declawed cats in any division in competition. By not allowing any declawed cats to participate in their sanctioned cat shows this sends a very important message to the folks who are planning to show their cats, that the organization does not approve of declawing surgery because it is cruel and harmful to kitties.
Unfortunately there are still other cat associations that do not penalize declawed cats, allowing them to compete in all divisions. I don’t understand why those organizations continue to tacitly supports declaw surgery, and by allowing these cats to compete, I believe it sends a subtle message that it’s okay to declaw cats. Since there are many people who show their cats under the sanction of the organization, if declawed cats are not penalized and permitted to compete alongside of cats whose paws are intact; it seems to me that it gives the kitty owners permission to mutilate their cats.
I do understand that many cat lovers abhor just the thought of a cat show. They truly believe that it is cruel to “force” a cat to be handled by strangers in oftentimes crowded, show halls that can get somewhat noisy and may be frightening to the cats. But from my experience as a former breeder and show person, cats that become fractious and afraid are pulled from the show ring by their owners and not made to “suffer” under the capable hands of cat show judges. As a matter of fact, cats that are upset and afraid generally don’t show well, even though they may be perfection, meeting the breed standard to a “T”.
The cats we saw observed last weekend truly seemed to be enjoying being shown off. I so enjoyed watching CFA All Breed Judge Teresa Keiger handle the cats in her ring. I fell in love with each and every one of the cats being shown in the Premier class (the class for neuters and spays) and I think I wanted to take home a few of them. I was particularly enamored with the Japanese Bobtail with a great sense of humor. It was fun to watch Judge Keiger play with the kitty with a feather toy and to see the cat enjoying their interaction.
Do the judges fall in love with the cats they are handling? Perhaps they don’t all the time. But in my opinion watching Judge Keiger handling the cats in her ring, it was totally apparent that she loved the cats she was judging. And that love was infectious because I too fell in love with the Exotic Shorthair based upon the way she was enjoying handling the cat. As far as I was concerned that cat was a total knockout with a matching purrsonality.
Most of all cat shows have been good to me. Several months after Dr. Hush Puppy died, we began thinking of getting an Oriental Shorthair kitten, but we weren’t aware of any local breeders. Thankfully, Judge Keiger suggested that we attend a cat show in DeLand, Florida, and chat with some of the Oriental breeders. It was there that we were able to hook up with Barbara Fraizer who did have a kitten available. Had we not attended that show we wouldn’t have been lucky enough to find Aki.
What are your thoughts about cat shows? I personally think they have a lot of merit- do you? Share your thought in a comment.
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I agree there is more to a cat show than pedigree cats. Anyone who loves cats can find something they like. Be it rescues, toys, educational information or clothing. Selfless people are those who never spay or neuter their cats and allow them to breed, people who have a sick cat and allow them to sill roam outside spreading disease. People who drop or dump cats because there is an issue like not using the litter box or biting after de-clawing. Not researching what that does to a cat. Breeders will educate and most are always there for you and your questions. A good breeder will test their cats for any health problems and these test can run hundreds of dollars. The will back up any kitten sold with guarantees of health and the kittens have had their vaccines, wormed and vet checked before leaving the breeder. There is a contract to protect the kitten, breeder and new parents. Enough on this. A cat show is the place to do your homework on a breed if you want one or just to enjoy all the beautiful cats pedigree and rescues. Not much different than a dog show, showing off what is the best of the breeds. Cat shows you mostly take home ribbons no money for show a cat you spend money to show your cat and walk away with ribbons and the knowledge that your cat is of standard or not because there are others better than yours this time. There is enough room in this world for both rescue and pedigree cats as long as the owners are responsible owners. Spay and neuter and get them to the vet if they are sick. How does anyone allow their cat to breed and not take care of the litter and momma making sure the kittens get all that a breeder provides and does for the litter.
I clearly stated that I personally prefer regular domestic cats to purebreds, to me the more natural the look the better.
Now, why some people buy purebreds? I have a friend who likes Persians and Exotics, though she takes rescue adults that people dumped instead of buying kittens. She currently has two rescue exotic shorthair she got from a rescue, pedigree and all. There are two reasons she likes them – she likes their flat faces they seem baby-like to her, but she also likes their laid-back personality. The preference for certain looks and certain personality traits is what drives people for example some breeds are laid back, some active, etc. Some, like Siberians, naturally have less of the protein that causes allergic reaction in people and some of them lack this protein, so some of the people who are allergic to cats can tolerate Siberians.
Unfortunately, many people just go by looks and don’t get that say Persians are very high maintenance, that Somalis are very active. As to the health issues, obviously not all cats have it, my friend’s Persians lived long lives, it’s just that some breeds have increased risk of some conditions. Of course, breeding cats with genetic problems is very wrong.
ndia has had its first cat registry and cat show in 2013 through the “Indian Cat Federation” affiliated to the “World cat Association” of Germany.Mr Michael.Broad of “P.O.C” did play a important role in encouraging cat owners like me from India to have a “Cat Club” and finally thanks to a lot of internet correspondence that the “Indian Cat Club” was formed. I personally feel a “CAT SHOW” helps in creating awareness anout various cat breeds as well as a common platform for cat owners and fanciers to meet and discuss their pets.Irresponsible breeding of cats is a product of human greed in accumulating wealth as well as trying to play “GOD” to lesser beings by creating new cat breeds through controlled breeding.This is one of the negative aspects of “CAT SHOWS” as it encourages the creation of new breeds while at the same time discarding the original parent breed from the “Cat Show ring”.The Original Persian and Siameses cats have fallen victim to the cat fanciers breeding programme and hence toaday we have the “Ultra Face Persian” and the slim”Siamese cat being representatives of their breeds with the originals being discarded in the “House hold pets” category.More new breeds might emerge in the future and this has to stop by every “Cat Association” refusing to recognize any “New Breed” of cats produced by a breeder or fancier.”Cay Shows” are relevant and important akin to “Dog Shows” but a strict no should be observed on introduction of new cat breeds.
Sorry. But, I believe that all of this is arrogant.
I can’t understand why anyone would want a cat with predisposed health maladies. Why they would want a bald cat (which was purposely created that way) is bizarre.
Selling a cat is ridiculous, since any cat can be spotted in parking lots or behind malls.