~Shows - FAQ - Showing your Cat
Some things you need to know if you want to show your cat .
So you want to show your Cat...
There is much to do to prepare for your first cat show!! Your cat will need to be healthy, happy, well-groomed and used to traveling and being handled by people and strangers. Your cat should also have been exposed to a multi-cat environment, and be comfortable around other cats. Make sure all your kitty's vaccinations are current, and up to date.
Buy a strong, large, well-ventilated carrier that your kitty can see out of...many people report better success getting the cat inside the carrier if you buy one that opens from the top. Let your kitty get used to his carrier gradually, and let him sleep and nap in it in his favorite room and locations. Walk around the house with him in the carrier, then around the block!!
Be sure that you have been training your kitty since a young age to travel in the car. Start by gradually letting your cat become acquainted with your car, sniffing around the inside of your parked car until he becomes used to the smell, then try starting the motor with your cat beside you. After removing kitty from the roof of the car you may want to drive down to the Car Repair Shop to assess damage to the upholstery, but first put the cat in its carrier or you may arrive looking like Daniel Boone with Coonskin hat. Then, start the motor, and take him for short rides in the car, graduating slowly to longer rides. Never, ever have a cat in your car that is not safely in his carrier.
Grooming is essential. A short haired cat just needs a rubdown with a grooming glove or brush. A longhaired cat needs not only a good brushing but most breeders give them a bath and a blow dry. Some of these cats really enjoy their bath but for those that don’t here is a manifesto on how to proceed.
Cat Bathing As a Martial Art (not to be taken seriously)
Know that although the kitty cat has the advantage of quickness and lack of concern for human life, you have the advantage of strength. Capitalize on that advantage by selecting the battlefield. Don't try to bathe him in an open area where he can force you to chase him. Pick a very small bathroom. If your bathroom is more than four feet square, we recommend that you get in the tub with the cat and close the sliding-glass doors as if you were about to take a shower. (A simple shower curtain will not do. A berserk cat can shred a three-ply rubber shower curtain quicker than a politician can shift positions.) Know that a cat has claws and will not hesitate to remove all the skin from your body. Your advantage here is that you are smart and know how to dress to protect yourself. We recommend canvas overalls tucked into high-top construction boots, a pair of steel-mesh gloves, an army helmet, a hockey face-mask, and a long-sleeved flak jacket. Use the element of surprise. Pick up your cat nonchalantly, as if to simply carry him to his supper dish. (Cats will not usually notice your strange attire. They have little or no interest in fashion as a rule.) Once you are inside the bathroom, speed is essential to survival. In a single liquid motion, shut the bathroom door, step into the tub enclosure, slide the glass door shut, dip the cat in the water and squirt him with shampoo. You have now begun one of the wildest 45 seconds of your life. Cats have no handles. Add the fact that he now has soapy fur, and the problem is radically compounded. Do not expect to hold on to him for more than two or three seconds at a time. When you have him, however, you must remember to give him another squirt of shampoo and rub like crazy. He'll then spring free and fall back into the water, thereby rinsing himself off. (The national record for cats is three latherings, so don't expect too much.)
Next, the cat must be dried. Novice cat bathers always assume this part will be the most difficult, for humans generally are worn out at this point and the cat is just getting really determined. In fact, the drying is simple compared with what you have just been through. That's because by now the cat is semi-permanently affixed to your right leg. You simply pop the drain plug with your foot, reach for your towel and wait. (Occasionally, however, the cat will end up clinging to the top of your army helmet. If this happens, the best thing you can do is to shake him loose and to encourage him toward your leg.) After all the water is drained from the tub, it is a simple matter to just reach down and dry the cat.
In a few days the cat will relax enough to be removed from your leg. He will usually have nothing to say for about three weeks and will spend a lot of time sitting with his back to you. He might even become psychoceramic and develop the fixed stare of a plaster figurine.
You will be tempted to assume he is angry. This isn't usually the case. As a rule he is simply plotting ways to get through your defenses and injure you for life the next time you decide to give him a bath. But at least now he smells a lot better.
You will need some supplies to bring to the show. Think about your theme and either make or have someone make for you some "cage curtains" in colors that you like and that will show off your cat to his best advantage. Cage curtains serve a dual purpose of creating a dramatic backdrop for your kitty...and they also help protect your cat from the spray, and possible bacteria and viruses of cats nearby (not to mention the distractions!) You will want some sort of soft towel or blanket for underneath the cage, and you will also want to bring with you a water bowl and feeding dish, a small litter pan and bring your own water and food so that your kitty won't get an upset tummy. If you are using cans, be sure you have a can opener! Bring a pen for marking in your show schedule, and a grooming brush or comb for last minute touch ups. And, of course, you will need to have your carrier for transporting your cat in and out of the show hall.
Clip your kitty's nails - For the safety of your cat as well as the safety of the judges who will be handling him, clip all claws carefully just prior to the show, both front and rear sets. .
What to expect at the show hall.
There will usually be a line of exhibitors waiting to "check in." Once you are checked in, you will be given a number that has been assigned to you and your cat. Allow at least an hour to set up your cage if this is your first show.
Every cat in the show hall has been assigned a cage (called "benching") where it stays with its owner when it is not being judged. Please do not touch any of the cats in the show, and do not allow others to touch your kitty. There is always a risk of someone unknowingly spreading an unfriendly micro-organism by petting one cat and then petting its neighbor down the row. Many experienced exhibitors have signs that they hang on their cages asking people to refrain from touching their cats.
The Actual Judging
The judges in a sanctioned, organized cat show are very well trained for their job. They are required to have studied extensively and on an ongoing basis to become an expert in each breed of cat that they see and judge. In any show, the judges are looking for the best examples of each competition class. In the pedigree classes (purebred cats), they will initially be looking for the cats and kittens that best fit the show and breed standards for their specific breed, but the cat's general condition, health, alertness, personality and temperament will also be taken into consideration. In non-pedigree classes such as Household Pet, only the latter elements will be considered in the judging as there are no breed standards to look for.
The judges appraise each cat in turn, one at a time, in the order of their number sequence that has been assigned to them. The cats are judged simply on their appearance and attitude AT THAT TIME. Some cats will be like people and just be having a bad hair day. This does not mean at its next show it will not be more relaxed and decide to shine. Do not despair.
Most judges will announce to the audience what characteristics they are noting, whether they are positive, or even sometimes, when there is a question or non-conformation to the breed standard. If you disagree with the judge's decision, the correct etiquette is to wait until after the ring is over, and the cats returned to their benching area, and to tactfully ask the judge to educate you as to the reasons behind their decision. Be prepared to learn...be prepared to listen carefully.
Prize winning cats will be given a rosette or other prize, though this will depend upon the particular show and club sponsoring the show, also challenge certificates, TAKE NOTES!! You are ultimately responsible for the accuracy of the points earned by your cat in a show. In order for championship status to be earned, you must supply to that association proof of all the points and finals earned by your cat.
Enjoy – I know I do!