Brockport Championship Cat Show

Even if you aren’t a “dog person” you’re probably aware of dog shows – maybe you’ve watched highlights from the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on the news, or you’ve seen the hysterical movie Best in Show. But did you know that there are cat shows, too? I certainly didn’t, until my friend Parker got an adorable Egyptian Mau, Saladin, and started to show him. But I guess it makes sense – dog shows aren’t about dogs doing tricks or following any particular commands, they’re about breed standards. So why not have the same thing for cats?

a couple of cats with lots of ribbons

When Parker, her daughter Emory, and prize-winning Saladin came to visit to compete in the National Siamese Cat Club Annual CFA* Allbreed Championship Cat Show this weekend in Brockport, I was intrigued. I had to go! Saladin didn’t win any additional prizes on the first day, and unfortunately his cage was still undecorated when I visited the second morning. Apparently, this show had attracted a lot of the top nationally ranked cats, although not a lot of Saladin’s particular breed. Yeah, I was confused.

Saladin with (right to left)
Parker, Emory, and the breeder

I’d never heard of an Egyptian Mau, the only naturally domesticated spotted cat, but I’m pretty sure we had a Steiff stuffed animal modeled on one as a kid, because it’s exactly what I picture when I picture a cat. Saladin is very handsome, and very well behaved, and has even been trained, like a dog, to respond to ‘give me your paw.’ He was the only one of his breed in his category (premiership – cats that have been fixed, as opposed to championship – those that haven’t, and still other categories for kittens and mixed breed household pets).

a judge making awards and
explaining her reasoning

coffee filter 'bib'

Cat shows are good advertisement for the breeders, and a great place for cat lovers to socialize. Most of the owners in the room were women ‘of a certain age’ and many were fixated with maintaining their cats’ grooming for their next appearance in the ‘ring’ (which wasn’t a ring at all, but a platform on a table with a scratching post). Some of the long-haired cats wore coffee-filter collars (that looked like inverted dog cones of shame) to keep their hair from matting while eating. There seemed to be a lot of downtime, since the actual time in the ring was only a few minutes, and then there was a lot of waiting – to be called to another ring, or to be called back as a finalist. Saladin and my friends would be at the show all day and only compete in only five or six rings!

a very intent judge evaluating Saladin

Saladin after a round of judging

Parker tried to explain to me the various judging criteria, things like body and head symmetry, eye color, and body proportion. I could see from the judges’ expressions when they felt the cats for deformities, and waved feathers at their faces to assess their eyes, how seriously they take their jobs.  It was certainly amusing, if not exciting. And it definitely isn’t a spectator thing, unless you’re there to check out a breed or breeder (and there were kittens for sale). Sadly, Saladin returned with only one ribbon to show for his owners’ efforts. On the flip side, I’m pretty sure he didn’t know the difference!

*Cat Fanciers’ Association, of course! (not to be confused with Chartered or Certified Financial Analysts…)