Curious About Cat Shows?
A Beginner's Guide
to all the Hoopla, Hyperbole, & Hysteria

If you've never been to a cat show, or have been and were mystified by all the comings and goings, here is a modest insider's guide.

Hoopla

Hoopla happens before the show opens, and before the judging begins. Exhibitors (cat lovers who are "showing" their kittens or cats) enter the show hall with an entourage of suitcases, grooming platforms, and cat carriers. The hall is buzzing with sound while exhibitors, in various degrees of enthusiasm, decorate cages, provide creature comforts for their little darlings, and settle-in for the weekend's 16 hours of nearly non-stop activity. As show time approaches, last-minute grooming with various sprays, gels, brushes & combs make their little stars gorgeous. An occasional "Cat Out!" gets everyone's attention and all doors close until that wayward feline is safely tucked back into their home away from home.

Hyperbole

Champions, Grand Champions, Premiership---what does it all mean? A hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration for effect. No, we're not talking Olympic gold medals here, that's true. However, in the cat world, and for ailurophiles (remember these are cat lovers!), these genetic wonders, whether meticulously planned (pedigreed cats), or wonderfully serendipitous (household pets) are, with every whisker, and every spot---very grand, and every bit a champion!

There are 4 specific categories or classes for entering a particular cat---only one in which a cat will be entered. For pedigreed cats (those with a registered geneology with CFA in a recognized breed), there are 3 classes---Championship (at least 8 months old, non-altered, and earned champion status)---Kittens (4-7 months old) and---Premiership (spayed or neutered pedigreed adult cats). For non-pedigreed cats (of mysterious or unknown origin---a genetic free-for-all!), there is a Household Pet category. Are you proud about your Princess or Blackie or Fluffy and can see yourself in the winner's circle holding a huge rosette for "Best of Household Pets"? Then this link is for you! Showing a Household Pet.

A pedigreed cat becomes a champion when they are at least 8 months old, and have earned a "champion" ribbon in 6 rings in competition with others in their breed who are also open---not yet champions. When a champion wins over other champions, points are earned. Once 200 points are earned, grand champion status is attained---a very prestigious status for a pedigreed cat. The only honors greater are becoming a regional or national winner.

Hysteria

Let the judging begin. There are usually eight rings, and eight judges. Each judge will inspect and judge each cat or kitten in each class during the course of one day of judging---one ring. Saturday boasts four rings, and four judges. The same on Sunday. The schedules are staggered so that for a single cat entered, the judging will occur at intervals across the day. As a cat's number is called for judging, the exhibitor takes their cat into the designated cage in the ring. In turn, each cat is handled, and judged on a variety of attributes according to that breed's "breed standard." The judges are looking for the combination of attributes which most closely matches the established "ideal" standards for the Ocicat breed. Take a trip to Ocicat Breed Profile for the CFA description of breed standards for the Ocicat.

Ginger's first cat show, February 6, 1999
Judge Gary Veach Presiding

In the beginning, the judging is very specific, then broadens. The call for judging is by class (Championship, Kittens, etc), hair length (long or short hair), breed (Ocicats, Persians, Cornish Rex, etc), color, and gender. Recognized ocicat colors are Tawny, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Dilutes, and the Silvers. Color is determined by the color of the tail tip, paw pad, and nose leather. The most intense competition and the most breath-taking show of pedigreed cats occurs in the Championship class. The judging begins with open (non-champion) entrants---usually 8 month old adults emerging from the kitten class---then champions, and finally, grand champions. Each are judged first by both gender and color, with winners in each gender receiving a 1st (blue) and a 2nd (red) ribbon. The judge will then look at all entrants in a single color class to determine the Best of Color Class 1st (black), 2nd (white) and 3rd (yellow). Each of the remaining 4 breed colors are judged in this same manner. Finally, for the Best of Breed (brown) and 2nd Best of Breed (orange), the judge will look over all the Best and 2nd Best of Color Class winners. This all happens quite quickly. When all the cats in a class have been judged, the judge determines his or her 10 best of all the breeds, and calls them by number. It's an occasion for hysteria when a cat's number is called for "the finals"!