On the 3rd day of a 3-day cat show, it was apparent that some of the kitties were a little tired.  This Persian was quite content to nap in the cage and wasn’t real crazy about waking up and going to meet the judge.   To make matters worse, the judge wanted him to climb on the scratching post.  I was seated next to the cat’s owner and she said that he hadn’t climbed the post all weekend.  Well lo and behold, a spurt of energy must have come along and after a little teasing with a cat toy, up the scratching post he went!  Everyone cheered!  🙂   I think he was just humoring us and thinking, “Let’s just get this over with so I can go back to sleep!” 

Cats love scratching posts!  Scratching posts give them an opportunity to stretch, relax, sharpen their claws, and get some exercise.  My cats love to scratch and I have a nice sisal post and some other scratchers for them to use.  At the cat show, each show ring has a sisal post attached to the judging table.  The judge encourages each of the cats to stretch out on the post, giving them a nice look at the cat’s build and a little play time for the kitty.  Some of the cats were right on it and others weren’t very interested.  If you have a cat, do try to provide ample opportunity for them to play, exercise and be entertained.  A scratching post, some catnip toys, a soft comfy bed and a bird feeder outside the window will all make your cat very happy!

I’ve yet to learn to recognize all of the different breeds of cat.  I’ve been to many cat shows over the years and have seen a lot of different breeds.  The problem is placing a breed with a name.  I think it would be a whole lot easier if more of the judges at the cat shows would talk about the cats that they are judging.  This would go a long way in helping the spectators to learn and understand.  I do realize, however, that they are busy concentrating on doing their job.  This is a very beautiful cat with gorgeous black rimmed green eyes.   The lighting at the show hall was very good on Sunday and so I was able to photograph at 800 ASA without a flash and still achieve some DOF.  I really love the light background on this image and no, this was not added in Photoshop.  The only adjustments to the original were to add some contrast and a levels adjustment.  

Dog Shows and Cat Shows are very similar in format, but with differences based on the nature of the animals.  At both dog and cat shows, the animals are kept in a “benching area” where they are groomed and wait for the appropriate time to go to the show ring.  At both Dog and Cat Shows, animals are assigned a number and are judged according to their breed.  At ring time, both dogs and cats are brought to the show ring by their owner/handler.  The difference here is that most dogs walk to the ring while the cats are carried.  Now here’s where things change.  Dogs are led into the show ring and trot around, all the while being inspected by the judge.  Then each gets his or her turn for one-on-one time with the judge where they are compared to the breed standard.  At a Cat Show, there is no trotting.  The cats are held in a cage at the show ring and brought out one by one to the judge’s table to be examined and compared to the breed standard.

In the 2 images above, judge Kim Tomlin examines the cats while letting them play with toys.

Cats are awarded points for color {C}, division {D}, and breed {B} placement.  Placards are attached to the cage to denote the placement.  Each cat will make the rounds to visit each show ring and judge throughout the day.  At the show I attended yesterday there were 6 rings and 6 judges.  Each cat was handled by all of the judges who will each have their own opinion on which cats best represent the standard.  Spectators sit at each ring to watch the action and may ask the judge questions.  I had a front row seat with my telephoto lens to capture these images.  Some of the cats were really intrigued by the clicking of the shutter and others were more interested in their toys and scratching post.   One major and interesting difference between Cat and Dog shows is that at a Cat Show, you may enter your household pet.  Household pets are not judged against a standard, but instead are judged on condition, beauty and show presence.  So at a Cat Show you don’t have to have a pedigreed cat to participate in the show!  How cool is that?

Welcome to cat week on the blog and say hello to Lizzy. Doesn’t she have amazing blue eyes?   I spent a little while at the Lehigh Valley Cat Club Show today and so I have plenty of new images to share.   Get ready to see some gorgeous cats over the next few days!