Maybe you’ve seen cat shows on TV or attended a showing and thought to yourself, “My cat could do that.” If you think your furry friend has what it takes to compete in a cat show, knowing how to maneuver through the process is essential.
Anyone can enlist their cat in a cat show by simply registering them, but in order to get the most out of your experience we’ll provide knowledge and share some tips and tricks on how to have a successful debut.
Which Cats Can Register?
Your cat will be judged in accordance to how close they are to the ideal breed standard. Any breed is allowed to enter the show, however, there are a few stipulations.
Cat Show Qualifications
Cat show qualifications may largely vary by which competition you’re entering your cat in, but there are a few semi consistent rulings between shows such as:
- Your cat must not be pregnant or lactating at the time of the show.
- Your cat needs to be desexed, also known as spaying in females and castrating in males.
- While age varies between competitions, kittens typically need to be 10-12 weeks old at minimum.
- Your cat must be free of parasites and in good health, as well as not be diagnosed with FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus).
How Your Cat Will be Judged
All cats have a breed standard, a set of guidelines referring to specific breed characteristics such as: coat, color, eye shape, tail length, paws, and many other physical features. Organizations such as the CFA (The Cat Fancier’s Association), set these standards for each individual cat breed.
These standards outline not only how your cat looks, but also how they act. You can find outlines on these standards on different associations’ websites in order to find out if your cat is the right fit. It’s important to check which cat associations standards your chosen cat show is following in order to get the best result.
How to Begin Showing Cats
Before registering your cat in its first show, there are a few things that you may want to do beforehand in order to give your cat the best chance of winning the show.
Attend as Many Shows as Possible
Attending a variety of cat shows will help you become familiar with the process of the show. This will also allow you to see which cats are the ones winning the show and enable you to follow suit.
Attending shows may also allow you to network with other show cat owners and you may even get tips from the experts if you talk to the right person.
Go Through the Motions
Exposing your cat to new situations and new people is a great way to prepare your cat for the show. During cat shows, judges will touch your cat in a variety of different ways and even open their mouth.
Many cats may not like this, and the last thing you want is for your cat to bite a judge during examination. In order to get your cat ready for this new experience, allow visitors in your home to go through the examination process on your cat, such as opening their mouth and feeling their tail.
Expose Your Cat to New Sounds
Cat shows can be quite loud and busy, two things that cats are typically not fond of. Help get them used to loud and sudden noises by doing things like playing the stereo or running the vacuum occasionally. It’s important to note that you don’t want to stress out your cat, doing these things should be a gradual process.
Tips and Tricks to Please the Judges
1. Groom Groom Groom!
The grooming of your cat is one of the most important factors in a cat show, aside from your cat’s general temperament. Many show cat owners go through hours of rigorous grooming.
While a cat’s coat and teeth are obvious, many other seemingly inconspicuous features are just as important when it comes to judging. Ears and claws are often forgotten, so be sure to make a checklist for yourself before arriving at the competition.
2. Earlier the Better
Many show cats are selectively bred and trained from an extremely early age. The younger you get your cat, the more responsive they will typically be to the training.
The saying “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” also applies to cats in this scenario. It would be unfair to thrust a cat who has spent their whole life hanging out in the home into such an intense competition.
3. Don’t Be Afraid Ask Questions
Many show cat owners love the experience and the atmosphere of being at a cat show. While it may seem intimidating as the setting is competitive in nature, many people are there to have fun. Asking questions to seasoned show cat owners and even new ones can provide you with so much knowledge to help your cat do its best. It can also lead to long lasting friendships between both humans and maybe even your cats as well!
Trying new things with your cat is good, but it’s important that you don’t force them into a situation they don’t want to be in. If you find that aside from slight nervousness your cat does not enjoy being in the shows don’t force it, instead love your cat as they are. While some cats seem to have been born show cats, others may despise the entire process. All that aside, if your cat is seemingly born to be a show cat, the process will be a rewarding and enjoyable experience for you both.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a great result at your first show, many of the people you’ll be competing against have devoted a large part of their lives to these shows. Keep trying and learning new things through trial and error. Perhaps one day in the future, your cat will win best in show.
