Showing your pedigree cat or kitten.
Here is some useful information:
What to bring to a show:
White towels x3 – 1 to use as bedding, 1 to have on top of the cage for the cat to stand on at the judges table and 1 to have as a spare.
A small bed or sheepskin to go under the towel makes it extra comfy.
Vaccination card.
White container for water - the type that hangs on cage fronts are ideal. Also a bottle of water from home.
Small clear or white litter tray & litter - we use lunch boxes without the lid.
Antibacterial wet wipes to wipe out the inside of the show cage.
Dry food and clear container if you think your kitten won’t be able to wait till dinner time.
Plastic bag just in case it’s needed for an accident or to carry home all of your prizes.
And of course your kitten, which must be bought to the show hall in a carry cage
What to expect and how to prepare your kitten:
You need to arrive at the show at approx 7.30am, most show halls are open for benching your kitten between 7am-8am. Most shows usually close about 4pm. It is important that your kitten has it’s nails clipped, that it’s ears & eyes are clean and that it is free from loose fur, flea dirt and dust. We use a flea comb to check & prepare the coat. One thing I must mention is it is important that your kitten or cat is not over or under weight, it needs to be in good condition.
When you arrive at the show hall with your bag full of the essentials, your kitten must be in a carry cage. You need to go to the desk usually just inside the main doors and tell the person your name and that your kitten is a shorthair pedigree. In most cases they will ask you to present your kitten’s vaccination card for them to check, then they will give you an envelope with your kittens name and cage number on it.
You need to find the cage with the right number and then start getting it ready for your kitten (which is called benching your kitten), start by wiping it out, then putting in the bedding, water container & water and litter tray. Clubs do supply litter for your kittens tray although I find it less hassle to have litter from home in the tray ready to go so all I have to do is take the lid off.
Then your kitten can be given the last inspection and put in the cage.
You are allowed to give your kitten a white toy mouse to play with or something else white. You are not allowed to feed your kitten till after the judging.
Next a vet will come to your cage and inspect your kitten through the cage door, they are making sure it has bright eyes and the coat looks good etc… if your kitten passes the inspection they will sign the card with the cage number on it
or put a sticker on the card. Now you can take a seat and wait for the judging to start or find the exhibitors breakfast room and have a coffee and piece of toast. Most shows have either a free breakfast for exhibitors or a gold coin donation.
In the photo above you can see the cats in show cages behind the judge holding up my aby BJ who won “Supreme Exhibit in Show”.
What happens when the judging starts:
When the judging starts a club appointed handler carries each exhibit to the judges table to be judged (this is usually just 1-2 meters away). Once the judge has judged the kitten it is then taken back to its show cage by the handler.
The judge has a steward who takes notes for him/her and also fills in the book work. As they go each judge has to select best of colors then best of breed etc… in each shorthair breed, once the judge has finished that section he/she then does a neuter/spay kitten Top 5. The judge usually reads out the cage numbers in his/her top 5. Sometimes they will ask owners to take out their kitten and stand up the front with it. If your kitten gets in a top 5 it has done very well.
There is also another in show award called “Breeders Award of Merit”. This is awarded by each judge to one cat and kitten in each section except the N/S cats and kittens are combined for this award. The judge awards the BAM to an exhibit when the judge feels the breeder has achieved a particular point really well OR done the best they can to the standard with that cat/kitten. It is a highly esteemed award by breeders and an honour to get one.
If your kitten gets a BAM the club will post the certificate to the breeder.
After all the judging is complete, the club’s helpers put ribbons and cards out on the cats and kittens cages.
Usually the show manager will announce over a large speaker that the show is closed around 4pm and you can start packing up your things & take your beautiful baby home.
How to fill in a show entry form
This is done usually 6 weeks before the show & is posted to the appropriate entry clerk. It is usually the most confusing part for new exhibitors. I am more than happy to guide you through this.