# vetted & non vetted shows?



## Taylorbaby

what does this mean please!?

Both state that if the cat is ill you have to leave, and has to be fully vac etc, but it isays 'non vetted enter at your own risk...' (sounds scary?!) and the other was 'vetted'

does it just mean one has a vet & one doesnt? And do I chance a 'non vetted' if that is the case?? Seems very scary lol!


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## carolmanycats

I assume you are talking about TICA? Basically a vetted show has every cat checked at the beginning of the show as normal, plus, again as normal, you have to show your vaccination certificate. Non-vetted means there is no vetting in of each cat at entry to the hall but that there is still a vet in attendance and spot checks are carried out randomly throughout the day, plus any exhibitor concerned about the health of any cat in the hall can ask the vet to look at that cat. You still need to show your vaccination card on entering the hall. I did a non vetted one once and the vet actually arrived at my pen just as I was setting it up to do a spot check so I was still, in effect, vetted in LOL.

Hope that helps.


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## carly87

I wouldn't go near a non-vetted show. Why take the risk when there are plenty where vetting in is compulsory!


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## BSH

All GCCF shows in the UK are vetted.

It is always going to be "enter at your own risk" though as a brief examination at a vetted show will not identify every possible infective agent on (or in) a cat, or every flea, and of course there are bugs on all the humans who attend who may have other cats at home who may have an infection. And then they stroll around the hall, even touching some cats! And of course the judges and stewards may be vectors of infectious disease (most of them have cats too).

So the risk is always going to be there...

but it is a low risk in my opinion, otherwise I would not take my cats along


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## Taylorbaby

Thanks! Yes its a TICA show.

There arent actually any shows near me, and Im unable to travel far for reasons! 

So the ones I cant find are every year, and I dont want to wait to go once a year as I have the bug now lol!! :blink:  

So the TICA one is the 2nd next one Id like to go to this year.

Yes there is always a risk, my friend went to a vetted one and her cat came out sneezing and the vet said that it had cat flu! :blink:


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## raggs

I wouldn't enter any of my cats into a "non vetted" show , i only attend GCCF sanctioned shows and the vetting in is in place for a very good reason, If there is an obvious illness aor prob such as fleas etc then it gets picked up before the cat gets into the hall, Of course some things can even get past the vetting in , my goodness without the vetting in you could take a cat in there that has anything from " nits, zits, pimples or pox" and pass it onto other cats.........NO THANKS..NOT FOR ME...........Chris.


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## Shayden

Taylorbaby said:


> Thanks! Yes its a TICA show.
> 
> There arent actually any shows near me, and Im unable to travel far for reasons!
> 
> So the ones I cant find are every year, and I dont want to wait to go once a year as I have the bug now lol!! :blink:
> 
> So the TICA one is the 2nd next one Id like to go to this year.
> 
> Yes there is always a risk, my friend went to a vetted one and her cat came out sneezing and the vet said that it had cat flu! :blink:


i know down these ends its pants lool. i cant wait to start driving so i can go to afew of the shows further up north! il get a 7 seater and come and get you


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## carolmanycats

raggs said:


> I wouldn't enter any of my cats into a "non vetted" show , i only attend GCCF sanctioned shows and the vetting in is in place for a very good reason, If there is an obvious illness aor prob such as fleas etc then it gets picked up before the cat gets into the hall, Of course some things can even get past the vetting in , my goodness without the vetting in you could take a cat in there that has anything from " nits, zits, pimples or pox" and pass it onto other cats.........NO THANKS..NOT FOR ME...........Chris.


I used to think that way but having actually done a non-vetted show I am more relaxed about it now. Everyone seems very vigilant and ready to report any suspicion of illness so it is not worth the risk of taking a sick cat anyway, and I think the (thankfully very few) people who would do that will do it regardless even at vetted shows in the hope of pulling the wool over the vet's eyes.

To be honest, you could pick up something from the cat in the carrier in front of you in the vetting in queue by the time it gets there and is vetted out, there is a certain amount of risk involved either way. And there is currently an exhibitor who makes a habit of arriving at GCCF shows so late that she is vetted through in a hurry, then gets vetted out after the first or second class is judged and the judges invariably find fleas! This has hapened at least 3 times this year to my knowledge :-(

I have been showing for 17 years now and in all that time have only had a cat develop something after a show about 3 times, and all of those from a vetted show.


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## gskinner123

Does anyone know the reason that a TICA show might be non-vetted? I've no experience of TICA having only ever shown GCCF. The only two possible reasons that initially occurr to me are (a) 'someone' decided that traditional vetting in before the cats enter the show hall was a waste of time or (b) for cost reasons, given that only one vet has to be paid for attending.

If it's the former, I don't really understand; if there's one vet to carry spot checks then the show management's assumption is that there are/will potentially be unwell cats at the show - otherwise they would simply not hire a vet at all.

If cost is the issue... nad news as far as I'd be concerned.

I personally would not attend a non-vetted show. Every GCCF show I've ever attended has cats that have been rejected at vetting in, in the isolation room. The system is far from perfect, I admit, but doing spot checks once cats have already been penned next to one another, possibly handled by judges and so on is all a bit horse and stable door for me.


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## woodycoon

gskinner123 said:


> Does anyone know the reason that a TICA show might be non-vetted? I've no experience of TICA having only ever shown GCCF. The only two possible reasons that initially occurr to me are (a) 'someone' decided that traditional vetting in before the cats enter the show hall was a waste of time or (b) for cost reasons, given that only one vet has to be paid for attending.
> 
> If it's the former, I don't really understand; if there's one vet to carry spot checks then the show management's assumption is that there are/will potentially be unwell cats at the show - otherwise they would simply not hire a vet at all.
> 
> If cost is the issue... nad news as far as I'd be concerned.
> 
> I personally would not attend a non-vetted show. Every GCCF show I've ever attended has cats that have been rejected at vetting in, in the isolation room. The system is far from perfect, I admit, but doing spot checks once cats have already been penned next to one another, possibly handled by judges and so on is all a bit horse and stable door for me.


Please remember that TICA is an *international* organisation, and the rules about allowing vetted and non-vetted shows were in place long before TICA shows started in the UK. The original reasons were, I believe, to do with the high cost of US vets and a cultural dislike of having to wait in line.

Some of the UK clubs decided to try un-vetted shows in the UK. The information on TICA (The International Cat Association) in the UK - Cat Shows and Registration information is so that exhibitors can make an informed choice about entering such shows. As you will see from Carolmanycat's post, there are risks regardless of which type of show you attend.

And the spot checks are done first thing, before judging starts (but in any case, under the TICA system, the only people who handle the cats are the owner and the judge).


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## gskinner123

Thank you, I'll have a read of that link.

I am very much aware of the risks of showing, having shown my cats for close to 30 years. Much less so in the past 5 years as I'm one of those who does perceive there to be a not insubstanial risk, infection wise, when showing under any governing body.

I think that, as you've pointed out, at shows where the cat is handled only by one judge and its owner, that risk could be substanitally reduced, unlike GCCF shows where a whole parade of judges and stewards will handle each cat. I would still opt not to attend a non-vetted show though, just as I choose to show very infrequently these days under GCCF/vetted shows. I still believe it necessary to check each cat before it enters the hall as, has been proven on many an occasion, this picks up cats which are displaying signs of ill-health before they enter.

I guess it's exhibitor choice but I could never object to a vetted show on the grounds of having to stand in line for a while or paying a little extra in my entry fee so that the club have vets in attendance.


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## Taylorbaby

im not what to do now, Im now thinking against it, they have vetted shows bu they are the other end of the country, which means Ive only got one show left to go to this year :cryin: lol Its not enoughhhh! :cryin:


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## raggs

TB is there no one living near you who could perhaps take you along to other shows and share the fuel bills?


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## raggs

I can understand how frustrating it must be for you, Sue doesnt drive and i know if she couldnt attend her shows she would be so upset, thankfully i myself enjoy going along to the shows with Sue , although if its a long drive to a show then at 5.30am im not always so keen hahahaha


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## gskinner123

Taylorbaby, it's really unfortunate that you've just missed, in the earlier part of the year, a few shows that were closer to you.

You still have the Eastern Counties (GCCF) in August (schedules will be out very soon) which is at Godmanchester in Cambs (lovely, lovely venue). I used to go to shows there a lot when I lived in Essex and, trust me, it's not far and a really easy run up there in the car.

In September, there's the Herts & Middx (GCCF). I'm not sure what you're iimit is distance/time wise but Luton can only be what? About 75 mins drive from you?

The Kentish (also GCCF) is in October. That's Maidstone. Again, I used to go there from Essex and at that time of the morning, it's no more than 75 mins or less.


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## Taylorbaby

raggs said:


> TB is there no one living near you who could perhaps take you along to other shows and share the fuel bills?


Oh its not the money, due to illness Im unable to travel far  Or beleive me Id be all over the country!



gskinner123 said:


> Taylorbaby, it's really unfortunate that you've just missed, in the earlier part of the year, a few shows that were closer to you..


I know had some good ones, have missed them all *sniff* Have planned to go to some of them


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