# Why do you show your Cats?



## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

As previously mentioned it's not for the Cat's benefit who'd much prefer to be at home playing instead of being in a pen all day after travelling for miles. I also know some people say their cats love being shown etc and that is all well and good but I wonder what other reasons there are?


----------



## Izzie999 (Nov 27, 2008)

Biawhiska said:


> As previously mentioned it's not for the Cat's benefit who'd much prefer to be at home playing instead of being in a pen all day after travelling for miles. I also know some people say their cats love being shown etc and that is all well and good but I wonder what other reasons there are?


Hi,

I love the social aspect of it.meeting other cat mad folk and chatting cats all day. I also love other people making a fuss of my boys. The prizes are just a bonus. I only show cats who are happy to be shown otherwise they stay at home and play. I have had to take one boy out of the shows for at least six months as he broke his leg in two places.

Izzie


----------



## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

They are great reasons :thumbup1: I like going to All Breed shows as I love seeing all the different types of cats and colours etc. I also enjoy people watching at cat shows :biggrin: the interest folk that are about and the not so nice people who clearly see their cat as a "show" cat and nothing else that's quite sad.


----------



## Rraa (Apr 15, 2008)

In general, I do not show my cats but since I breed siamese, I must be aware of the standard of my breed - as it is known and judged today. I have in the past been politely criticised for not having shown. It was argued that since my cats are not compared with today's pedigrees, how would one know how good they are? Therefore I did take a kitten to a show a couple of times as a kitten and once in adulthood. 

The reasons I took her were
1 - to answer my critics and to find out for myself what an unbaissed judge would have to say about a kitten I had bred
2 - to speak to other breeders and exchange tips about cat/kitten welfare
3 - to have a natter to people I had met online but as yet not in person
4 - to buy things that are not usually available at local supermarkets
5 - to find out whether my little one would enjoy being shown and if so, to see whether she would achieve anything.

I got a nice surprise too, by the way. My kitten was awarded a few rosettes. However, by the third show, it became apparent to me that although the judges were writing nice things about her in two or three succinct lines and bringing home a few rosettes each time, my little one didn't enjoy it so I stopped taking her to shows. I now have nobody to show but will go along to meet people and do items 2, 3 and 4.


----------



## IndysMamma (Jan 15, 2009)

I go to look at other cats and learn about the breeds, Indy seems to enjoy the day out and meeting other people and cats too  he really enjoys travelling too, sitting on my knee (in harness) looking out window

Misha has his first show in April and I will give him 2 shows to try it out, first is obv overwhelming, second to see how he really feels... if he doesn't like it then he can stay home.


----------



## raggs (Aug 3, 2008)

Ithink all the obvious reasons have already been pointed out , but i would like to add, we have been showing a couple of cats now for about 18months during that time and by attending shows and meeting those who have many more years experience than myself i have learned so much from these other breeders/exhibitors, at shows its great when people approach you and comment on one of your cats but when another breeder chats to you about your cat i take so much from that., i also like to here what the judges have to say about my boys to as its their opinions that matter most,.........CHRIS


----------



## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

When I showed my neuters it was a fun day out. There was a group of us that used to go regularly, all our cats competed together in the Gr and one week one would win and one week another and everyone was genuinely pleased for each other. I used to look forward to showing it was a social occasion and everyone got on no rivalry - then the breeders moved in ruined the atmosphere and everyone stopped going  Moving to show in the entire section you get a lot more of that rivalry too. So if I show now its for a 'purpose', and not so much for fun. That said, even if I had the typiest cat/kitten to show, if they didn't like being shown, they wouldn't be shown.


----------



## raggs (Aug 3, 2008)

hi Saikou, i understand exactly what you mean, and im sure its the same for everybreed of cat out there i have to be honest and say that most breeders in the ragdoll world are very nice and ive always found them to be so helpfull, but theres always 1 or 2 that have this "im the best attitude" and they are the ones i dislike and avoid as much as possible.........chris.


----------



## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

Yep def no point showing a cat if they don't like it.


----------



## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

You say that but people do it just for the certs. Someone I know was badly attacked by a cat up for BIS, ended up in casulty dripping blood from both arms. It was not the first time he had been like that apparently, when the owner was spoken to she just said it was OK because as he was a Gr now could be retired


----------



## raggs (Aug 3, 2008)

Saikou said:


> You say that but people do it just for the certs. Someone I know was badly attacked by a cat up for BIS, ended up in casulty dripping blood from both arms. It was not the first time he had been like that apparently, when the owner was spoken to she just said it was OK because as he was a Gr now could be retired


Thats the kind of attitude i hate...what is wrong with some people? only a few weeks ago a friend of ours who was stewarding at the time was bitten and scramed by a cat very badly, and on the list of which bites are the worst a cat bite comes second only to that of a human.


----------



## Soupie (Sep 2, 2008)

I enjoy the social side and being able to show off a breed I love and introduce more people to their curly charms 

If any of them showed a real aversion to showing then I would not show them anymore. 

I think some basic assessment should be brought in for stewards too and bad or inexperienced handling can make the experience quite stressful for a cat who was previously quite chilled out .......


----------



## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

raggs said:


> Thats the kind of attitude i hate...what is wrong with some people? only a few weeks ago a friend of ours who was stewarding at the time was bitten and scramed by a cat very badly, and on the list of which bites are the worst a cat bite comes second only to that of a human.


Me too, its all too prevalent in all registries unfortunately. The poor person that was mauled spent months on 3 types of antiBs. Not nice. She was an experienced steward with several years of very regular stewarding behind her, not one of those done it a couple of times know everything types. The cat was not happy being shown and by the end of the day decided to express himself in no uncertain terms. To my mind the only one at fault was the owner, who knew exactly what the cat was like, but decided to show him anyway. That shows a lack of respect for the cat himself, anyone handling him during the day and the other cats penned near him.


----------



## Izzie999 (Nov 27, 2008)

Biawhiska said:


> They are great reasons :thumbup1: I like going to All Breed shows as I love seeing all the different types of cats and colours etc. I also enjoy people watching at cat shows :biggrin: the interest folk that are about and the not so nice people who clearly see their cat as a "show" cat and nothing else that's quite sad.


Yes, I know a few people who only really like their cats for what they win and one particular person who has rehomed a beautiful cat just because she can't show her anymore, Very sad.

I love seeing all the different breeds on show, and how different they all are, I also enjoy watching people get excited when their much loved pet surprises them and does really well. I even got a hug at the Lancs show last year when I put up someones result

Izzie


----------



## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Rraa said:


> In general, I do not show my cats but since I breed siamese, I must be aware of the standard of my breed - as it is known and judged today. I have in the past been politely criticised for not having shown. It was argued that since my cats are not compared with today's pedigrees, how would one know how good they are? Therefore I did take a kitten to a show a couple of times as a kitten and once in adulthood.
> 
> The reasons I took her were
> 1 - to answer my critics and to find out for myself what an unbaissed judge would have to say about a kitten I had bred
> ...


What lovely reasons for going to shows Raa. Even though I can't show Mai Tai under GCCF rules I really want to go and visit some shows but my husband thinks I'm mad and if I'm going I should be showing. Maybe I'll take a look and see if I can show her with TICA


----------



## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

There's nothing to stop you putting Mai Tai on exhibition, and showing her to the world. She just wouldn't be in competition (although some shows do run a class for cats on exhibition I believe), but you could enjoy the show day, make contacts etc for possible hubbies for Mai Tai in the future. Its always good to go to shows if you want to breed because you get a feel for the "look" certain lines produce. Plus there's the shopping experience


----------



## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

My thoughts exactly thank you Saikou. My husband says she's far too young to start looking for a boyfriend but he was the same with our daughters lol He doesn't want his girlies to grow up 
oooh the shopping :drool::drool:


----------



## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

Finding the purrfect hubby can take ages, and you need a back up - an heir and a spare  Plus you need to have time to visit them and make sure their quarters and slaves are of a suitably high standard for your baby.


----------



## raggs (Aug 3, 2008)

Lyn, another plus point too of showing Mai Tai in exhibition at a GCCF show is you can decorate the pens too and ive seen some at shows ive attended and they really can show off you're cat, its def worth thinking about, good luck with her whichever way you go.................CHRIS


----------



## sophie 1 (Feb 22, 2009)

hi so why do you show. me new to showing and amnot sure of my baby really took to it will know the 2nd show. me not in it for the rosettes though nice to win of course. if my baby shows me that she not happy in any way i will not show her again. though i did meet some people whoi thought were not putting their cats first. my baby a non ped and still feel they do not get the recognition they deserve.


----------



## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

sophie 1 said:


> my baby a non ped and still feel they do not get the recognition they deserve.


Why do you think that? From June they can compete for titles the same as peds, they have their own BIS, can qualify and compete at the Supreme. In any shows they are in the minority as far as numbers are concerned if you look at Non peds v peds, but not if you compare them to individual breed groups.

It just so happens that more ped owners show their cats.


----------



## Soupie (Sep 2, 2008)

Saikou said:


> Why do you think that? From June they can compete for titles the same as peds, they have their own BIS, can qualify and compete at the Supreme. In any shows they are in the minority as far as numbers are concerned if you look at Non peds v peds, but not if you compare them to individual breed groups.
> 
> It just so happens that more ped owners show their cats.


and at some shows like the C&L, the non peds get a BIS and the peds don't despite paying a higher entry fee!

I think the new titles will balance off any perceived bias as Saikou says they will be able to compete for titles etc as well.


----------

