CAT SHOWS

There are a number of cat shows held at different places all over Britain, where many pedigree cats, who are judged according to the standard of points issued by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy, compete for cups and championships. Advertisements for shows can usually be found in all the cat magazines that are available from newsagents nationwide, or apply to the Secretary, G.C.C.F. It should be remembered that all pedigree entries must appear in the show catalogue, therefore entries must be in several weeks before the show; it is no use applying only a few days prior to the show to enter a cat. The cat shows are organised by carious cat clubs under the auspices of the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy, and are mostly held in the autumn and winter, when the long-haired cats are in coat. A number of exemption and sanction shows are sanctioned by the Governing Council. Sanction shows are run on the same lines as the Championship shows, but no challenge certificates are given. It is really a form of rehearsal by a club for future Championship shows. Exemption shows have a slightly different set of rules, ad are put on by clubs before running a sanction show. At both these types of show well-known judges officiate, and novices take the opportunity of getting expert opinions on their cats. The Kensington Kitten and Neuter Cat Club hold a show in London in July, where kittens of two months and over may be shown. Neuters are shown, but no adult cats participate apart from studs and brood queens, which are judged only by their progeny. Three of four other clubs hold their shows in London, the largest of these being the one organised by the National Cat Club which is held in the Birmingham NEC.. Apart from the many hundreds of pedigree cats on show, there has also been a special section for household pets.
It is not necessary to belong to a cat club to show a cat, but if one does so, there are special prizes to be competed for. By joining a club near at hand and by attending the meetings, members soon learn about the various shows and automatically receive the club’s show schedule. All cat shows are advertised in Fur and Feather and the show managers will send schedules and entry forms upon application being received. In the schedule will be found details of the classes, the judges and the various prizes to be won. The entry form should be completed and sent to the show manager, with the correct money, before the closing date, which is approximately two or three weeks before the show. Unless the cat is a household pet or a neuter, it must be registered with the Governing Council and must have belonged to the person exhibiting for at least three weeks prior to the show. Neuters may be registered with the Council and compete for Premierships.
To become a Champion, a cat must be first in an open class of its own breed and be awarded a challenge certificate for each win at three different shows under three different judges.
A Champion may become a Grand Champion by winning the Champion of Champions class under similar conditions. As well as open Classes, such as Breeders, Novices, Juniors, Senior and many others. Club classes are those guaranteed by the various clubs and only their fully paid-up members may enter cats in these. There are separate classes for kittens, after nine months, they compete in cat classes.
About a week before the show, a numbered tally and vetting-in card will arrive to enable the cat to be accepted at the hall. Cats must be taken to the show in adequate escape-proof baskets or boxes. They may not be sent by rail direct to the show, and must be accompanied to the hall by the owner or owner’s representative. All cats have to be examined by a veterinary surgeon before penning is allowed, and if there is the slightest doubt as to the state of health, they will not be allowed in the show. After the cat has been passed by the veterinary surgeon, a pen will be found in the hall bearing the same number as that on the cat’s tally. Before placing the cat in it, although the pens are disinfected by the benching firms, it is as well to wipe the bars and backing lightly all over with a little methylated spirit, or some mild disinfectant. The pen will be on tabling covered with white paper, and the plain white blanket should be placed on this, together with the sanitary tin. Peat moss to go in this will be found in the hall. Nothing else is allowed in the pen prior to the judging; in fact, anything else may lead to disqualification. After giving the cat a final grooming, but on no account powdering in the hall, make sure the numbered tally on its plain white tape or ribbon is safely around the cat’s neck. Place the cat in the pen and leave it. The cat must not be approached while it is being judged.
As the various classes are judged, the award slips are placed on a board to enable the exhibitors to learn the results. Some time after lunch, the award cards go up on the pens and the cat is allowed to be fed. Most shows close about 6 p.m. and exhibitors who live over 100 miles away are usually given permission to leave a little earlier, provided this permission has been applied for with the entry form.
On reaching home, the cat’s coat should be wiped over lightly with a mild disinfectant, and the eyes, mouth, ears and paws wiped with a much diluted solution. Half a teaspoonful of whiskey or brandy in a little milk or water may be given. Even if the cat has been injected against feline enteritis (and no cat should be shown without having had this done), there are other ailments a cat may pick up at a show and a thorough disinfecting will help to counteract any infection. The cat should be given a meal and the bed should be placed in a spot well away from draughts, as the show halls by the end of the day are usually rather warm, and cats are susceptible to colds. The cat should be isolated from other cats and kittens for the next few days, to ensure that, in spite of all the precautions taken, any infection picked up will not be conveyed to the others.

SHOWING NEUTERS
A neutered male or spayed female of any breed of pedigree cat may be registered as a neuter and compete at cat shows for the many cups and trophies given for the best neuters. Premiership certificates are given instead of Championship certificates. If the first prize winner of an Open class of neuters is up to the required standard, a premier certificate is given. To become a full Premier, a neuter must win three premier certificates at three different shows under three different judges.
A Premier may become a Grand Premier by winning the Premier of Premiers class under similar conditions.
Non-registered neutered pets may compete at cat shows in special Non-Premier Neuter Classes or in Household Pet classes.
As with the showing of all pedigree cats, condition and show preparation count a great deal towards prize-winning and many weeks of constant grooming will be needed before a show.

STEWARDING AND JUDGING
There is no easy road to becoming a cat judge. It is only after years of stewarding and acquiring a thorough knowledge of all varieties of cats that one may be chosen by one of the Breed clubs to become a probationer judge of that particular breed.
If one is interested in stewarding and judging, it is advisable to breed cats and to join one or more of the various cat clubs throughout the country, to attend the meetings and to ask to be allowed to steward at the club’s show. A steward’s duties include arriving in good time on the morning of the show, armed with india rubber and pencil, and finding the judge’s small table, which then has to be taken to the pen of each cat to be judged. A bowl of water containing disinfectant and a towel will be required for the judge to wash his hands after the judging of each animal, to prevent the spread to infection to the next exhibit. The steward should check on any absentees, and confirm that the number on the tally round the cat’s neck is the same as that on the pen. He must not be nervous of handling all types of cats and must be content to watch the judging carefully without expressing an opinion. Before the award slip is taken to the table where the awards are entered, it must be checked that the awards are filled in correctly and that the slip has been signed by the judge.
If one acquires a reputation for good stewarding and also appears to be able to assess a cat’s probabilities according to the standard of points, it is possible that one may be considered as a probationer judge, and may judge non-champion and miscellaneous classes at shows. It is only after some years of such judging and having one’s capabilities observed, and judging the open kitten classes of the particular breed, that one is allowed to become a judge of that breed.
In some countries, would-be judges have to take examinations and to give a practical demonstration of judging different breeds under well-known judges. In this way it is possible to become an all-round judge – that is, a judge who can judge all breeds of both long-haired and short-haired cats – by taking the various examinations for the different breeds. In Britain it is very difficult to become an all-round judge as some clubs are now stipulating that judges must have bred the particular breeds for a number of years.
The opinion of British judges is much valued in other countries and they are frequently invited to officiate at the large cat shows in Europe, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
To be a good judge, one must have an ‘eye’ for a cat, have the courage of one’s convictions and be able to give tactful opinions to enquiring owners regarding their cats.