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Competitive Classes
CFA Cat Shows
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Tips for Spectators - What's It All About?You saw it advertised and excitedly circled the date on your calendar. You even cut out the discount coupon from the newspaper and have it saved on the door of your fridge. Now, that special day is finally here and you are about to attend a CFA cat show! Once you are at the show hall, and have paid a nominal fee for admission, you'll enter a room bustling with activity. There will be specific areas where a single person is handling the cats, and you will see beautiful cats, of many different breeds, being carried to and fro. You ask yourself, "OK, where do I start?" Let's take a quick tour! Basically, cat show halls are divided into 3, and occasionally even 4 or 5, unique areas, and may be in a layout similar to that shown below.
So, now you have to decide - do you want to take the time to walk around and see every cat entered in the show, or watch the judges handle the cats in the judging rings, or even start right in with your shopping? If you are interested in all of the breeds, and want to discover the diversity in coat lengths, body shapes, head styles, colors and patterns, you'd be best to start with a walk around the "benching" area. If you are interested in a specific breed, the cats are handled in the judging rings by breed groups and that may be your best place to begin. If you want to know when a specific breed will be judged, ask the people at the front door and they will be glad to check the show schedule for you. If you are interested in shopping, the vendor area is usually full of exciting feline items. Many will be unique articles that can probably be found only at cat shows. In the benching area -
Sometimes, you will find a table in front of the cage that the owner will use for grooming the cat when it is called to the judging ring. If you are lucky, you will come across exhibitors grooming their cats and you are welcome to stop and watch the procedure. Remember, though, that cats entered in the show have been through a strict regimen of pre-show bathing, blow-drying, conditioning and grooming so that they will be presented in exquisite condition in the judging ring. Even though the temptation to reach out and touch will be strong, please do not touch the cats, as the possibility of oil from your hands could affect the "feel" of a cat's coat, or put the coat out of place. Occasionally, you'll see a sign on a cage that reads "Please do not touch. Owner bites." or "Keep your fingers out." or even "No fingers. I bite." These signs are not intended to be rude, but are a "cutesy" way to simply remind spectators not to touch the cats in the cages. Cats are naturally curious creatures, and will be interested in fingers stuck into their cages, but they are also susceptible to highly communicable diseases such as upper respiratory infections. These diseases could easily be spread from cat to cat simply by touching a cat that could be harboring the beginnings of an illness, even if it is your cat at home, and then moving on to touch another cat. Some exhibitors, on the other hand, will allow you to touch their cats if you ask permission. You may find that, before you can touch the cat, you will be asked to use a hand sanitizer that they provide, often an alcohol-based gel product such as Purell®. If you are offered this opportunity to touch, take it by all means. You will be amazed at the different feel in the coats of various breeds! Exhibitors will be delighted to talk to you about their individual breeds, especially when they are in-between judging. If a cat is being prepared for a ring, then the exhibitor is most likely concentrating on grooming and has little time to talk. If that's the case, come back later when their judging is completed. Once in a while, you may find yourself in the middle of a conversation when the exhibitor's cat is called to the judging ring. You'll find that most exhibitors will politely explain that they need to get ready for the ring, and that they'll be available to resume the conversation at the completion of judging. If you are in the middle of an aisle, and see a cat being carried to or from a judging ring, please step aside and make way for the exhibitor. It is imperative that they are able to get to the judging ring on time for their class judging. If you see a cat go by that interests you, follow the exhibitor either to the judging ring or back to their benching area. They'll be intent on the judging procedure in the ring, but will be glad to talk to you about their cat once back at the benching cage.
You can help to keep your child occupied at the cat show by printing files available on our For Kids … About Cats web site. We have numerous activities that children will enjoy - Find the Breed game, Crossword Puzzles, Coloring Pages, and lots more fun, too! We also have an Activity Book that you can print, which explains about cats and their care, plus coloring and puzzle pages. Once home, your child may enjoy working with the online jigsaw puzzles that can be found in For Kids … About Cats. Check it out! In the judging area - The center of attention at any cat show is the judging rings. Each and every entry in the show will pass through each judging ring at some time over the course of the show. Cats are called to the judging ring by breed groups, within three classes - Kittens (between 4 and 8 months of age), Championship (over 8 months of age and not neutered or spayed) and, Premiership (over 8 months of age and neutered or spayed). There may also be a class for random-bred cats, called Household Pets.
The judging procedure itself and awarding of ribbons appear to be complicated, but are really a series of mechanical possibilities dependent upon how a judge feels a cat meets the standard. The CFA web site has a full explanation of the judging procedure and the ribbons that are awarded. One thing that is easy to determine in the judging ring is the identity and sex of the cat. Each cage will have a numbered card on top of it, which corresponds to the entry information found in the show catalog (which can be purchased at the front door of the show). Each card is also either pink, for females, or blue, for males. The judge will be concentrating on their job - the evaluation of the entries - and may, or may not, talk during this procedure. If a judge is not handling cats, they will be happy to answer questions from spectators. Their first priority, however, is the handling and evaluation of the cats and this must take precedence. Spectators are welcome to sit in front of the ring and watch the judging as it happens. Please do not venture into the ring area itself, as it is already crowded with the judge, the judge's ring clerk and the exhibitors bringing and removing cats. If your cell phone rings, please excuse yourself and take the call out of the judging area. The finals presentation is the highlight of each judging ring, during which the judge will present their "top cats" to the audience, and talk about each of them. If you hear an announcement for a final in a certain ring, be sure and watch the excitement! Feline Agility -
Be sure and watch as the cats make their way around a course of steps, tunnels, bars, hoops and weave poles. Feel free to hoot and holler for your favorite feline in this part of the show hall. Want to Take a Photo? Taking photos is allowed in the show hall, but it is best to ask permission of the owner of the cat first, especially in the benching area. Sometimes a cat can be spooked by the flash from a camera, so it's wise to take photos without using the flash option. Taking photographs in the judging ring is also allowed, as long as it does not interfere with the judging in any way. Spectator Guide
CFA's Ambassador Program
CFA ambassadors are prepared to answer questions that you may have, whether they are related to individual breeds, the cat show itself, the judging procedures, the ribbons that are awarded, or just general cat care inquiries. Look for ambassadors at CFA cat shows - they are a unique source of information. That's it in a Nutshell! Hopefully, this article will entice you to check out CFA's show schedule, which includes cat shows held around the world, and plan to attend a show near you. If you have any questions, feel free to email cfa@cfa.org. Text: Karen Lawrence, February 2007 |
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The "benching area" is primarily a "holding" area for all the cats that are entered in the show. Each cat entered is assigned a number and a cage. The owner will always decorate the cage area to complement their cat. These cage "curtains" will ensure that the cat doesn't come into direct contact with the entries of another person, yet allow it to be comfortable for the duration of the show. Cage decorations can range from plain and basic to fluffy and extravagant.
You will also find that some exhibitors have opted to display their cats in tent-like "show shelters" in which the cats feel safe and secure. The drawback to these shelters is that it may be difficult to actually see the cats inside, especially in a show hall that doesn't have overly-bright lights. Normally, though, exhibitors are very cooperative when asked if it's possible to have a closer look at their entries.
The judge will remove a cat from the cage, and handle it on the judging stand. During this handling, the judge will closely examine the body structure, coat, color and pattern in order to determine how the cat meets the "standard" for each breed.
Feline Agility is the latest craze at cat shows, and it is an exciting competition to watch. We've watched dogs run agility courses for years, and now it's the cats' turn!
Shows may have a printed spectator guide available at the door. If you wish, you can print one ahead of time to take with you. A spectator guide will explain the cat show procedures and the ribbon colors, and answer frequently asked questions. You can find links to both an in-depth guide and a simplified one below.
The Cat Fanciers' Association has initiated an Ambassador Program, with the goal to assist spectators at shows and answer their questions. Exhibitors who are acting as ambassadors at a particular show will be wearing a button, similar to the one on the right, so look for them in the show hall.
