Show Etiquette?

Luvyna

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Not sure if this is the right board for this question, please let me know if it isn't!

I will be attending my first cat show as a spectator tomorrow. I really want to see some specific breeds as I am considering buying one of them after I graduate and settle down. There are also some cool breeds like the Cornish Rex and Sphynx that I just want to see in person out of curiosity.

I'm not sure how cat shows are usually laid out or how they work, so I was wondering what would be the best way for me to get a chance to meet and observe certain breeds? Is there any chance to speak to breeders about their cats? Is it okay for me to ask to pet the cats when they are not being showed?

Any other tips to get the most out of this cat show are much appreciated as well!
 

mservant

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I suspect you are in the US and cat shows are run very differently there to here on the UK. That said I would be very surprised if you were not able to chat with breeders who are showing there. Take the opportunity to get a feel for how they approach their breeding, look of their cats and their nature's. It can vary massively between breeders even for the same breed. You might get a feel for breeders you do or don't like too and check out how long people usually have to wait for o be of their kittens / whether they sometimes have cats to re-home.

If it's like the UK for contact with the cats it can be limited if breeders / owners are worried about diseases being spread around. Useful to have some unscented good quality hand sanitizer with you because they might let you pet if you can demonstrate cleaning before touching.

I hope you have a great time and enjoy the day out. Cat shows are a great way to see different breeds of cat and a good number of breeders. They often have great cat supply stalls to shop from so beware taking money with you!
 

Graceful-Lily

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I have absolutely no experience with this but I was wondering if googling the specific show you are attending and maybe looking at their website. I wonder if they'd have something on there about rules? I don't know. Or even a reddit thread or something. See if there is anything about that specific show online.
 

GoldyCat

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Are you going to TICA show or CFA? I can tell you how the CFA shows are run.

The show hall will have rows of tables where the exhibitors set up cages for their cats when they're not in judging rings (benching area). Breeds are not automatically benched together. Many people travel with friends or meet friends at the show and request to be benched together.

You can wander up and down the aisles looking for breeds that interest you. A more efficient way is to watch the judging rings. When you see a cat that you'd like to meet, wait for the owner to take the cat out of the cage and follow them back to the benching area to talk to them. Some exhibitors may be running from one ring to the next and don't have time to chat, but if they're not rushed most people love to talk about their cats.

You must ask the owner if it's ok to pet a cat. Some will say yes, some will say no. It doesn't matter why they say no, just please respect that. Many who say "yes you can pet my cat" will ask you to use a hand sanitizer first.

Not everyone who shows cats is a breeder. I've been showing Household Pets and Abyssinians for a number of years and I'm not a breeder. However, I can talk to you all day long about Abys, and if any Aby breeders are in the show hall I can usually direct you to their benching area.

Which breeds do you want to see? If it's a CFA show I can look up the breed summary and tell you if any of those breeds have been entered.

Enjoy your first show.
 

1 bruce 1

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Are you going to TICA show or CFA? I can tell you how the CFA shows are run.

The show hall will have rows of tables where the exhibitors set up cages for their cats when they're not in judging rings (benching area). Breeds are not automatically benched together. Many people travel with friends or meet friends at the show and request to be benched together.

You can wander up and down the aisles looking for breeds that interest you. A more efficient way is to watch the judging rings. When you see a cat that you'd like to meet, wait for the owner to take the cat out of the cage and follow them back to the benching area to talk to them. Some exhibitors may be running from one ring to the next and don't have time to chat, but if they're not rushed most people love to talk about their cats.

You must ask the owner if it's ok to pet a cat. Some will say yes, some will say no. It doesn't matter why they say no, just please respect that. Many who say "yes you can pet my cat" will ask you to use a hand sanitizer first.

Not everyone who shows cats is a breeder. I've been showing Household Pets and Abyssinians for a number of years and I'm not a breeder. However, I can talk to you all day long about Abys, and if any Aby breeders are in the show hall I can usually direct you to their benching area.

Which breeds do you want to see? If it's a CFA show I can look up the breed summary and tell you if any of those breeds have been entered.

Enjoy your first show.
This is how it works in horses and dogs for the most part, too.
I'll re-stress the idea that if a person (who is preparing to go into the ring) can't talk, they'll usually be happy to talk once they're done in the ring.
I got caught up in a chit chat with a new person at a dog agility show once (they were new and were just so nervous) and missed my ring time. It wasn't their fault, it was mine for not wearing a damn watch :lol: The end of the day is a good time to flag people down, too, and if they're tired or have to leave just ask if they have a website or email so you can contact them later when their weekend settles down.
Have fun :wave3:
 

abyeb

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Hi there! Is the show CFA or TICA? If it’s CFA, I can show you where to find the show counts, which will let you know which breeds will be there. I have only been to CFA shows, but, from my experience, most all breeders are more than happy to talk with you about their cats. If one seems in a hurry to get their cat ready or taking them to the show ring, then you should wait until their cat is done before talking with them.

A good number of breeders will let you pet their cats, but be sure to ask first. If they say “no”, don’t take it personally. They might be worried about the spread of disease between cats, or about their cat’s fur getting messed up.

And be sure to watch some of the show judging. Some judges keep a running commentary, which can be a great way to learn about different breeds!

Check out this show guide for more info:

http://cfa.org/portals/0/documents/spectator_brochure_complete.pdf
 
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Luvyna

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Thank you very much for all the replies and the advice!

mservant mservant - I am in Canada actually, but the US is a very close guess :) Getting a feel for how the cats from people who breed the same type of cats are different is a good tip, I hadn't thought of that but it makes a lot of sense. Wait time for kittens is an excellent question to ask too.

Graceful-Lily Graceful-Lily - I did have a look at their website but unfortunately it is very sparse unfortunately. There is a small section about what there is to see, but nothing about rules. That's a good suggestion though, I think many shows probably have detailed websites or Facebook pages.

GoldyCat GoldyCat - My show is hosted by TICA, although from what I read on the website it sounds quite similar to CFA shows. Thank you very much for offering to find which breeds are available though, that's really kind of you! I'm hoping to see British Shorthairs, Maine Coons, Siberians, and Somalis (my show's website says there will be no Somalis at this show though). Also thanks for letting me know about the household cat owners, I think talking to them will be really helpful too!

1 bruce 1 1 bruce 1 Oh no, sorry to hear you missed your ring! Good tip, I will be sure to be mindful of the possibility that people have a showing to get to. Getting contact info from people is a great idea too, especially if I might want to get a cat from them down the line.

abyeb abyeb I will be at a TICA show, but I imagine they can't be too different from CFA ones. Thank you for the link, the FAQ and ribbon guide are useful, and the info will certainly be helpful if I ever go to a CFA SHOW.
 

posiepurrs

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This is a poster that my club (CFA) will have by the door this weekend at our show. I hope it helps. The suggestions apply to both TICA and CFA. I NEVER mind talking to people about my cats - I love bragging on them, but sometimes I have to cut it short if we are going to a ring. I show Persians and I have to say, the one thing that drives me CRAZY is people reaching out while I am going to a ring and messing up the coat on my cat without asking if they can touch. In my benching area I usually don't mind people petting after using hand sanitizer. However since the coat can take up to 4 hours to groom, I sometimes don't want to have to repeat that after the day is over to prepare for the next day. I hope you have funa nd find the breed of your dreams.
 
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