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Hey all! I'm taking my boy, Chips, to a show being held this weekend in honour of his breeder, who recently passed away -- he was her favourite cat, and she had always wanted to represent her cattery as a neuter, but she never got the chance due to Covid restrictions. He's a retired stud, and experienced in shows, as a champion with many Best in Breed and Best in Show nominations and awards under his belt. He used to thrive in the environment, but it's been a while since he's been at one.
While I've been to some cat shows casually here and there, I imagine it's a different rodeo when you're actually showing a cat. While I've gotten some good advice from an acquaintance who's also going to the show (she'll be there to help me, and is bringing an extra tent for him, so I don't have to buy one before I'm certain this isn't a one-off show visit for us), she's busy and I was able to question her on only so much before she had to run. Apologies if any of these questions come off as particularly silly. I'm an anxious person by nature, so over-preparing helps me keep calm.
For context -- the show is WCF run.
My general questions/concerns:
1) What's expected of you as a non-breeder showing a cat, in terms of conduct and what you're essentially 'meant' to do at a show. I've personally only really met with breeders at shows, so I'm unsure how or if the experience would differ.
2) Is there an expected dress code as a person showing an animal? Or are the breeders primarily dressed up for PR purposes? I'm happy to dress up, given that it's an occasion, ofc, just want to be sure!
3) The big one, to be honest! Chip used to absolutely thrive at cat shows -- he adored being there, the attention, the atmosphere. He was the most relaxed and confident boy. That said, it's been a few years since his last proper show, and he's been neutered since, not to mention the still somewhat-recent loss of his human. He's settled in really well with me and Jumanji both, I believe, but he's never been to a show without her -- is him freaking out a valid concern? Is there anything I can do to make the experience as comfortable for him as possible? If he doesn't enjoy shows anymore, we'll never go again, it's just this one time that's important for closure. If he does, we'll see, I'll definitely make the effort a few times a year, given that showing cats is fairly expensive and time consuming.
4) What should I be bringing with me? Based on what my acquaintance mentioned, since she'll be brining a spare tent for me, I'll need to bring a litter box, poo bags, shampoo wipes, paper towels, and a water bowl. She also recommended bringing a favourite wand toy. He'll be getting a full groom on Friday night, the day before the show starts, so there should be minimal fuss getting his coat in tip-top shape for the ring. Is there anything else you'd recommend to take with? She also mentioned that it's best not to feed him before I leave, and just give him a larger portion when I get back -- is this advisable? I feel kinda iffy about him going most of the day without food. I do feed raw, though, so unsure if taking his food with me is viable, either.
4) More of a curiosity, than anything. While Chip has a really stunning tail, pants, and belly all year round, he's a weirdo (whom his daughter takes after) that grows his nice thick coat with the signature MC ruff in the summer, so he's currently in his off season coat. Given his conformation is otherwise very good, does he stand a chance at a good showing, despite that?
For the curious, here are some photos of the gorgeous boy at his 2018 shows where he was around a year to year an a half old(was born June 2017)
And a shot of him on a couch from July last year, in his first full coat as a neuter. He's currently at around 8kg (17.5lbs) of pure muscle, though an exact weight will have to wait till his checkup next month :>
While I've been to some cat shows casually here and there, I imagine it's a different rodeo when you're actually showing a cat. While I've gotten some good advice from an acquaintance who's also going to the show (she'll be there to help me, and is bringing an extra tent for him, so I don't have to buy one before I'm certain this isn't a one-off show visit for us), she's busy and I was able to question her on only so much before she had to run. Apologies if any of these questions come off as particularly silly. I'm an anxious person by nature, so over-preparing helps me keep calm.
For context -- the show is WCF run.
My general questions/concerns:
1) What's expected of you as a non-breeder showing a cat, in terms of conduct and what you're essentially 'meant' to do at a show. I've personally only really met with breeders at shows, so I'm unsure how or if the experience would differ.
2) Is there an expected dress code as a person showing an animal? Or are the breeders primarily dressed up for PR purposes? I'm happy to dress up, given that it's an occasion, ofc, just want to be sure!
3) The big one, to be honest! Chip used to absolutely thrive at cat shows -- he adored being there, the attention, the atmosphere. He was the most relaxed and confident boy. That said, it's been a few years since his last proper show, and he's been neutered since, not to mention the still somewhat-recent loss of his human. He's settled in really well with me and Jumanji both, I believe, but he's never been to a show without her -- is him freaking out a valid concern? Is there anything I can do to make the experience as comfortable for him as possible? If he doesn't enjoy shows anymore, we'll never go again, it's just this one time that's important for closure. If he does, we'll see, I'll definitely make the effort a few times a year, given that showing cats is fairly expensive and time consuming.
4) What should I be bringing with me? Based on what my acquaintance mentioned, since she'll be brining a spare tent for me, I'll need to bring a litter box, poo bags, shampoo wipes, paper towels, and a water bowl. She also recommended bringing a favourite wand toy. He'll be getting a full groom on Friday night, the day before the show starts, so there should be minimal fuss getting his coat in tip-top shape for the ring. Is there anything else you'd recommend to take with? She also mentioned that it's best not to feed him before I leave, and just give him a larger portion when I get back -- is this advisable? I feel kinda iffy about him going most of the day without food. I do feed raw, though, so unsure if taking his food with me is viable, either.
4) More of a curiosity, than anything. While Chip has a really stunning tail, pants, and belly all year round, he's a weirdo (whom his daughter takes after) that grows his nice thick coat with the signature MC ruff in the summer, so he's currently in his off season coat. Given his conformation is otherwise very good, does he stand a chance at a good showing, despite that?
For the curious, here are some photos of the gorgeous boy at his 2018 shows where he was around a year to year an a half old(was born June 2017)
And a shot of him on a couch from July last year, in his first full coat as a neuter. He's currently at around 8kg (17.5lbs) of pure muscle, though an exact weight will have to wait till his checkup next month :>