NY Cat Show Attracts 25,000

by Sherry Morse

The Cat Fanciers’ Association 2003 CATS! SHOW New York returned to New York City’s Madison Square
Garden October 11 and 12 after a three year hiatus and attracted an estimated 25,000 visitors.

The show is the feline equivalent of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and featured cats from as far away as Asia and Europe and as close as New York City itself. The show featured six rings where judging was held continuously, as well as seminars hosted by experts in cat-related fields.

Among the featured speakers was Carole Wilbourn, known as "The Cat Therapist," who spoke about how owners could learn to read their cats’ behavior.

Breeds that competed included the four most popular breeds in the United States-Maine Coon, Siamese, Exotic (a short-haired Persian) and Persians.

In addition, rare breeds like the hairless Sphynx and the unusual Ocicat, which is a Siamese-Abyssinian cross with dark spots on a light coat which resembles an ocelot also competed. Cat owners at the show had different regimes for getting their cats ready. Sloane Wulf of Virginia bakes chicken nearly every night for her champion Siamese cats, and Darlene Feger of New Jersey likes her Persian to be a bit overweight.

In contrast, New York owner Caroline Scott said she puts her cats though an aerobics regimen to keep them slim.

All of the cats are used to being bathed. Breeder Brian Gorman of New York said, "Rule number one for giving a cat a bath: clip their nails first."

Ocicat Wild Rain Distant Drum of Dot Dot Dot, owned by Roger Brown of Omaha, Nebraska, was pronounced Best in Show.

The Cat Fanciers’ Association, Inc. (CFA) is the world’s largest registry of pedigreed cats and features shows on six continents.

© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.