There are several organizations that register and show cats. In the United States the main organizations are TICA and CFA. These are the two organizations we will focus on. This is just basic information. Specific questions about show rules should be directed to each organization directly.

Both organizations show three categories of pure bred cats. They are Kittens, Cats, and Alters in Tica or Premiers/Premiership in CFA. In addition, both show HHP's (household pets). For HHP’s there are differences between the two organizations. In TICA you can show HHP’s in any TICA show and every ring while in CFA, you need to check with each show to see if they can be shown. At some CFA shows, the HHP will have only one ring while in other shows you will go to all 6 rings. CFA does not give HHP's titles or regional and national awards whereas TICA does. TICA also divides the HHP's into adults and kittens. Kittens are from 4 months to the day they turn 8 months old.

Some of the other differences are the breeds that each organization allows to show. TICA tends to have new breeds come up through evaluation, then as a New Breed and finally the Championship class. CFA stays with the established breeds. It doesn't make either organization better, just different. CFA does not allow "wild blood" in the show hall. For this reason you will not see breeds such as the Bengal, Chausie, or Savannah in a CFA show hall. To see one of those breeds you will need to go to a TICA show. Again, if you have any questions about a particular cat breed go to the web site for TICA and/or CFA where they will have the breed and registration requirements.

So what goes on in the show hall? Each breed has a set standard. The standard gives points for the head, body and color for each breed. These are set by the breed committees in each organization. The HHP standard is set for health and cleanliness. After that it is the judge’s choice. The judge will rank the cat first, by color within its breed. So if you have three white Maine Coon kittens, they will award 1st, 2nd , and 3rd. Next they will award each division within the breed. That means they will rank the best in the tabby division, solid division, tabby and white, pointed division, etc. At a single show, you will not normally have a cat in every color in every division. The next step is to name the best of that breed. Once the judge judges all of the kittens entered they must take their Best of Breed Kittens and pick out their top five or ten kittens. It is possible for a judge to take the top two in a breed and place them in a final. Not every best of breed will make the final. Some smaller breeds might have only one kitten entered. The final is when you earn the large rosettes and the biggest part of your points will come from. Now again, each association will score differently. You will visit between 6 and 14 judges in a weekend depending on the size of the show and the organization. Evaluation classes do not give out best of color or breed. They are there for the advancement of the breed. You are given a written evaluation of the kitten or cat. You are also able to talk with the judge and answer questions that they have as well as show good and bad points about your cat according to the standard.

So now you are asking, how do I enter my cat? If you own a pure bred, you need the registration slip you received from the reputable breeder you purchased the cat from. You need to send it into the appropriate organization with a one time registration fee. The HHP is only given a registration number in TICA and the form is located on the TICA web site. The organization will send you a certificate with the registration number. Next you will contact the entry clerk for the show you want to attend. These people are listed on the show schedules listed on the TICA and CFA web sites. They will give you an entry form to fill out and mail in. Many shows are now doing on-line entry forms. You must also pay the entry fee at that time too. Those fees vary for each show, region, and organization. CFA shows tend to cost less but you have fewer judges. So on a cost per ring, TICA does come out ahead, but again it varies. The entry clerk will send or email a confirmation of entry to you. It is best to review it and correct anything that is wrong, before they print the show catalog. It can be changed after that, but it just becomes more time consuming to do it at the show.

Now that you have entered, what do you do? Well, there are several things to do. If you have a long hair cat, you should be grooming it daily. You want to keep the coat free of knots and matted hair. You will also be getting the cat accustomed to being groomed. Any cat or kitten should be handled daily -- that means picked up and looked over. Get it used to having the ears and eyes cleaned, nails trimmed, and the coat brushed and groomed. Also they need to get used to a kitty carrier. Purchase one and take the door off of it, place a blanket or bed inside, and let them come and go. Have loud noises in your home. A quiet home is a bad environment for a show cat. You need noise in your house. Leave the radio turned on a noisy station, bang pots and pans, and if you do not have kids, then play a tape of loud kids. These are the things that they will face in a show hall. You cannot expect everyone in the show hall to be quiet for your cat, it will not happen. You must prepare them. If you do not, it will be your own fault if they are scared. I cannot stress this part enough.

Ok -- I've entered the show and I've prepared my cat, what now? You will need to have the following items: cat bowls, cat food, bottled water, grooming supplies (combs, cotton swabs, eye cleaner, grooming powder, grooming spray, etc), show curtains, and a litter pan. Other things you might want are a book, a small ice chest, and some snacking stuff. Check the show flyer to see if outside food can be brought into the show hall. Also ask if they have a mentor who can show you around. The night before, you will need to bathe your cat. There are many different shampoos and bathing methods, but we will go over that in more detail in another article. At the least, wash your cat with a good hypo-allergenic shampoo and rinse it very well. Long hair cats should be blown dry. Clip their nails too.

When you get to the show hall, check in with the entry clerk. They will hand you a catalog. There will be a benching chart. Look on the chart for your last name and that will tell you what row you are on. Once you have found your cage, hang your cage curtains on the wire cage. Prepare the litter box and once you have set up your cage, place your cat inside. Now you can sit down and open the catalog up to find your cat’s number. The catalog should be divided into divisions (kitten, cat, alter, HHP etc). You will find the cat’s number listed next to the cat’s name, color and age. That is your magic number for the weekend.

Then look at the judging schedule, each ring will have a number. I normally circle the division my cat is in for each ring so that I can get an idea of which ring will be first. It is important to listen to the announcements. They will call the numbers and you need to stay ahead of things. For example, if you are number 50 and they are on number 42, you need to start grooming your cat. Both organizations normally call the breeds alphabetically.

So the Burmese kittens will normally be before the Siamese kittens. These are just the basics of showing so that you are a little more prepared. If you have purchased a cat from a breeder, you might ask them for help. They will be able to give grooming tips to your for your breed. Don’t forget to ask the entry clerk if there is a mentor to help you at the show.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Kate owns and operates KAOS Cattery. She has been showing since 1995. “We started with a household pet and have raised Tonkinese over the past few years. Our boy, KAOS Maxwell Smart of Toytown, is the grandfather of the TICA 2001-02 International Winner, 2nd Best Cat of the Year, Sazicats Ring in the New Year of Blueyonder. We are owned by a Burmese, a Bengal, a Savannah and several household pets. KAOS Cattery is starting a Savannah breeding program and is a member of SIMBA. Over the years we have won numerous regional awards and two international awards. We still love to show Household Pets.”