The National Cat Show of the New Zealand Cat Fancy in autumn this year. I have had a lot of fun creating a video which I hope captures the excitement and the beautiful cats in this, the most important cat show of the year.
If you can’t see the video please watch it here.
I enjoy reading about the international cat associations I see online and was excited to read that the National Cat Show was being hosted locally. It took place during the recent public holiday, Queen’s Birthday Weekend and the opportunity to visit and film the cats was irresistible.
The National Cat Show 2018
We arrived early at the venue, the Wellington Indian Association, as we knew the show would be very popular and were lucky to get a good spot outside the front gates.
On the way to the entrance, I spotted some lovely personalised cat number plates. So, of course, we had to make a detour into the car park to take pictures. It did seem funny wandering around looking at bumpers, but I can tell you that cat lovers definitely wear their hearts on their number plates. The plates are featured in this post.
The Dominion Cat Club Inc. organised the event and the show was open to pedigree and domestic cats in a series of classes:
- Junior and Intermediate cats
- Seniors and Veterans
- NZ Bred cats and,
- Kittens in a variety of categories. (You can see some of the kitten judging in our video.)
Judging the Cats
All of the cats here, from the large Norwegian Forest Cat and Maine Coons to the characterful Oriental Shorthairs and the Devon and Cornish Rex breeds looked perfect to me but I’m not an experienced judge. They will look for perfection on a number of points.
In the video, I captured judges assessing candidates for different cat classes. The cats are patient while they are examined, held and picked up. Crowds gather around popular breeds as the judging takes place.
The judges came from New Zealand, across the Tasman Sea from Australia and from the USA. New Zealand Cat Fancy is very much on the worldwide cat radar to garner prestigious judges from America. Each cat in a ring was examined and the final selections made.
The finalists in each category were summoned to the stage for a final critique and praise before the prestigious ribbons were handed out. As a cat owner, this would be a proud moment for me if I was competing.
Cat cafe Neko Ngeru sponsored a rosette for the Companion Cat category which was won by a gorgeous ginger.
Of course, everyone had a favourite at the cat show. I spotted several breeds I would love to take home. These including engaging and delightful Tilly the companion cat. Two black and white Oriental Shorthairs who are featured in the film were very vocal and delighted visitors.
Cat Themed Vendors
Although the display area was small, we were pleased to meet Neko Ngeru. They brought their unique range of cat-themed merchandise from the cafe.
We also met our sponsors, the designers behind MonkeeTree.com. It is an innovative indoor/outdoor cat modular climbing system. Monkee Tree designed and made the steps you can see in our video of the Neko Ngeru cat cafe grand opening and you can read our review.
Cat Evolution presented their stylish Meyou Cat Bed which can be spotted in the cat show video, and they also brought along the impressive Litter Robot.
One Last Frustration for a Cat Lover
In spite of many courteous signs asking visitors not to poke fingers into the cages, some people insisted on doing so, and this was frustrating to see.
A cat show cannot monitor every cage, much as they would like to. If you visit a cat show, please respect the cats and the owners’ requests. A ‘Pet Me’ cat, like our Therapy Cat friend Summer, will welcome your approach much more as she has strong people skills. Show cats will be more nervous, even if you smile.
We hope you enjoy our report and the video. It was a lot of fun to make the video and we would love to know your favourite part
I really enjoyed your video. Thanks for sharing!
What a great show! I’ve never been in one, but I’m not one for crowds, so I’m happy you posted this so I could see what goes on! – Tom x
OH, to have been THERE. What FUN!!!
I was able to visit the cat show in Houston this past week that was in the same hotel as the CWA conference. Of course, I loved visiting the Persians! I have a few photos that I will share later. I wasn’t able to see the finalists, but all were perfect to me.
What a great show and so many beautiful cats! Your video is great, it showed what is was really like there and I love the music you chose. It ticks me off when people stick their fingers in cages too, especially kids whose parents don’t seem to care what their kids do. It’s so unsettling for the kitties! I am in love with the big gray cat in that third to last photo. I love gray cats so much. It looks like a British Shorthair , which I believe is the same breed the Cheshire Cat was. This cat is just what I think of when I think of the Cheshire cat! Thanks for sharing.
Love and Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
We think you are right, we saw several British Shorthairs. Their coats are perfection!
Marjorie, what a wonderful video! And, oh, the beauties in there! I was captivated by the black and white one with the unique facial markings at around 1:15 in, and that gray and white fluffer before that one, just beautiful. And Tilly in the beginning really reminded me of our adopted tuxedo feral, Binx! I’ve loved black cats since a child. I had one then I named TC (after one of my fave shows as a kid – Top Cat the cartoon!). Wonderful job! Thanks for sharing it with us!
Thank you. The video was a lot of fun to make.
Loved your video Marjorie! Felt like I was there, especially when the judges were handling some of the cats. I gasped a few times. Not because the judges were doing anything wrong, but because I was thinking of my old cat and how much she would not like being handled. Those cat show cats truly are pros!
It’s so cool that kitties have their national show also. So many wonderful breeds and individual kitties out there.
Do the cats go through less grooming than the dogs? I keep meaning to try to go to a cat show but haven’t made it to one yet. Mr. N has strong opinions about being left home alone. And I can’t take him to a cat show!
I believe there is a lot of preparation, including baths, blowdries and brushing to a glossy shine. Oh yes, a lot of loving preparation!
Yes they are bathed, towel dried and blow dried and claws clips to avoid scratches etc
Looks like you had a good time at this cat show! I haven’t been to one in a really long time, but I do love them.
Loved seeing the variety of breeds in your video! Thanks for sharing it with us. 🙂 My cat-only clinic I work at (I’m a vet tech) hosted a cat show here in town and it was amazing!
Aw… such beautiful creatures! And Peeps NO touch means NO touch!
I dispaired! These are lovely but valuable animals *sigh*
You all judge in a different set of classes – here we judge in kittens, longhair and shorthair champions (unaltered), and long and shorthair premier or alters (depending on the association). And Household Pets. I show 5 household pets. It was really interesting to see the setup – everyone is in matching cages – here it is a myriad of stuff. I’m showing this weekend. I was planning a write up after next weekend’s regionals. Maybe I’ll be able to get enough non-crappy video and pictures to do something decent.
Back in the day when I had cats we used to go to shows and enter the household pet division. It was fun!
Fun video! The hissing one made me laugh. Great recap of the event! And I agree with your frustration, why can’t people follow the rules and not poke their fingers in? Simple request! You’d think someone going to a cat show would get it.
What a fantastic show and I loved the video, especially the white long hair chilling LOL, thanks so much for sharing and showing what is happening in your country
guyz…pleez ta tell mum we said thanx for sharin…we N joyed de moovee ~~
insert heartz ??
Looks like fun. Ya’ll seem to have lots of cat furiendly stuff there. Big hugs
Luv ya’
Dezi and Raena
We love your video, Marjorie. That looks like such a wonderful cat show. Thank you for sharing about it with us!
What a fun cat show! Cat shows are such a great way to see all the different breeds of cats. Thanks for sharing!
Loved the video Marjorie! Where were the Birmans? The Birman group I am in on FB has lots of members from NZ and Australia. I love cat shows. The first one I went to after losing Perry was so emotional. I saw a Blue Point kitten and started balling my eyes out (how embarrasing!). The owner let me hold here and then I really lost it! Such a special breed, to me anyway. All because of that boy. Thanks for sharing the cat show!
I apologise for not taking more Birman shots for the video! Perry was totally one of our best Twitter friends ever, and wasn’t the owner kind to let you hold the kitten (I would have cried….)
Someone did that for my daughter after we lost her beloved Flame. One of the girls I show with showed a cat that looked almost exactly like him except for the tail (Flame was a bobtail.) Of course, we know the rules, but my daughter finally asked if she could pet him. The girl picked her cat up and handed him to my daughter and he put his head under her chin. We see the cat now and then and my daughter always gets a snuggle. Sometimes it is about way more than the awards.
What a wonderful show that was…….so many people there and lots of gorgeous cats to see. The video was a wonderful highlight of all the action!
Hugs, Pam and Teddy too
Another really cool video. A great day out by the looks of it too, and some really nice cats to see.
Toodle pips and purrs
ERin
So many wonderful kitties! I’ll probably go to the cat show in the hotel in Houston. I’ve never been to one before!
Cat shows are pretty similar in the U.S. to this one. In fact, I recognized one of the judges, Vicki Nye – she has judged me! And she gave me a final once. I have my own enclosure (2, in fact), which zip up so people can’t touch me unless my human allows. Of course, I am a Pet Me Cat, so it’s nearly always okay, if I am out and accepting visitors.
I loved watching this. I loved the wegie the best of course. I’ve tried to do video at my last couple shows, even if it’s just my cats’ finals but it always ends up rubbish. It’s hard to handle cats and video at the same time. I get so wrapped up in their performance I forget what I’m doing lol
Bet it wuz a fun time!
It was. So exciting to see such elegant cats!
Great video! The event looked fun and I love how the cats suites were dressed.
Well, sorry I got confused with the message form there, I thought it was the comment form. Those are sure beautiful kitties and it’s a shame some humans can’t read.
That was a wonderful video! I loved hearing the kitties give their o-purr-nions:)
Gteat video. Cat shows are fun for sure. Mom L and Miss Mary, Spitty’s human, went to one a couple years ago to see Summer strut her stuff!! ANd she did and she WON!!