On Saturday 29th of August we visited the Dominion Cat Show, the local show for the New Zealand Cat Fancy. The show took place at Expressions (Whirinaki) Upper Hutt in a hall that was packed with keen cat lovers and sales tables, as well as serious judges and nervous competitors.
I travelled light with just my smartphone as most of the cats are in crates (see the Cornish Rex below) and I dislike shoving my phone into the cats’ faces to avoid the bars. Etiquette dictates no fingers near the cages but many people are silly and poke their fingers in which is intimidating for the cats and unnecessary.
Meet The Learner Cat
As we moved through the crowds we came across this ‘new to cat shows’ Maine Coon kitten. After a nervous start in the morning, his human mum said, he had calmed and settled down. So much so that his dad felt happy taking him out of his show crate for us to see.
I managed a few snaps in the crowd around the youngster but they are not perfect. This one (above) is the best and you can see his kinked whiskers. His human dad told us his siblings chew his whiskers, hence the ‘wavy whisker look’! Can you imagine Maine Coon kittens at home?
In this second photo the photo is a kitten going for the ‘won’t look Wednesday’ approach to cat photography, but you can see the small Learner Plate which indicates that this is his first show. This was such a sweet touch and a gentle reminder for people to give the gorgeous kitten space.
This is a wriggly shot with a touch of the kitty derp. OK I admit it’s blurry but, it makes me smile.
- STOP PRSS If you are on Facebook you will find a short 2 minutes approx. video of the cats at the Dominion Cat Show in Upper Hutt!
A Cornish Rex Treat
Although this is a terrible photo behind the bars of a crate I am really pleased with it. No, I am not going to use AI to remove the bars.
Let me tell you why I like it so much.
This wonderful cat was posed calmly and with a great sense of presence close to the front of its crate. It was not concerned with people taking its photograph, or the crowds, or the high level of busyness, judges and general noise. It was simply perfect.
I am sorry you can’t get an impression of its size, which was not as small as I expected, or its gentle but distinguished colouring but it just looks as if nothing in the world will bother this wonderful cat.
Finally, I will try and track down the Maine Coon kitten’s name if I can. It was a real charmer.
Cat Photographer, Instructor and Writer
Professional Member of the Cat Writers Association,
Winner of the Kuykendall Image Award
Published at the Guardian newspaper
