FELINE AFFAIR IS THE CAT’S WHISKERS
MORE than 80 of the region’s finest felines will leave their catty behaviour at home as they put their best paws forward tomorrow.
The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy hopes to kickstart a passion for cat shows in Geelong with an event at the Geelong Showgrounds.
Member Dorothy Brattan now lives on a property with about 10 Burmese cats, after spending 50 years as a dog lover.
She travels to cat shows in places as far afield as Boronia, Rosebud and Koo Wee Rup about once a month.
“In the summer months, we bath them, they love the bath and the dryer,” she said.
“You’ve got to make sure eyes and ears are clean and their nails are cut.
“You go through their coat with a warm face washer, because if you don’t the cat’s fur won’t sit down properly like it should do.”
Ms Brattan said a variety of cat breeds, including bengal, ragdoll, Burmese and American curls, would be on show at the cat fanciers’ event. But she said the judges would ensure only the most up-to-scratch cats clawed their way up the ladder to the best cat and kitten crowns.
“Whatever the standard is on that particular cat is what the judge is looking for,” she said. “They look at the condition of the eyes and the texture of coat.”
And Ms Brattan admitted her cats might eat better than many people.
She said a delightful dinner of fresh duck or chicken awaited her litter of much-loved cats each night after they had tired themselves out with a frolic in the cat run.
The show is on from 9am-3pm tomorrow at the showgrounds.