The Showing of Cats

The showing of cats - or any animal for that matter, is not for the feint of heart.  It requires long days spent pouring over show entry information, learning judges, learning your particular breed, learning how to groom not just well but exceptionally well, learning show etiquette and rules. It requires a dedication to the chosen breed in learning its individual standard and how that is applied in the judges eyes to the cat. It requires learning how to put 2 individual cats together both on paper in pedigree then in the fact of producing kittens to have a next generation to show. Showing cats (or again any animal) requires that animal to be in top condition not just physically but mentally. Health is a must. Care is top priority.  Socialization is a must. Proper equipment must be maintained. And let's certainly not forget the vast amounts of time time and more time needed to accomplish all of this.

Now, all that being said - how much does all this cost?  Well lets work backwards. Let's say you already have a cat in top form ready to show. Entries run from anywhere from as little as $45 to as much as $120 for a single show for a single cat - averaged out that is $82.  Now you have a single Sturdi (trademark) cage is around $110 so right there you are at right around $200 for a single cat in a single show in a single cage.  Did you drive to the show? How much was gas? Was a hotel stay required? What about registration in the individual registries such as CFA and TICA?

Did you buy a shampoo or several shampoo's for your show kitty? What did you feed your show kitty? What did you bath your kitty in ?

Did you vaccinate your kitty , take them to the vet for just regular check ups? worming? heart worm testing? Felv/FIV testing?

How long have you had your kitty and been preparing it for this show? Presuming it is a kitten it must be a minimum of 4 months of age to even be in the show hall in any reputable association.  As we all know Meow mix vs a diet of say Orijen or Royal Canin produces vastly differing results in body condition, weight, coat and the overall "feel" of the cat. Yet Meow mix is what $5? a bag - vs $15 for Royal Canin? Hmmmmmmmmm.. could it be a case of you  get what you pay for? And then there is all the toys - litter, litter pan(s), scratching post, bed's, carriers etc.  And all of this does not include the cost of the cat itself. "But your are a breeder" you say. You didn't have to buy this animal - you bred it.  Well that being the case, then those costs just tripled. No I didn't have to "buy" that kitten. But I did "buy" it by caring for its parents in the same fashion as described above for their lifetime as well first. I was there when it as born. I held it when it was wet and squirmy.  No I didn't "buy" that cat in the classic sense of the word - what I did do was pay for it with sweat, tears, work, work, dedication, time and more time.

Then I get inquiries from people, under the auspices of being a breeder,  who have never shown a cat in their life and who have no idea what makes a Siberian unique except to say that they can put 2 animals together get babies and sell them. Well shit - I knew I was doing this the hard way. But then I can look at my cats and myself and know that what I do - I do for the preservation of the breed. So that this breed will be around for a long long time. So that my pets are loved, cherished and cared for in a healthy manner. That what makes this breed unique remains a vital essence of the breed. And to work only with breeders who believe in the same ideals.

Silly me.