Everyone is always welcome at a Cat Show. The cats are available for your appreciation in their show cages and in the Show Ring but please refrain from touching the cats, as any number of ailments may be spread through the casual touching of different cats from different environments. Although at home cats eagerly await a caress, within the show hall things are different. Setting aside the health risks, allowing dozens of strangers to pet them, can become quite stressful to the cat. Cats are especially groomed for the show and oily or sticky hands can undo all this hard work. Please, ask the owners questions about their cats and the breed's characteristics. Most cat fanciers eagerly await the chance to share information, stories and the histories of their chosen breed(s).
Children must remain with an adult at all times and running in show hall or loud play are prohibited. Not only does this behavior scare the cats, it can be dangerous. Help us keep the show hall safe and comfortable for fellow spectators, exhibitors and, of course, the cats.
A cat show has several rings, usually anywhere from 5 to 7 per day and the shows are usually hosted on weekends to include Friday evenings from time to time. Each Ring is presided over by a different Judge. Each cat will be judged in every ring, with the exception of special classes and fun rings. Only the Judges, Clerks, Ring Stewards and Exhibitors are allowed within the show rings. Exhibitors may enter the show ring to deliver their cats or to approach the Judge if called upon. Cats may be removed after the Judge has given his consent. As a spectator, please stay clear of the shaded area represented in the below diagram and give way to exhibitors trying to get back and forth from the ring with their cats. Please be mindful of not blocking aisles and Judging areas.
The cats are divided for Judging into 4 major classes:
From these the cats are again divided by breed. Each is judged against all other sphynx with the same color “pattern” and then each is judged against other sphynx in the same color “division.” In other words if there were three black sphynx being shown, the judge would place them against one another by their color and rate them 1st best black color, then 2nd best black color, and then 3rd best black color. The judge then breaks them down by division which would be all sphynx that are of solid colors. An example would be that all of the solid color blues, blacks, reds, and whites would be judged and placed 1st best solid color, 2nd best solid color and 3rd best solid color. He/she would then judge all of the bi-colors against one another and so on and so forth. If there is only one black and that black is the only sphynx solid color being shown that day, this black sphynx would get 1st best color and 1st best division. After the judge has done this, he/she chooses the top 3 of the entire sphynx breed.
After all the cats in a class have been
judged, the Judge will recall the 10 cats that in his or her opinion
are the best representatives of their class they competed in when
compared to the written standard for their respective breed. This is
called a final.
There are 3 types of judges you may see at a show. All Breed Judges who examine all purebred cats at the show, Specialty Judges who examine long and short haired cats separately, and Household Pet Judges who only examine household pets.
This is a general outline of the judging at cat shows and may differ from Association to Association. We hope you enjoy your next cat show and please do not hesitate to ask questions.
Here are some pictures of a typical Show Day.
