SheSue Experience

Along the third wall are 6 judging booths. Each booth has about 10 or 12 cages (see photo here) where the cats are brought waiting to be judged. In the center of the booth is the judging table with a platform on which the cat is displayed. Then there 3 rows of chairs for you to sit and enjoy the judging. Each cat is judged in all 6 booths. They are judged by category such as breed, long hair, short hair, kitten, household or alters (a cat that can no longer have babies).

The entire center of the room is filled row upon row of cats in their houses set on tables with their owners standing (or sitting) by. Here they wait their turn to be called to a judging booth. As a spectator, you are welcome to wander down the aisles and talk to the owners. Some are eager to share their cats with you, others are more quiet.

There were 39 breeds in all. Some you’re familiar with like Siamese, Persian, Manx or Abyssinian (the cat with basically no hair). There were also cats with beautifully exotic coat patterns, cats with no tails, cats with bob tails, cats with folded ears. Some of the cats were even for sale. At the front of the room was a display of a local animal shelter who offered a small variety of cats you could take home. Please note the wild haircut on this cat who belongs to the shelter. Apparently he loves to have his hair cut.

As you wander among the tables, an owner might be grooming their cat for judging. Lots of hair to comb. Some use a spray to control static or give the cat’s coat a sheen. As the cat comes back from judging, they are given bites of baby food as a reward. I was amazed at how relaxed the cats seemed. They were draped over the owners shoulder or lounging in their arms.

Each judge looks at each cat and ranks them per their breed. The judge gives points for color, coat, fur pattern, alertness, playfulness and structure. After the judge has seen all the cats for a particular breed, they will ‘call back’ what they feel are the best 10. Then they look at the cats again and rank the cats from 10 to First place. Each cat has 6 chances of getting a first place ribbon (1 from each judge).

The cats earn points for the ribbons they earn. These points are posted nationally. If you attend lots of shows and your cat earns lots of ribbons, they can go on to regionals and eventually nationals. Many of these folks attend cat shows once a month or more. They spend a great deal of money on travel expenses just to show off their cats. Many own and show more than 1 cat. I talked to people from Reno, Seattle, Maupin and Portland.

There is no money earned for ribbons. These cat owners are here because they love and respect their cats. Some have other agendas. For instance one lady raises Japanese Bobtails because she feels they make excellent pets. She just wants to spread the word about these fabulous cats. Another lady was there from a Seattle cat shelter. She wants to spread the word about her shelter. Her cat, to the left, was my favorite. A beautiful, huge cat names Mocha. Mocha is a kitten, can you believe it. He was rescued from an abusive situation. He loves doing the shows and preens like the best of them even though he is very new to the game. He is already on his way to being the best kitten in the household division.