Grab $8 from the piggy bank and head to the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds this weekend for a hiss-terical good time.
The And A Mouse Cat Club will host a cat show in the Community Events Building and everyone is welcome to attend. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 17-18, cats of all shapes, sizes, colors and fur types will be on display in this beauty contest-type setting.
Club President Kay Hanvey told The Chronicle the show is a chance for people to learn about cats of all kinds.
Over 100 “exotic feline beauties” will be posing for judges and competing for awards. The cats are not expected to behave any certain way, but simply look lovely and consistent with the The International Cat Association standards for their breed.
“It’s much more a ‘look at the cats’ aspect,” Hanvey said. “Learning things about cat care and just have family enjoyment around cats.”
For those who haven't wrapped up their Christmas shopping, the cat show also offers toys, beds and other cat accessories. Plus, parking is free. Seniors, veterans and students can enter the cat show for just $5, and families or groups of four can attend for $20.
Hanvey chartered And A Mouse 30 years ago and said the group was founded on the basis of cat education. At shows, cats are judged in different categories of kittens (between four and eight months old) and adults (8 months and older) for all pedigree cats. There is also a household pet category.
“There’s all sorts of different breeds, different hair type, different appearances that people never knew existed,” she said.
To get cats ready to be handled by judges and patient enough to compete all day, they need to start learning about show life as soon as possible. No cats are allowed in show halls until 3 months of age. Once they reach 3 months, most breeders will pack kittens along to help them acclimate to the noise and social aspects of showing.
The club also has a program for junior cat owners.
To learn more about And A Mouse, head to http://www.andamouse.com/.
