In conjunction with the St. Paul Winter Carnival, the Saintly City Cat Club hosted its 46th Annual Championship Cat Show at the St. Paul RiverCentre last weekend. More than 200 cats from as many as 40 different breeds brought their A game to compete for awards in four competitive classes over the two days. On Sunday, the “King” and “Queen” cats were caped and crowed by a member of the St. Paul Winter Carnival Royalty.
Unlike a dog show where dogs have to perform and walk around in circles, Bobbi Weihrauch, the secretary for the Saintly City Cat Club says “it’s pretty much a beauty contest.” The four competitive classes include kittens, championship, premiership, and household pets. With the exception of the household pet class, all pedigreed cats have a written standard for each breed describing “the ideal example of the breed,” according to The Cat Fanciers’ Association. The judge then compares the exhibit (the cat) to its standard and to determine how well it meets those points.
To break it down, there are a total of eight judges for the two days. Weihrauch explains cats shown in the kitten class, from four to eight months of age, are registered purebred cats. The championship class is cats eight months and older who are not altered (spayed or neutered), whereas the premiership class is cats eight months and older who are altered and registered purebred cats. Household pets, a combination of mixed breeds, do not meet their breed’s standard. But that’s not to say they don’t get judged. Instead, these cats are judged on purely appearance, grooming, health, and personality.
A lot of work and time goes into bathing and grooming the cats in preparation for the show, so some exhibitors prefer that spectators not touch their cats. But when the cats are not being judged, they reside in benching cages where they can chill out with their owners to eat, be groomed, or take a cat nap. It’s also when spectators can walk by and ask the owner and breeders questions about the cats. Some will even let you pet and hold the cats. Weihrauch says this show had exhibitors come throughout the Midwest, Texas, California, and even from Canada.
As a cat fancier herself, Weihrauch has been involved with the club and putting on shows since its formation in 1974. “I just can’t explain how much fun it has been and how much adventure it’s brought into my life…the people I’ve met, the friends I’ve made, it’s been great,” Weihrauch says. She also used to breed and show cats until she decided it was time to retire. “The whole cat fancy is so in my blood that I just keep active with [it].” Additionally, Weihrauch is also part of the Twin City Cat Fanciers, one of the oldest functioning clubs in CFA, which puts on its annual show at the end of September.
As the older generations come to retirement, Weihrauch hopes younger generations get involved in the cat fancy to produce cat shows, but also further the educational opportunities these clubs provide and work to promote. For those who missed the cat show, here and meow are some photos of the adorable exhibitors and the 2023 King and Queen winners of the household pet class.
