Braving A Cat Show

by
Ingrid Stenquist

Madison Square Gardens has an annual tradition of hosting the CFA IAMS Cat Championships, hosted by the Cat Fanciers' Association within the Expo Center. I had the great pleasure of accompanying a cat enthusiast this weekend to survey the kitty floor. After purchasing my over-priced cat show ticket, I circled my way around the many tower levels and found myself face to face with the ticket clinchers. Upon thrusting my $15 ticket into the hand of a stupidly smiling portly fellow . . . I quickly realized that this is going to be weird. Portly man: "Ha haaaaaa, only women are allowed in the show!" Me: "Uhm . . . what?!" Portly man: "Only women are allowed to be in the show. Haaaa!" Me: "Uhm . . . ok-ay. . ." He handed me back the ticket and said some smart mouthed remark about it being a joke. Thus, I stumbled up the escalator into kitty land.

Little cat carriages, decked out in vibrant satin sheets with little luxurious pillows and crystallized kitty litter were the standard. Devotees additionally, would set up mini cat shrines, dedicated to their vain 'family members'. Mothers lovingly brushed their children's fur and used makeup brushes for some peculiar reason on their feline's eyes. Instantly, I gasped in shock and mild horror and made my way to the back of the expo center, searching for a ring number two because that was where my cat lover roommate was stalking her prey. Maybe it was the numerous amounts of large people eating out of Kentucky Fried Chicken buckets that frightened me, or possibly it was the massive amounts of glittery objects meant to entertain the cats. However, I only seemed to be getting in the way of some nervous competitors that would shout, "Cat, coming through! Get out of the way!" Discovering, that there were no labels or signs of rings in the place, I gave up and found the nearest concession stand.

Once I found my roommate, I was saved the burden of traversing the floor on my own. There was a stage in the back that displayed cat celebrities. The cat from CSI made an appearance and another cat that had appeared on animal planet show competitions. The most interesting event was a cat sex education speech made by a veterinarian cat specialist. However, the speech was more disappointing than entertaining because it had little to do with sex. Most of her tactics were of giving out meaningless trivia and quizzes on cats. "Can cats mate with bunnies? Is there such a thing as Cabunnies or Cabbits? The answer is NO!" I kid you not. I blame the lack of reasoning with her being from Orange County. She was very amiable, just too peculiar for my palate.

There were also exercise rings that were physical and agility challenges for cats to run through. Basically, the owner would pay ten dollars to wave a little feather toy and have the cat jump through rings and run up stairs in order to prove the height of their skills. It looked like a fun little playground but aren't cats for the most part lazy? And don't they enjoy being lazy? Most of the cats that were sleeping seemed fairly content. There was a cat with sheep like fur, named Woolibaar. The cat not only had a stuffed animal labeling it as an icon, but it had a marquee with scrolling red lights on the top of its' plush carriage. These were high-class cats in the midst of a strenuous competition of style.

The most enjoyable part of the cat show was actually the free part. The adopt-a-cat center was more entertaining because it gave people the chance to see 'normal' cats up close and to actually be allowed to pet them without feeling like a burden. Over 500 cats were available for adoption and several affectionate varieties were on display to the public.

The benefits of going to cat shows are that you are bound to pick up some free cat samples. If you have a hungry cat, bring a friend and pick up a couple extra care packages for the feline. The dressed up teenage cat dancers are a bit overboard in the entertainment department, but the cats are what make the event, not the people.


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About the Author:
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Written by: Ingrid Stenquist. SuccessfulOffice.com is a one-stop virtual assistant for businesses of all sizes, from the one-person operation to the global conglomerate. They provide mailing address services and exclusive toll free 1-800 or local numbers. Their next-generation call center provides a dedicated team of service professionals to answer your calls, giving your business a familar and consistent voice. They will serve as a telephone answering service or a full-service sales team for your business, according to your special needs: http://www.SuccessfulOffice.com




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Guide for Grooming your Cat

By: Jack Moundon
by
Jack Moundon

As most of us know, cats are meticulous when it comes to personal hygiene that is why cats constantly and regularly groom themselves. A well groomed cat can be wonderful to look at. And of course, all cat owners want their pets to be clean and well groomed all the time. Grooming will make your feline pet not just clean but also healthy. Grooming your feline companion with a brush will prevents it from having hairballs. The fact is, cats can have a hard time dislodging hairballs in their system. A hairball is a mass of hair that gets accumulated on the cat’s stomach or intestine every time the cat licks its coat. If your feline pet can not remove the hairball in its system, it will eventually lead to intestinal blockage and can be quite threatening to your pet’s health. The regularity of the grooming of the feline companion solely depends on the thickness of its coat. A cat with a furry coat must be groomed on a regular basis (daily), while cats with short coats must be combed and brushed at least twice a week. When grooming your pet cat, always be on the look out for lumps in its coat and skin inflammations. Start grooming your cat by brushing its back through the tail. Repeat several times on each side. Each side must be brushed according to the direction of the cat’s hair growth. Avoid brushing your cat’s face and paws. If your feline friend doesn’t like the feel of a brush or comb, you can substitute the brush or comb with grooming gloves. Grooming gloves are excellent grooming tools. That is because most cats love to be touched. However, your pet feline must be accustomed to being touched in order for this to work because there are some cats that scratch you when touched. The key to this is by training your pet young. And once the kitten gets accustomed to being touched, it would grow up wanting more and will eventually look forward to it. When grooming your cat, make sure that you always go a bit more. It is best that you praise your feline companion if it remains still. Bear in mind that if the cat begins to struggle a bit, it would be unwise to continue. Let the cat go, you can always try the next day or later. Once the cat becomes accustomed to grooming, the cat will eventually look forward for it. Jack Moundon is the owner of http://www.the-cat-central.com, Helpul information about cats health problems and meanings about their common behavior. Great gift for cat lovers and helping you cat stay healthy.

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How to Choose Your Domestic Short Hair Cat

By: Michael Haydon
Short haired cats are by far the most popular cat in the United States. It is not regarded as a show cat, but its popularity is beyond doubt. Short hair cats account for around ninety five percent of all domestic cats, so the style is clearly popular for one reason or another. It might be what we term an “everyday” cat History Of The Domestic Short Hair Cat Cats were transported from England during the times of English colonial domination, to control rat infestations in the colonies. Today’s domestic short hairs are descendants of those working cats. They had no defined parentage and subsequently became known as domestic short hairs. Diversity Of The Domestic Short Hairs There is a large number of Short hair cats all of which vary in color, style and, certainly, personality. Their owners will tell you that this diversity is what makes them so adored as house cats. The domestic short hair has almost eighty different types of recognized color patterns. Domestic short hairs can be tabbies, calicos or solid color cats. Although perhaps the most popular domestic short hair cat is the black and white tuxedo cat. The appearance of a domestic short varies with location and the local cat population. In colder climates then you can expect stocky, sturdy builds with thicker coats. Cats that come from regions with warmer temperatures will often be thinner with lighter coats. Domestic Short Hair Personality The most diverse characteristic is without doubt its personality. Whether they reflect the environment around them at the time or whether they are influenced as kittens is an unknown mystery. They can be mischievous and cheeky, tripping you up as you attempt to walk around the house, or they can appear tranquil even lazy, only stirring to get their next meal which, incidentally, you are expected to have prepared as required! Whichever cat you want you will have to face the likelihood that you won’t know until you live with it for a while. Purebred cats are more likely to follow a pattern and have a distinct personality, but domestic short hair cats have not been specifically bred so there is no way to determine their personality. Since domestic short hairs are randomly bred, you never know what you will get. No matter what domestic short hair you get however, they are usually friendly and social. How to Take Care Of Your Domestic Short Hair Cat Fortunately, because of their short coat there will be minimal grooming requirements. You will however still need to remove dead hair and provide occasional grooming. All cats will groom themselves most of the time but you still need to do a little to avoid hairballs. It is also important to provide an adequate diet and not large serves so as to ensure muscle tone and skin are in the best condition. Michael is the owner of Love Your Kitty, the BEST site for looking after your cat properly. You will also find great gift ideas for your kitty at www.PussyCatsAlive.com

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