EDITOR’S NOTE: British Shorthair breeder, Adia Kilpatrick shared her first experience at a cat show in the article titled, Fancy Meeting You Here. Now join Adia as she is accepted as” one-of-the-club”.
Well, I’ll be catnipped… EVERYTHING about yesterday’s show experience was a complete change from the other shows I attended.
If a flea atop my tarnished halo had witnessed what I’ve been through, he would have councilled me not to continue showing my beloved kitten. But I persevered… and lo! I finally discovered the elusive “fun and friendly” aspect of the cat fancy.
Meandering the benching aisles, I discovered my name attached to the memory of familiar faces! I was greeted, hugged, smiled and waved at or invited to sit on pulled-up chairs. Expecting to again shiver in the cold cat show world, this collective welcome felt like a blanket warmed in the dryer had been thrown over me. Oooooh — it was so nice!
While I consider this budding camaraderie my most valuable show benefit, becoming a newbie-turned-newborn owner of a champion cat made it extra fun! Don’t know how many of you seasoned exhibitors remember your first Champion kitty, but the experience put my heart on a pogo stick!
Reflecting on the small sum of my early show experiences I see how critically important it is for first ones to be positive. With nothing to compare it against, the first will seem representative of all shows. Mine sent me home severely disillusioned and doubting I would ever return.
I’m glad my commitment dragged me forward, for I’ve come to see there are, and will always be “bad” shows AND “good” shows. Likewise there will be both bad (unkind) and good (friendly) exhibitors, breeders and everything else in life.
I smiled all the way home, preferring own purrs to the radio. I have finally been welcomed in to the cat fancy family.
