Showing Your Cat

Showing can be great fun. Many people started by entering just one show to see if they enjoyed it, and are still involved decades later. Some happily exhibit for many years, others end up becoming judges, stewards or work as part of a show team or become a show manager. 

Before you enter a cat show, there are things to consider. The most important question is "Will my cat like it?" If your cat is shy or nervous, then showing may not be for them, but if you have a friendly outgoing feline, then they could really enjoy all the attention and go on to win prizes. If your cat is going to be shown in the Household Pet Section, temperament is very important as cats in this section are judged on temperament and condition rather than a breed standard (SOP). 

Its a good idea to start showing your cat as a kitten if possible, so they get used to it from a young age. However, some cats do attend their first cat show as adults and go on to have very successful show careers. 

The GCCF takes health very seriously and all cats must be fully vaccinated to attend a show. They must be also examined by a vet or vet nurse at the show to check that they appear healthy before they can be penned in their cage. Judges and stewards must disinfect their hands and the judging trolley (table) between each cat. A lot of care is taken at shows to reduce the risk of infection to a minimum but there is always a very slight chance that your cat could become ill after a show and this should be considered as well. 

If you decide to show your cat in the pedigree section, then it will be judged against the Standard of Points. Not every kitten in a litter is show quality, so do ask your breeder or an experienced person who may be able to offer advice. The Maine Coon Cat Club may be able to help and advise. 
If your pedigree cat is not good enough to be entered in the pedigree section, you might want to consider entering in the Pedigree Pet Section instead, where cats can still gain titles and Best in Show awards. 

CONFUSED ABOUT COLOURS?  One thing that owners, judges and show managers may find confusing, is knowing which breed colour class a Maine Coon should enter.
Several years ago we managed to gain approval for four colour classes at GCCF Shows - Brown or Blue Tabby with or without white, Silver Tabby Series, Red Tabby Series and Any Other Colour. Recently we have seen an increase in the number of cats being entered in the wrong Open Class as well as many more people contacting the club to ask which class to enter. Entering the wrong class could lead to disqualification. So, to help, here is a guideline:  
Brown/Blue Tabby inc. Bi-Colour Class: All Brown or Blue Tabbies with or without White   Silver Tabby Series inc. Bi-Colour Class: Any silver tabby of any colour, including red silver tabby, blue silver tabby and tortie silver tabby, etc it goes in this class.Red Tabby Series inc. Bi-Colour Class: Red Tabby, Cream Tabby, Tortie-Tabby, Blue-Cream Tabby, all with or without white go into this class. (Please note that Red Silver Tabby, Cream Silver Tabby, Silver Tortie-Tabby and Blue-Cream Silver Tabby go into the Silver Tabby Class, not the Red Tabby Class.)Any Other Colour Class: Everything else goes into this class. All solids, shadeds and smokes, with or without white, go into this class.
Still confused? Don’t hesitate to email the club for clarification.  
THE MAIN CONFUSION SEEMS TO BE SHADEDS. THEY MUST BE ENTERED INTO THE AOC CLASS, NOT THE SILVER TABBY CLASS.
Click here to see the full list of GCCF breed numbers 
You may also find the GCCF Standard of Points useful to determine colour references.

Showing Your Cat

Find out more about cat shows and showing by following links below

Showing With The GCCF