Earlier this year, RagaMuffin iCandy Raisinette went to shows looking to earn points for her grand championship. It is a mountain to climb for sure. Coming from the dog world, it is very different. In the dog world, the title of champion is quite an accomplishment. It takes a good dog and judges that recognize that quality to earn enough points to become a champion. In the CFA cat world, the title of champion means little. That was a huge surprise for me crossing over from canine competition. What I learned was that the championship title in CFA is basically a participation trophy. It means an adult cat has competed in six rings under six different judges and not been disqualified. Really. I don’t know how that came about, but, it is what it is.

The CFA Grand Champion (or for altered cats, Grand Premier) is the challenging one to attain. Raisinette had to compete against cats eight months and older for these points. Each judge chooses their top 3 long hair and top 3 short  hair champions of all breeds to return to the ring for finals.  The points are awarded according to how many cats are defeated. For premiers, it is the top 2 long hair and top 2 short hair premiers of all breeds. To be a Grand Champion, a cat must have earned 200 points. To be a Grand Premier, the cat must have earned 75 points. It can be difficult to get the needed points for a grand depending on how many cats are entered in each show and the quality of cats entered. Fortunately, it did not take Raisinette long to accomplish the goal.

It’s a challenge. For competitive people like me, who also enjoy hanging out with other animal lovers, it’s a fun hobby.