It was a busy six months for me at the cat shows. I missed the first half of the season, but then took out my Grand Champion, Nougat as a premier. Premier is the category at cat shows that is made up of the spayed females and neutered males. While this division does not have the high quantity of cats that are in other divisions, it has a high level of quality as only the best cats go on to compete in this group. In addition, Nougat’s son, Ganache, made his show debut in the kitten class. Kittens may compete from four to eight months of age.

It was a successful six months spent traveling to shows, spending the days cheering on my cats as well as friends’ cats. One of the things I like about the cat shows is the time I get to spend with other cat people. We all have a common interest, if not a common breed. I often set up my cats near friends with Persians. We help each other get to the rings on time, chat between judging, and, occasionally, go to dinner in the evening.

Well, the season is over. The results are in. I came home with a plethora of ribbons for both kitties! Ganache is the top ranked RagaMuffin kitten in the nation while also an all breed Regional Winner. That means he ranks among the heavy hitters of the cat world in this part of the country. Nougat is the top RagaMuffin premier in the nation while also being a Regional Winner. This is the first time RagaMuffins have been Regional Winners.

To put it mildly, Mama is proud of her boys. It can be hard on cats to travel around like they have. I could tell they were getting tired despite having short breaks. Time for a longer break now. One of my rules is that the cats have to come first. While I love the competition and spending time with my friends, I have to be sure my cats are in good health mentally and physically. My obligation as a pet owner is to ensure my cats have good lives and that I make good choices for them.

Some might argue that my love of dressing them up between classes at the shows is a bit trying for them. But, they do like the attention it gets them, and other exhibitors and spectators love to take their pictures. It is a win-win situation.

To sum up the cat show season……we’ll be back!