In previous blogs, I have written about hanging out all day at cat shows with friends. We make it a point to “bench” together- which means we request the person designating where we are to set up our tents and grooming spaces that we wish to be near each other. Cat shows are an all day affair, so it is fun to spend the time with friends. And, sometimes it works out that you make a new friend that is also nearby.

Socially it is a good day chatting with people who also love cats. We compare notes on grooming, discuss the lunch and/or dinner menu , what show we will go to next, etc.. By the way, these people didn’t start as friends. I met them one at a time after I started entering shows. Some were showing their cats long before I started and others began more recently.

My friends have a variety of breeds, from Persians, Exotic Shorts Hairs, Turkish Angoras to Burmese, Oriental Shorthairs  and Household Pets. And, of course, a RagaMuffin is there on occasion as well! It’s a supportive atmosphere. We cheer for someone else’s cat that has a win. We also help each other as needed for a hand in grooming or to carry a kitty back and forth to the judge. The latter has been very helpful to me recently. Just a short time ago, I was showing four kittens. All needed to go to the ring at the same time and then return to the benching area at the same time. I was able to count on people not only to help tote kittens to the ring, but also give each of them a quick comb out prior to judging and then return my RagaMuffins back to their iCandy tent. At the RagaMuffin show recently, a friend came in to support the show and specifically to help me as I was managing the show, My cats would not have made it to the ring if Jessica of AdoreMuffins had not come.

We also understand each other if there is an issue.  When a cat has an illness or a death of a beloved kitty occurs, who better to empathize than someone else with a deep love for felines. Recently, I lost four of five newborn kittens. My cat friends were calling and texting me to express their sympathy. They get it. It’s not just another kitten to me.

Sometimes, when I am feeling lazy, I think, why did I enter a show. I have to bathe the cat(s), pack my stuff and the cats’ stuff for the weekend, load the car and then drive to wherever the show is. But, two things get me going. One is the special time with my show cat(s). And the other is the enjoyable time with my friends.