Why should dogs have all the fun? For the first time in the city, felines took centre-stage to compete for awards as well as invite attention from hundreds of visitors. The fourth International Cat Show held in the city saw several breeds participate and drew impressive crowds.
About 60 pet cats participated in the fourth International Cat Show held in the city on Sunday which was organised by World Cat Federation (WCF), Indian Cat Federation (ICF) and Middle East Cat Society (MECATS).
If the round-faced and unusually large Persian cats were present in large numbers, not to be outdone were the placid Bengal cats with their dark spots that not only resembled a leopard in appearance, but also in behaviour. “Do not come near. It may claw at you as it gets angry soon,” warned the caretaker.
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The young masters had a field day participating in the event along with their adorable pets.
“Three pets of mine are participating in the show,” said an ecstatic Sameera Jabeen, whose Himalayan cat had bagged a prize for being ‘photogenic’. “I have eight cats and I can say that they are friendlier than dogs. I hope more such shows are conducted in future for cats.”
Some of the breeds of participating cats included Norwegian Breed, The Traditional Long Haired Breed, The British Long-Haired Breed and the Arabian Mau besides others. International judges from WCF graded the participants.
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“We never expected that Hyderabad had so many different breeds of cats as pets,” said Umesh, communication manager at Waltham Mars India, which sponsored the event. “Next year we might conduct the show again in the city. The response has been more than we had imagined. The idea behind the event is to bring all cat lovers under one roof and also promote cats as ideal pets since there are some myths surrounding them. Cats are the best pets because they are easy to maintain, economical, clean and can be left alone at home if the owners are working.”
A specialist veterinary team advised the pet owners on various issues related to their pets. Participants received certificates for the cat’s original breed and points for Championships.
The idea behind the event is to bring all cat lovers under one roof and also promote cats as ideal pets since there are some myths surrounding them - Umesh communication manager at Waltham Mars India