Introduction to Cat Shows: Part 1
As cat shows become more popular, the interest amongst our followers has grown tremendously. We have created a series of articles to introduce our followers to cat clubs, cat shows, and cat fanciers organizations and an introduction to the world of cat shows.
Cat clubs are groups of people with a shared passion for the care, welfare and presentation of cats, whether they be kittens, registered pure bred cats, altered (spayed and neutered) cats, household pets or emerging new breeds. Cat clubs can either have open or closed memberships: Open meaning they are on a membership drive looking for new members who can make fresh contributions to the purpose of their organization/cat fancy or closed meaning you must be invited to join their club by an existing member and accepted by its membership. Clubs are formed by formal application within the cat association they represent (ie TICA, CFA) and follow a process outlined within the association including bylaws and charter. Usually a club will have a board of directors (ie President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, Counselor, etc.) who provide organization and leadership to the club as well as present topics to the club membership to vote on, foster morale, teamwork, fundraising and community. Membership pays annual dues to assist with operating expenses (shows) and can be defined as working members or social members. Club members volunteer their time in many ways mainly to produce cat shows which attract entries from all over the US and world.
Cat clubs usually sponsor cat shows throughout the year at various geographic locations throughout the association’s respective region. In TICA, the NW region consists of Alaska, WA, OR, ID, MT, WY and the paralleling providences of Canada which boarder the northern states mentioned. The Commencement Bay Cat Club, a TICA club, is the first and oldest chartered TICA club in the United States with its location being Pierce county and surrounding areas is from right here in Washington State!
With aging membership of the fancy, new clubs as well as existing clubs are looking for ways to promote membership within the fancy. Some clubs promote the junior exhibitor, while other clubs are more breed specific, yet some clubs are tapping into membership in underserved areas making it easier for spectators, exhibitors and local vendors to travel to shows to view the spectacle of so many beautiful cats in one location.
Producing a cat show requires not only the people power found in its membership but also working capital. Clubs must secure a venue months in advance, fly in top notch judges from different regions of the US as well as international judges, pay airfare and hospitality fees for the judges, recruit vendors, sponsorships and cat community service organizations, advertise for spectators to come and enjoy the event as well as open the show in advance for exhibitors and make certain the show count will attract enough exhibitors to the show as title points are dependent on show counts for each category.
The NW Region has chartered several new clubs in the recent months to promote the fancy. One of the newest clubs is the Kootenai Kats Club of Coeur d’ Alene, ID. Kootenai Kats Club is actively recruiting open membership, sponsorship and volunteers to assist with their inaugural cat show Sept 20-21, 2025 in Coeur d’ Alene, ID. What a beautiful time to visit the panhandle of Idaho and take in a cat show! Dues are $25 and each family member is an additional $12.50 membership. If you are unable to participate in the production of the show, consider a sponsorship or an exhibition. We would love to see your beautiful cats at our show. The TICA website show calendar provides event specific information re: entry process and fees. Please reach out to the club’s membership point of contact for more information: kootenaikats@gmail.com
Next topic in series: Preparing your cat for the big event