Introduction to Cat Shows: Part 2 – Preparing Your Beloved For a Cat Show

I remember going to my first cat show five years ago in January of 2020 in Portland, OR. I was showing our male F4 kitten, Columbia River Stone Free aka “Stone” who was my first show kitten, a lovely altered kitten with exquisite type. I was shocked when he received two finals out of 83 kittens being shown that weekend. He would have received three but a judge pulled me aside and told me his coat felt “greasy.” Most likely from a product I was using to treat the psoriasis on my hands. I had no idea what to expect or how to prepare for the show other than to remember to clip his nails and he be surface clean. I read the show rules….nails must be clipped..check!….Kitttens or cats with obvious illness will be asked to leave…check!; however, nobody explained the finer details of preparing my Bengal cat for a show. This article will hopefully prepare you to basic Bengal cat grooming which will make your Bengal shine, if not for the show at least be stunning in your home in front of his public.

1. Your cat should always be clean and bathed: A judge can feel a greasy coat, dander, loose hair, and a poorly hydrated nutritionally compromised cat. A judge can see a dull coat that has been stripped by shampoos and unconditioned. A judge can smell a cat that has urinated on his coat. Make sure you use an appropriate animal shampoo and separate conditioner product specific to your cat’s coat type. When bathing you cat, make sure rinse each step not once but twice to ensure you are rinsing all product out. Use cooler water as your final rinse to seal the cuticle. Drying in a dryer box or air drying is entirely up to preference or coat type.

2: Comb your cat’s hair prior to bathing: It will loosen any dander or loose hair which will allow it to be easily shampooed or rinsed away during the bathing process. It also gives you an opportunity to inspect the coat for any potential issues such as fungus or injury which you will want to act upon immediately. Brushing your cat following bathing when coat is dry not only allows natural oils to be distributed through the fur but also allows you a bonding opportunity with your cat. Mutual grooming is a natural instinct of a cat, displaying trust and acceptance.

3: Clean and inspect your cat’s eyes: The best eye care techniques I have up my sleeve were learned from the Persian breeders who routinely employ advanced techniques to keep eyes healthy and fur from staining. Generally, eye wipes are fine for routine daily eye care and preshow grooming. Powders provide moisture absorbency which reduces the amount of tear staining you see on the fur caused by yeast flora and moisture in sensitive areas such as eyes. Remember: moisture + warmth = yeast. Humans, as well as animals carry it on their bodies. It’s normal. Eye drops can be used under the care and guidance of your trusted vet. Never use human products on your cat’s eyes.

4: Clean and inspect your cat’s ears: It is essential you clean and inspect your cat’s ears regularly to keep them healthy, reduce yeast, and prevent ear mite infestations. A judge will disqualify a cat with visible fungus (ringworm) or earmites. To clean our bengal’s ears we use qtips and ear specific cleaning cloths which are moist pads designed to fit on the fingertip. We clean what we can reach with the qtip to loosen debris and finish with the fingertip moist pad, it seems like a quick and painless process for the cat. Our flea and deworming product does an excellent job taking care of potential earmites as well. Please ask your vet for recommendations for treatment to incorporate into your cat’s wellness routine.

5: Clean and clip your cat’s nails regularly: True fact, the more you touch the paws, the easier it will get trimming the nails. We start our kittens off by massaging their paw pads regularly. This allows their vulnerable paws to become acclimated to human touch. Using clippers designed for cats, we carefully clip the tip of each nail on each paw and the forward dewclaws. Each time your cat uses the box in the showhall, inspect the nails for litter or remnants of treasures from the litterbox. We keep wet wipes in our travel case just for this purpose. Be prepared to provide medicinals for your cats who don’t like nail trims. Speak with your vet about safe medications to give for gentle sedation when needed. Its often ok to do the nails and bathe immediately following if you are having to do both prior to a show and needing to premedicate your little darling.

6: Don’t forget to clean your cat’s butt: That goes without saying. We want to see your star on the stage, not his brown star.

7: Keep your cat’s nutrition and hydration at optimal levels always: A judge can feel a cat with malnourishment. That includes a well fed cat who lacks muscle mass and has bulk, a cat that has chronic diarrhea or malabsorption which can lead to a greasy or unhealthy coat, or a cat that is poorly hydrated who has skin tenting.

8: Going back to item 7: Never bring a cat in a show hall who is exhibiting illness. Chronic diarrhea, vomiting, not eating or drinking. It’s better to sit out the show than to expose others to illness, plus you risk being disqualified. If your cat stops eating or drinking while showing, showing is most likely too stressful for them at this time. Let them sit the showhall out. Not every cat is a show cat.

We realize our experience is limited only to the Bengal cat itself and not to any other breed. You can employ these techniques on your household pets as well prior to show or showing off. If you have breed specific grooming questions, always consult with your mentor or breeder for valuable tricks of the trade.

Next topic: Having a dynamite show set up