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Try Top Cat again or not?

post #1 of 11
9/9/09 at 7:53pm
Thread Starter 
I will be getting some money tomorrow and am thinking of giving him another chance at the show sept 19-20 in Augusta, SC. I am not sure if it will be better to try again then or if it is too soon to give him another try. I don't want him to be upset again.
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post #2 of 11
9/9/09 at 7:54pm
How was he in the ring on the 2nd day?
You should have seen how crazy some of the cats were in Hayward.
The judges made the owners remove them from the cages so they could judge them.
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post #3 of 11
9/10/09 at 5:02am
Give him another chance - then decide if he really likes it.
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post #4 of 11
9/10/09 at 5:02am
Thread Starter 
He was a little bit better, but still had an attitude problem.
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post #5 of 11
9/10/09 at 9:04am
Try one more time.
He might just have had a bad weekend.
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post #6 of 11
9/10/09 at 11:47am
Maybe just try him for 1 day, less stressful than a whole weekend.
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post #7 of 11
9/10/09 at 7:07pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by missymotus View Post
Maybe just try him for 1 day, less stressful than a whole weekend.
Mom thinks this might be a great idea (this is the cat she sleeps with at night anyway) They'll close the catalog tomorrow (although there will be late pages for a few more days), so we'll have to decide quickly what we want to do.

do you guys think this show is too soon? After this the only other show we'd probably be able to make with him as a kitten will be in Hickory, NC on October 10-11. I kinda want to get him some more points, but not at the expense of him hating the whole experience (if he doesn't not like it already). Also, mom was thinking maybe he was too freshly traumatized by the vet. If so, I feel bad for taking him. Speaking of which, he has a follow up appointment on the 18th - no stitches anymore, but I'm assuming they'll still need to look at him. I don't want to spend the money (we'll probably be spending Friday and Saturday night if we go) if the whole thing's a bad idea. The whole reason for me to show is to do something that I really enjoy and makes me happy. That being said, when he isn't happy, I'm not happy. It's not such a big deal if he loses. I just don't like seeing him upset. All I want is to have a good time.
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post #8 of 11
9/10/09 at 7:20pm
Give him another chance.
How is he in the benching area.
He could have been mad still from the vets.
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post #9 of 11
9/12/09 at 9:18pm
Thread Starter 
mom really thinks it's too soon. she thinks he will be upset again.

now he does have a recheck due on the 18th and if we do decide to go - have to do it by tomorrow, I might ask them to check him after the show.


this is such a HARD decision
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post #10 of 11
9/12/09 at 9:45pm
Did the judges say anything when he acted bad?
If you do decide to show him take the vanilla and see if it helps.
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post #11 of 11
9/13/09 at 12:57pm
I wasn't there at the show and I didn't see how your kitty behaved, but I will offer you my advice.

If your cat did not try to bite or swat a judge, you can feel safe to try him again at another show. Depending on the context of the situation, even biting or swatting is acceptable (the cat was going after a toy, cat was over-stimulated by the judge, cat was spooked by a sudden noise/movement) Do it sooner rather than later so that he learns that a show environment is fun and safe. Give lots of treats after a ring, and make sure he does not look into the faces of other cats as you take him to and from the rings.

Read your cat's body language carefully, and be sure to note the difference between frightened and aggressive behavior. If a cat hisses, but his body is limp and the ears are upright, they are not going to attack. It's okay if he is scared, frankly, it is natural for him to be scared because a cat show is an unnatural environment for a cat.

If my guys have a bad experience, I try to take them back out right away. Otherwise, they forget the original experience and I have to re-teach them to show from day one--not easy!! If the experience is really bad, you want them to forget and will need more time away. Once again, you have to base your decision on the cat's behavior in the ring and not on the fact that they were scared, which is natural.

If he was only scared, I would try him at 1-2 more shows about 2-3 weeks apart each. You do not have to put him in all the rings at a show. Watch the judges carefully to see who handles well and avoid judges who do not give the cats much time, patience, or careful attention. Every exhibitor has judges they love to see handle their cats and judges they will avoid if they are showing someone new.

Since you are showing your guy as a kitten first, there is a good chance you will be able to help him become a successful show cat. "Early and often" tends to be the mantra in my breed, and any time away from the show hall is time to forget and time to decide that cat shows are not a good place to be. This is good advice for all cats that compete in a cat show.
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