…what I know now! Although we all must have uttered this lament at some point in our lives, every single breeder, exhibitor, and judge in the cat fancy is guaranteed to have said this phrase while reflecting on their hobby of choice. Cat Talk writer Jean Aldrich asked a variety of people in CFA what they wished that they had known when they started down many of the paths that CFA offers. In this issue we look at what exhibitors wished they had known at their first show, and judges pondering their first assignments. In our February “Breeding” issue, we ask breeders what they had known way back when.
The Cat Fancy
• What breed? I wish I had gotten a Cornish Rex years ago, they make me laugh every single day!
• I wish I had found pedigree cats earlier in life and not as something to get through empty nest syndrome
Exhibiting
• Exhibiting in general – I wish I had known how much fun it was showing cats – I’d have started showing my household pets years ago!
• Expenses – I wish I had known how expensive showing cats could be. In the excitement of learning how to show a cat, you don’t initially realize how expensive this hobby can be: grooming supplies, travel expenses (gas/airfare), lodging, car rentals, meals, paying for a cat-sitter for the cat(s) left at home.
• The CFA “NewBee” program – I wish I had known about the CFA NewBee Program! I ran into this after I had been showing about a year; this program can be very helpful, including helping you find a mentor to get you started and prevent you from making newbie mistakes.
Denne historien er fra December 2017-utgaven av Cat Talk.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra December 2017-utgaven av Cat Talk.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Checklist For What to Look For in Your Club's Next Show Venue
Show Manager To Ring One, Please
Tonkinese
When You're Well and Truly Tonked
AVOIDING The Kitten Fear Period
Young kittens seem fearless.4 As soon as those eyes open and they can get their legs under them, they are off to see the world if their mama and humans let them.
No Milk For You!
Milk Issues and Kittens
Fostering Kittens
When asked if I would be interested in fostering a queen and her eight newborn kittens, I volunteered without question.
Do You present ? Polish! OR DO YOU
IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS!
No Kitten! Cats Are Part of the Military!
Felines have graced the decks of boats and ships back nearly to the beginning of time, roaming freely on passenger ships, war vessels, and merchant schooners, keeping vermin at bay.
Feline Summer Movie Fun!
School is almost OUT! Huzzah! But raindrops are plunking against the window, the amusement and water parks haven’t opened yet, camping is out, and roasted hot dogs and S’mores are another month away.
Kittens Are Special...
...and so are some of the show rules for them:
Genetic Pleiotropy and the Risks in Breeding Recessive Mutations
Nearly everyone loves what’s rare and unique. A slight defect in the minting process of a coin can create a demand and a value well beyond the face value of the coin. The coin is functionally no different than its perfectly minted counterpart, but its scarcity and uniqueness alone make it more desirable than the rest.
