Kittens Are Special...

...and so are some of the show rules for them:

- Mike Altschul

Exhibiting kittens at cat shows can be a fun experience. Many exhibitors take their kittens to cat shows just to get them used to the environment. They may also enter several kittens to get the judges’ opinions on their quality. Some exhibitors enter their kittens to see how they compare to other kittens, while others do so to determine if their kitten has the potential to win awards at regional or national levels.

However, there are specific show rules that apply to only kittens, which may make showing them slightly different. Although there are hundreds of show rules, some are particularly relevant for kittens.

What Is the Definition of a Kitten?

Section 2.19 of the CFA’s 2023-2024 show season show rules provides that a “Kitten” is “a cat under the age of 8 calendar months.” Section 2.22(a) provides that the “Kitten Class” is “for any kitten, male or female, altered or unaltered, not less than 4 months but under 8 calendar months old on the opening day of the show, which, if an adult, would be eligible to compete in a Championship/Premiership Class.” This means that a kitten born on January 1, 2024, will not be considered an adult for Championship or Premiership Class until August 1, 2024. As of July 31, 2024, it is still considered a kitten.

What happens when it is a kitten the first day and an adult the second day? In all but separate 6x6 shows (which are two separate shows), it is the kitten’s age on the first day of the show that determines its status for the entire show In a 6x6 show, if the kitten turns 8 months old on the second day, it is then shown as an adult (in championship or premiership) on the second day.

Noteworthy Kitten-Specific Show Rules