Fur, fame and felines: Over 100 cats strut their stuff at Singapore’s cat show
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Judge Jan Rogers judging a sphynx cat during the Cat Fanciers’ Association show at Asia Cat Expo on June 27.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Over two days, more than 100 cats strut, pose, and compete at Singapore’s only official Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) show, where every whisker and stride is judged. But this is more than a weekend spectacle: the best will climb the ranks toward Divisional Winner, or even chase global glory as a National Winner.
How a cat is judged
Under the scrutiny of four CFA-accredited judges, each cat has just one to three minutes on the table to prove it is the complete package.
Four key areas are assessed:
Pedigreed cats are evaluated against a written breed standard
Physical condition: Health, bone structure and symmetry
Presentation: Coat cleanliness and breed-appropriate grooming
Temperament: Calm, stable and handleable
Competition Categories
Kitten: Four months to eight months
Championship: Pedigreed cats that are sexually intact
Premiership: Pedigreed cats that are spayed or neutered
Household Pet: Open to all cats, pedigreed or not. Judged on charm, personality and that special spark. Affectionate “manja” cats often do well here.
Five cats you can see at the show
1. Maine coon
The largest of all domestic breeds, but known as gentle giants. They are a muscular breed built for the frosty winters of the north-eastern USA.
Two-and-a-half year old male Idaman and his owner, Afiq Asryani.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
2. Siberian
A powerful, barrel-shaped breed defined by soft, rounded contours. Its water-resistant triple coat and wide-set, almost fully round eyes give it a distinctly sweet expression.
Three-year-old Thundercloud and his owner Michelle Tay.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
3. Singapura
One of the world’s smallest cat breeds, recognisable by its large eyes and ears, and accepted in only one colour pattern – sepia agouti and dark brown ticking on a warm ivory coat. Distinct “cheetah lines” run from the inner eyes down the nose bridge.
Two-year-old Star with his owner, Ariel Chan. This is Star’s second time competing in a cat pageant and Chan’s first time.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
4. British shorthair
A medium-to-large breed defined by its roundness: a massively round head, wide-set large eyes, broad chest, and dense, resilient coat with a characteristic crisp texture.
Owen Lee, Cat Breeder and Founder of My Cattoon cattery, with his two-year-old male cream-colour British shorthair named Prime.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
5. Sphynx
Despite its hairless appearance, it is actually covered in a fine, downy fuzz that feels like suede to the touch, with desirable wrinkles around the muzzle and shoulders. Large lemon-shaped eyes, open ears and squared muzzle define the face.
Three-year-old Taotao and her owner Adeline Kwong.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
