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Today was the Official Floating Day Off, of which ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kinzel and I take one per week. Except we missed, last week. Ah, well.
So, today for the FDO, we traveled to the state capital and partook of the cat show. It was an enjoyable show, not large, sponsored by Nauticats, a local TICA group dedicated to raising funds for neuter-spay programs, feral cat organizations, rescue groups, and the like. Today was the third day of the show, and we went first thing, arriving about 9:30 on a cool and sunny morning.
There were lots of cats (surprise!), mostly, so it seemed to me, Maine Coon cats, which sounds reasonable until you find out that some of the Maine Coons had traveled to the show from Virginia and other far-away lands. There were also a large number of Ocicats, lesser numbers of Persians (hatehateHATE the new, super-smushed Persian face! How can they breathe, poor cats?), snowshoes, Russian blues, Abyssinians, a couple of Orientals, and a strong showing of Just Cats.
We sorta parked at the first ring, where the judge was very good about explaining what he was looking for in the various cats, and his process in deciding. A thoughtful person -- and also a nimble one, as we found out.
The largest cat in the show was a 15-month, 20 pound MC male, brown tabby. We saw him when we came in, at ease on his table, while his owner combed him. When he came to be judged, though, he was a Entirely Different Cat. He swatted at the judge twice -- and the judge had the owner come and pick the cat up, rather than return him to the cage. Then, the cat swatted at the judge again as the judge was explaining to the audience about the Classic Maine Coon Structure(tm) that this particular cat illustrated. I was frankly appalled. I mean, yeah, Mozart knows some bad words, and once -- once -- he did nail me good. And was immediately horrified and apologetic and it has never, never, ever happened again, no matter how disagreeable I am.
What was worse? There were two cats up for the first in Class and Division in this particular batch -- the bad-tempered big guy, and a sleeker, smoother, altogether more laid back and quietly amused fellow. The judge deliberated between the two of them for quite some time and then -- gave the blue to the bad-tempered guy. He explained that, while there had been a show of temper, it was the third day of the show, so he'd used his discretion and cut some slack for behavior which, had it been the first day of the show, would have netted a penalty.
Reasonable, but I would've given the other cat the blue.
In all, we spent an enjoyable three hours at the show, then headed up to the Olive Garden, in an attempt to use the gift card my dad gave us for Christmas. The place was packed -- it's never anything but standing room only; don't these people know it's only a chain? -- so we went down to Panera and had broccoli cheese soup before stopping at Barnes&Noble, where I scored their only copy of Pretender, and then wended our way home.
kinzel and I take one per week. Except we missed, last week. Ah, well.So, today for the FDO, we traveled to the state capital and partook of the cat show. It was an enjoyable show, not large, sponsored by Nauticats, a local TICA group dedicated to raising funds for neuter-spay programs, feral cat organizations, rescue groups, and the like. Today was the third day of the show, and we went first thing, arriving about 9:30 on a cool and sunny morning.
There were lots of cats (surprise!), mostly, so it seemed to me, Maine Coon cats, which sounds reasonable until you find out that some of the Maine Coons had traveled to the show from Virginia and other far-away lands. There were also a large number of Ocicats, lesser numbers of Persians (hatehateHATE the new, super-smushed Persian face! How can they breathe, poor cats?), snowshoes, Russian blues, Abyssinians, a couple of Orientals, and a strong showing of Just Cats.
We sorta parked at the first ring, where the judge was very good about explaining what he was looking for in the various cats, and his process in deciding. A thoughtful person -- and also a nimble one, as we found out.
The largest cat in the show was a 15-month, 20 pound MC male, brown tabby. We saw him when we came in, at ease on his table, while his owner combed him. When he came to be judged, though, he was a Entirely Different Cat. He swatted at the judge twice -- and the judge had the owner come and pick the cat up, rather than return him to the cage. Then, the cat swatted at the judge again as the judge was explaining to the audience about the Classic Maine Coon Structure(tm) that this particular cat illustrated. I was frankly appalled. I mean, yeah, Mozart knows some bad words, and once -- once -- he did nail me good. And was immediately horrified and apologetic and it has never, never, ever happened again, no matter how disagreeable I am.
What was worse? There were two cats up for the first in Class and Division in this particular batch -- the bad-tempered big guy, and a sleeker, smoother, altogether more laid back and quietly amused fellow. The judge deliberated between the two of them for quite some time and then -- gave the blue to the bad-tempered guy. He explained that, while there had been a show of temper, it was the third day of the show, so he'd used his discretion and cut some slack for behavior which, had it been the first day of the show, would have netted a penalty.
Reasonable, but I would've given the other cat the blue.
In all, we spent an enjoyable three hours at the show, then headed up to the Olive Garden, in an attempt to use the gift card my dad gave us for Christmas. The place was packed -- it's never anything but standing room only; don't these people know it's only a chain? -- so we went down to Panera and had broccoli cheese soup before stopping at Barnes&Noble, where I scored their only copy of Pretender, and then wended our way home.
