Dressed to the Feline Nines!
All About Cat Costume Contests
Charlotte Kooistra
Everyone has seen or heard of cat shows and dog shows, where the judging is based on how close the animals conform to their breed standards. A fun part of some cat shows is the agility competition. But a more recent draw for a number of our CFA shows is the cat costume contest! The contests are for exhibitors’ cats only, and there are many reasons for this, such as limited available space for entered cats, abiding by CFA show rules, making sure all cats are up to date on their vaccines, etc. The contests are a favorite of spectators and exhibitors alike, but I am not so sure about every cat. Some seem to enjoy it, some tolerate it, and some cats energetically try to remove their costumes. My own cat is very tolerant, and you can see that he enjoys the oohs, aahs, and the applause.
The contests often have a theme, but not always. For a show on President’s Day, Abe Lincoln was the choice for many contestants. The National Norwegian Forest Cat and Delaware River Cats Clubs got George Washington himself to emcee and judge the cats at one of their shows. My cat Legolas won, dressed as Mad King George III. Another theme was Prom Night.
Most contests have only the cats in costumes. The New England Meow Outfit club (“NEMO,” for short) is one of the first, if not the first, to have the contest. I believe they are unique in having the owners also in costumes, and the exhibitors go all out for this contest! While I believe the costume contests started in the North Atlantic region, they have now spread throughout the Cat Fanciers’ Association regions. The Southern Region has had them at the Cat Club of Palm Beaches and That’s My Point Cat Fanciers Club shows. The Parkville, MD, and the Crab and Mallet shows have also had contests. CFA Regions 1-7 and Hawaii all have clubs that have promoted cat costume contests. Even the CFA International Show has a costume contest.
The costumes for all the contests range from simple to very elaborate. Most are store-bought, but many are handmade. I have done both, and have made most of my costumes, occasionally purchasing the base and then customizing it. Some exhibitors have their costumes custom-made. On a personal note, my cats are shorthairs and often wear sweaters or jackets when the weather gets cold. They don’t mind these and appreciate the wearable blankets. They like snuggling under covers even when they are in their beds. For them, wearing costumes is a very similar experience.
The contest is sometimes only on one day of a two-day show, but some have contests on both days. The contests are advertised to the public and to the exhibitors, and are generally scheduled in the middle of the day so that most of the spectators will be able to enjoy them. Since there is ring judging ongoing, the time for the contest is somewhat flexible. Generally, the contest occurs in one of the judging rings when the judge, clerk, and steward are having their lunch break. Some shows, like the Garden State Cat Club show, have extra rings set up for educational or breed awareness presentations. The club will use this ring for the contest.
The contestants are placed in the judging cages, and often a number is placed on top of the cage, just like in the actual show. These are not the cats’ official entry numbers, but usually numbered starting at one. Not every contest puts numbers on the cages, as some use the cats’ costumes to identify them.
As these contests have taken off in popularity, the number of cats that enter has climbed. Occasionally, this has meant that there are more contestants than cages, in which case the owners will hold the cats that don’t have a cage.
There are several ways that clubs choose to have the contests judged. Sometimes the club has the judge whose ring is being used officiate the contest; other times it will be another judge at the show, or the judge presiding over the educational or breed awareness rings. It might even be a celebrity judge or judges, and sometimes it is the audience. When this happens, there have been several methods for determining the crowd favorites. First, there is the volume of the applause, which is is my favorite. But because some cats could be spooked by the applause (along with loud cheering), it has been changed to “jazz hands.” This is my least favorite method because everyone does it for all the cats, and it is difficult to see which cat is the actual favorite. A third way, which avoids spooking the cats and legitimately determines the crowd favorite, is for everyone to write their choice for BEST on a slip of paper, and the votes are then tabulated.
Now we come to the prizes awarded. These are varied as well, with medals, rosettes, gift cards, cash, and free entries awarded … and sometimes, a combination. But the best prize of all is the smiles and happiness that these contests bring to all who see them. Some of my favorite memories are children who got so excited about my cats. One time, several young children “oohed” and exclaimed “tiara cat!” They searched the show hall to find where I was benched, and I had to get Arwen back into her costume for photos with her fans. She was happy to acquiesce and was very appropriately dressed as Arwen from Lord of the Rings, complete with a headpiece. My Legolas has been a big hit in most of his outfits, with his flamingo costume being the crowd favorite and garnering many spectators who followed us back to get photographs of him.
One of the things many exhibitors treasure (and I would hazard a guess that spectators feel the same) is the FUN aspect of cat shows – and the costume contests fit this to a T. I know my cats think the treats they get after the costume contest are the most fun and the tastiest part of the day!
