Cats on Parade

Dog shows are a familiar, if odd, facet of American culture. Perfectly groomed, well-behaved dogs trot, fetch, sit, stay, and do just about anything else on command – and they typically seem pretty good-humored throughout.

Cats are a different breed altogether, as anyone can see within just a few moments of the Cat Fanciers’ Association cat show, going on this weekend at Earl Warren Showgrounds.

For one thing, cats do not perform to strangers – there’s a reason “herding cats” is a byword for futility. Looking disdainful and a touch grouchy, the cats at cat shows nap, eat, or glare in their enclosures, and when they’re moved to the judging area the air fills with plaintive mewing. One doesn’t need to speak cat to know they’re saying something along the lines of “Why are all these big apes watching me? And when can we go home?”