Baton Rouge cat lovers braved thunderstorms on Saturday to attend the Greater Baton Rouge Cat Show. Hundreds of felines and their friends gathered in the Lamar Dixon Exposition Center to watch as select cats took home the show’s top prizes.
Sponsored by the Cat Fanciers Association, the show gave awards for not only show cats, but also household pets which did not have to be purebred. The Baton Rouge show marks the 44th annual CFA sponsored cat show.
One thing’s for sure: show spectators were enthusiastic about cats and, more importantly, cat adoption. A number of pet shelters were in attendance, including Cat Haven, Project Purr BR and the Capital Area Animal Welfare Society, with adult cats and kittens available for adoption.
“There are thousands of stray cats in the Baton Rouge area,” attendee Miranda Faucheux said. “I think it’s great that a professional show like this is encouraging adoption.”
Exhibitors brought cats from across the country to compete in this event. Over 200 cats competed in the show, which operated on a six ring system.
In each ring, a different judge who gave awards independently of the other judges. Thus, the cat who wins best-in-show in ring one may not be as successful in another.
The felines were judged based on breed standard; however, the household pet category had no written standard. The judges then presented the top 10 felines and gave out the award for “Best Cat in Show.”
In addition to adoption centers, there were vendors selling a variety of cat-related items. One seller offered customizable scratching posts, while another sold cat-themed jewelry.
Spectators had the chance to see a wide variety of breeds on Saturday, including Abyssinians, Russian Blues, Sphynxes, Maine Coons, Oriental Shorthairs, Ragdolls, Chartreux, Persians and Siberians, among others.
Exhibitors were more than happy to talk to spectators about cat care and allowed them to take photos with the famous felines.
At the close of the event, the Greater Baton Rouge Cat Club thanked all those who braved the storm and announced that next year they will host the show once again, at the end of March.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Caroline Magee

The Baton Rouge Cat Club hosts the annual Baton Rouge Cat Show on Saturday, March 25, 2017, at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.