No Competition: Cats Rule They’re Furry (Most Of Them) And Cute, Say Fanciers From Around The World

Forget men.

Cats, some women say, make better company.

“If my cats made as much money as my husband, he’d be out of there,” said Linda Swierczynski, who lives with 50 cats in a 6,000-square-foot home. “I love my cats more than the breath that I breathe.”

Along with hundreds of cat enthusiasts, Swierczynski, who’s from New Jersey, flew into Spokane this weekend for the International Cat Show at the Crescent Court. As the last sanctioned cat show of the season, the event drew people from as far as France, Netherlands and Argentina.

They brought with them more than 200 felines - from furry Persians with pouty faces to hairless Sphinxes that resembled rats from far away. Of the 42 recognized cat breeds, about 30 were represented.

Not every cat can enter a show, said Resa Bauer, the Northwest regional director of the International Cat Association.

They have to be beautiful and good-natured, said Bauer, who started training her own cat to stand up and stretch when he was just a week old.

“No couch potato cats,” she said. “They have to know they’re putting on a show.”

There’s no prize money involved in shows like this. Just ribbons, trophies and the honor of owning one of the most attractive and well-tempered cats in the world.

To win, pedigree cats must meet certain breed standards from the length of a tail to the shape of a face. Household cats, on the other hand, are judged by their health, cleanliness and presentation.

Swierczynski’s cat, Super Fresh, came in first place Saturday in the household cat division.

“It’s been a pleasure to have this baby here,” the judge said as Super Fresh proudly lifted his tail and cocked his ears. “He knows he’s beautiful.”

Super Fresh, a 16-pound cat with shiny black and white fur and big amber eyes, is one of the top house cats in the world, his owner boasted.

She found him two and a half years ago outside a Super Fresh grocery store in Atco, N.J. He is one of hundreds of abandoned cats that Swierczynski has brought to her home.

“This is the kind of male you’d like to have,” said Swierczynski, who spends about $1,300 every six weeks on cat food and litter. “They’re a lot easier to raise. He’s handsome and he has a good attitude.”

It took hours to get Super Fresh ready. Before the show, Swierczynski, who works at a race track, washed him with various shampoos and gave him a vinegar rinse before blow-drying his fur.

Super Fresh, who travels all over the country for shows, brings along his silver combs, his favorite stuffed armadillo and a plush guardian angel that hangs outside his cage.

“We care about cats and their welfare,” Bauer said.

At shows like this one, cats are treated like royalty: Some have beds made of velvet or velour. Others bring their portraits shot in studios by professional photographers. Some are even spoon-fed.

Their owners kiss them, brush them, hold them in their arms like newborn babies.

“That’s a good girl,” one cat fancier cooed as she stroked her pet. “Yes, baby, you’re a good little kitty.”

Winners also receive elaborate rosettes - ornate ribbons in black, white and gold.

Owners are very protective of their loved ones. Some even have signs on the cages that say, “Do you believe in life after death? Touch my cat and find out.”

“It’s not an obsession,” said Gail Dolan, the owner of a $500 Somali named Hemingway. “I just love cats because they’re devoted to you but they’re independent. They keep their personalities.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Color photos