Fun for families: Cats on parade

You may be able to spot the feline version of a werewolf, the Lykoi, this weekend in downtown Spokane.

And, there will definitely be a Bengal sighting or two.

Those breeds will be among about 150 cats at the Evergreen Cat Fanciers show, On Safari 2016, at the downtown DoubleTree.

It’s been 15 or 20 years since the show was last held in Spokane, said show manager Elaine Weitz.

“It’s similar to the dog shows in the sense that it’s based on breed confirmation: how each cat meets the breed’s written standard,” Weitz said.

But while in dog shows each competitor is seen by one judge, the cats will be seen by all 12 judges by the end of the show.

And, there aren’t agility trials.

“They need to be well groomed, of course, because it’s a beauty contest,” Weitz said. And the cats also need to be amenable to handling.

Bengals will have Friday all to themselves. On Saturday and Sunday, pedigreed and nonpedigreed cats will compete in multiple divisions for best of show honors.

The Lykoi, which doesn’t actually change into a werewolf but certainly looks like one, will be competing in its own category. It’s a fairly new breed, Weitz said, that’s trying to join the pedigree ranks.

The public can view the judging. “Many of the judges are very good about talking about the cats as they’re judging them,” Weitz said. They’ll talk about things like the breed, the cat’s age and colors.

Visitors can also talk with breeders, plus there will be rescue organizations with cats available for adoption and vendors with cat-related items.

Each day has different events. Friday starts with a Parade of Bengals at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at 1 p.m. there will be Junior Exhibitors Judging, where children are able to show off their knowledge about cats.

And Sunday at 1 p.m., there will be a cat fashion show. Weitz said at past shows she’s seen cats dressed as pirates, ninja turtles and comic book heroes.

“It is quite comical to watch and the cats are good sports about it, too”

Kimberly Lusk