Fun at the Pet Show

This Japanese Bobtail, above, was a real beauty, and Suzanne Stowe got to pet this Spynx kitty, below.

This weekend, I was able to attend the largest pet expo in the nation, America’s Family Pet Expo, held in Costa Mesa, Calif. The show features all kinds of animals, from snakes to cats to birds and dogs. After checking out the dog exhibits, my sister and I hurried over to the cat building to see what was on display.

The first booth we stopped at we met some true cat lovers who work at a local cat rescue organization. We bought a few kitty toys and had a wonderful conversation with them about all their kitties.

Then we got to the Hollywood Cats demonstration presented by Critters at the Cinema. There were cats that could jump through hoops, a cat that could put a ball in a basket and a kitty that walked a tightrope. The cats were totally at home on the stage and did not seem frightened at all by the crowd. 

There were many wonderful cat education events throughout the day. The Cat Fanciers' Association had many breeds on exhibit; I was able to pet a Sphynx kitty and hold a beautiful black-and-white Cornish Rex. There were several Savannahs on display, which are a cross between a housecat and a Serval. One was an F1 (only one breeding away from the Serval) and he was quite wild.

This Hollywood Cat walked a tightrope.

Several pet product companies were showing the latest in cat products. I came home with a huge bag of cat-food samples for my three Siamese waiting at home and many coupons to save me money on future purchases.   

The best part of the show was the various humane organizations that brought rescued cats and kittens to find forever homes. There was a darling one-eyed girl and several older kitties whose owner had passed away. These people are true heroes who really care about the cats they rescue and have so much love to give. 

The great news is I saw many happy people adopting new pets. They received the education they needed to assimilate the new pet into their home and were given a starter kit to help in the process.  I was tempted myself but chose to make a contribution to several of the groups instead of bringing home another cat at this time. 

If you get the chance, attend a local pet show or cat show. You’ll learn a lot and have a great time talking with other cat lovers.