Reigning Cats and Dogs

Felines and canines mix it up at the 2010 Meet the Breeds event.

Declaring an interspecies détente, cats and dogs united on Oct. 16 and 17, 2010, in Manhattan for a gathering of 200 different breeds — and the people who love, breed and show them.

The second annual Meet the Breeds event, hosted by The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) and the American Kennel Club (AKC), drew tens of thousands of visitors to the Javits Center in New York City.

With 41 breeds represented, the cat fancy had only about a quarter of the breeds compared to the event's 160-canine contingent. But felines may have had the upper hand in the booth-decorating department: Cat fanciers are accustomed to decorating their set-ups at cat shows, while most dog folk just take their boiled liver and run. And even a few canines crossed the species barrier to visit, such as the hairless Xolo spotted outside the Sphynx booth.

True to form, this year's cat booths did not disappoint, with the best reflecting the origins and sensibilities of the breeds they showcased. Ever elegant, the Siamese had tables tastefully draped in gold damask. In a nod to its Montana roots, the Selkirk Rex outpost had a raging Western theme.

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