Akron prepares to host cat show
Akron Beacon Journal
AKRON
These are not your typical household cats.
For one, they like people – they really do.
They love to take baths, too.
And they really love to travel and hang out in hotel rooms.
Welcome to the wonderful upside down world of show cats.
Akron will be the center of show cat universe Saturday and Sunday when the Cat Fanciers’ Association brings its Great Lakes Regional Celebration and Show Competition to the city.
This is the first time in memory that Akron has hosted the prestigious competition and recognition ceremony where cats of varying pedigree and prestige strut their stuff to earn a spot on national and world stages.
Felines numbering in the hundreds – along with their owners – will be traveling in from all over the country in hopes of the becoming the cat’s meow and catch the judge’s eye at the John S. Knight Center.
Mira and Sevress – two Maine coon cats – will be traveling in from Medina County’s Sharon Township.
Two of the few local cats in the competition, they are old pros in the world of competition.
Owner Camelle Shaney said she and her husband, Joel, start to prepare their cats for rigors of competition at a very young age.
These playful competitors got their first baths at the tender age of eight weeks to get them ready for the primping and socializing that lay ahead.
They got introduced to the other Maine coon cats in the household at an early age to not only learn the ropes, but also to get used to being around other cats.
Camelle said they also made a point to put them in social situations and even put them in a special stroller to visit a nearby dog park to further build their social skills and confidence.
“Show cats are made, they are not grown,” she said. “Every day we introduce a new toy or experience.”
Throw out any preconceived notion you might have about cats – these felines are really ambassadors for their particular breeds, said judge John Colilla.
And Akron will play host to more cats than any other rival competition in the country this weekend as every possible slot is taken and the show here is shaping up to be the biggest of the season.
“We’ll probably have cats here from California and from all over the place,” said Colilla, who is also the regional director for the organization.
In addition to the more exotic pedigrees there will also be household cats competing for top honors. There will also be a cat agility competition.
“We’ve never been to Akron and I am excited to introduce the cat world to the city,” he said.
What visitors to the competition will see are some very “pampered” cats that are usually very well behaved and social.
Colilla said he’s been a judge since 1993 and has very rarely encountered an ornery cat.
“The cats don’t make a lot of noise surprisingly,” he said. “These cats are used to competition, getting baths and some even get their hair blow dried.”