Northampton cat show aims to raise money for animals caught up in Ukraine war

Around 100 cats are going to be exhibited at a Northampton all-breed cat show taking place this weekend.

The cat show will be taking place at the Pitsford Centre at Moulton College on Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6 between 10am and 4pm, where dozens of cats will be exhibited and competing against one another in various categories.

There will be a bucket collection taking place at the cat show in a bid to raise money to help cats and other animals caught up in the war in Ukraine.

Show manager and regional director for Western Europe for the International Cat Association (TICA), Nicky Goulter, said: "There will be 100 cats of all different sizes, shapes and ages. We have a Singapura cat - the smallest cat in the world - big Persians and even a 'Swimming Cat' from Turkey.

"People are very welcome to come along on both days and stroke the cats."

This will be a two-day, 12-ring show with cats of all shapes and sizes from Maine Coons to Sphynx to British short hairs to Siberians. They will be judged on the standard of their appearance, depending on their breed - this includes head and eye shape, body length, weight and hair length.

There will be judges from Austria, Italy, South Africa and the UK as well as one judge from Poland - Agata Kruszona-Zawadska - who is coordinating the relief effort to help get animals in Ukraine safely over to Poland.

Money raised from the cat show will go towards much needed supplies for rescued pets including medication, bedding and food.

Nicky continued: "We are very fortunate to have one of the coordinators of the relief effort in Poland, judging for us. Her and her club are in Poland and they are sending a transit van over once a week with medication for the cats in Ukraine so we want to get as much money over as we can.

"We have already lost one of our Sphynx breeders in Ukraine by a bomb that was dropped onto her property. It killed her and her cats."

Nicky added that she knew of another Ukrainian breeder, who just "packed up" her 20 cats and drove to Poland.

Winners of this weekend's cat show can go on to compete regionally and then, potentially, globally.

Nicky said: "They have to be relatively special to get that far. Not only do they have to be beautiful, they have to have the temperament to go with it.

"Some cats grumble and hide in their pen and then there are others who are complete showmen or showgirls, who sit in the pen and say, 'hi, it's me!'

"There's quite a few of us. It's completely nuts but we have good fun."

People can donate by cash on the days of the show, by purchasing a yellow and blue ribbon broach at the event or by giving through the show's Paypal account, using email address: [email protected].

The show is open to the public with tickets priced at £5 for adults, £3 for children or £12 for a family.

Find out more by visiting https://tica.org/.