Issue June 2012 Cat Club News UK Felis

June 2012 ISSUE 15
CATCLUBNEWSUK
NEWSLETTER OF FELIS BRITANNICA - THE FEDERATION OF CAT CLUBS REPRESENTING FIFE IN THE UK
Welcome to the biggest ever issue!!!!
A bumper issue for June as there is lots to tell you all about plus results from the ACC show. There’s
a call out for Category III cats for the GOE show in Moulton, an article on the Maine Coon Special
at the VCC show in September and Frank Mandix has written an article on an amazing show
experience held recently in Denmark
As usual, if you have any comments on the newsletter or have articles you would like to be
published, don’t be shy, this newsletter is for you the exhibitor so let me know what you think.
We are getting so many fantastic comments from new and established exhibitors about what they
like so much about our shows that it does make it all worthwhile for the show teams. Remember this
is a hobby and the people who work hard to put on the shows do it all for free and those little thank
you’s go a long way so keep them coming in. Log on to the facebook page and leave your
comments too
See the results and more on the inside pages now >>
People News
Caroline Bailey Read
Caroline Bailey Read
Caroline Bailey Read – your bubbly steward recognisable by her pink
attire is now an intrepid reporter for the “Your Cats” magazine. She
will be writing a diary for the magazine and her first article will be in
the August Issue which is due out on July 15th.
Well done Caroline!
Diary Date
23rd February 2013
The Annual Awards Dinner to be
held in Northamptonshire
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The Aristocats Cat Club held a 2 day show on June 16th & 17th at the
Leisure Centre Lutterworth
Winners
Saturday June 16th
Best in Category II
Duke Swayze
rs Norwegian Tiganlea
Tracey & Chris Spoone
gory I
estwood
Best in Cate
ue Vivienne W
iq
nd
Ze
–
ic
ot
s Ex
Ann McEntees’
Best in Category III
Cathy Nichol’s Korat Nikelsilva Mid
as
Best in Category
IV & Overall Be
st of the Best
Elizabeth Basham
’s Siamese Labash
Shameless
ed Breed
Unrecognis
ah’s Palace
n Yushi of Pudd
ta
be
Ti
s
y’
lo
ol
Ash M
Sundays Winners >>
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Winners
Sunday june 17th
Best in Category II
& Overall Best of th
e Best
Spooners Norwegian Fo
rest Cat Tiganlea Duke
Swayze
gory I
Best in Cate
Brimstone
Exotic Bronjoy
’s
ad
Re
y
ile
Caroline Ba
Best in Cate
gory III
Wendy Chapm
an’s Burmese
Talitoe Theodo
re of Wendele
HHP
Joy Lancasters Sophie
Best in Category IV
ecco Miranda
Sue Millers Oriental Shorthair Barb
Unrecognis
ed Breed
Mar y Stewarts
Australian Mis
t Rumtumtugger
Maram Jannal
i
<< Saturdays Winners
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Royal Canin
Is beauty only skin deep?
A cat’s coat is often considered a mirror of their
health and nutrition, with any changes in
quality or condition immediately obvious to
owners. In fact, it is true that your cat’s skin
and coat is a great reflection of their diet. The
skin is the largest organ in the body and has a
high nutrient demand, and because hair is
always growing and the skin is constantly
regenerating, any effect of diet in supporting
these areas is readily visible.
There are a number of key nutrients important in supporting healthy
skin and a quality coat. The skin needs a good supply of high
quality protein to help support maintenance and repair, as well as
hair growth. In fact, around a third of a cat’s daily protein intake is
actually used by the skin and coat.
quality protein, along with omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, helps to
nourish a delicate skin and coat, and a special nutrient complex
helps to strengthen the skin barrier.
Hair and Skin 33 is a great option for cats with mild skin and coat
sensitivities or where coat condition is a particular concern, and it
shouldn’t take long to notice a difference – a 2006 Royal Canin
study demonstrated a significant improvement in coat shine within
21 days of exclusive feeding.
We all want our cats to look their best. Clear skin and a shiny,
glossy coat not only gives some peace of mind about their health
and nutrition but will hopefully attract a few compliments too!
For more information about Royal Canin products visit
www.royalcanin.co.uk or call 0845 3005011.
Certain amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, are particularly
useful. Because sulphur-containing amino acids are used in high
quantities in the construction of hair, choosing dietary proteins
containing plenty of these sulphur amino acids really helps support
hair growth. Another amino acid, l-tyrosine, is a precursor for the
skin pigment melanin and we know that supplementing with ltyrosine helps to optimise the coat’s natural colour.
Of course, as well as looking good, the skin has a number of
important roles, not least in providing a protective barrier to
external conditions and pathogens, as well as preventing water
being lost from the body’s surface. Poor skin health can result in a
defective barrier function, causing drying of the skin itself and
leaving the body vulnerable to external insult.
Many of the nutrients important to skin health act to support this
barrier function. Some of the omega 3 and 6 fatty acids for
example, are essential to help maintain the lipid which cements skin
cells together. Some B vitamins and other nutrients are known to
work together to further support this lipid layer. Other nutrients such
as antioxidants, vitamin A and minerals like zinc and copper all
combine together to help nourish the coat and skin.
For many cats a good quality, highly digestible diet, such as a
tailored health nutrition product, will provide all the nutrients
required at optimal levels to maintain a great looking skin and coat.
However, some cats have particularly sensitive skin and need some
extra help. So Hair and Skin 33, from Royal Canin’s Feline Care
Nutrition, is a targeted nutritional response to specifically help
support skin health and maintain a glossy coat. A high content of
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3 shows-in-one-day
A busy day reported by Frank Mandix
On March 10th the three Danish cat clubs Racekatten,
Katteklubben and DARAK held a special show in a
sports centre in Rødovre. It was a special show and
something completely new as 3 shows were held back
to back on the same day and in the same venue. The
cats could take part in one, two or three shows with
the entry fee per cat decreasing with the number of
shows the cat was participating in. All cats, no matter
how many shows they competed in, had to remain in
the sports hall for the whole duration from 8 AM to 10
PM. The judging of the cats was done parallel for the
three shows and then followed by three Best in Shows.
More than 500 cats took part and 31 judges were needed.
I participated at the show where I was stewarding. I later spoke to a lot
of participants, judges, organisers, and guests and interviewed a judge,
a person working in the secretariat and a chief steward.
The venue at Rødovre
The show ran smoothly and was well prepared.
Judging at the show
In conclusion
Waltraut Sattler category I, II
and IV judge and also
chairman of Hessischer
Edelkatzen Club e. V. Mrs.
Sattler was a judge for the
club DARAK at the show.
What do you think of the
idea ?
The show was a success and an excellent contribution to make shows
more attractive. However, some changes could be made to improve the
system. Two shows on a day will be do-able but the number of 2-showsin-a day should be limited as it takes entries from the normal shows.
Working in the Secretariat
Aase Nissen, was working in
the secretariat. Mrs. Nissen is
also a category I and II judge
as well as being the chairman
of DARAK (Dansk Racekatte
Klub).
Mrs. Sattler has experienced
something similar in Russia
where different cat clubs held
shows at the same time and
the exhibitors could enter in
the different shows.
The challenge is that everyone
wants to go the 3 shows
exhibition – more certificates
in less time and you save
Judge Mrs Waltraut Sattler
transport time and money.
However it means less exhibitors at the next show, which also was the
case in Denmark I am told.
The execution of the show
Some of the class changes were arriving late at the judges. There was a
lot of noise at the show. An electronic display should be used for calling
the cats which would have made it less noisy.
When it came to best in show there was a big difference from the first
(of three) and the last. At the last the cats looked tired.
What do you think of the
idea ?
Mrs. Nissen got the idea
together with Inge Nord who
is the chairman of
Katteklubben. Mrs. Nissen
continues “We wanted to give
the exhibitors something new
Judge Mrs Aase Nissen
and different and to see if 3
shows on a day is possible.
Would it be possible to entice the exhibitors with this?” The show was
fully booked after six or seven days! It would have been easy to get
more cats but it was important to complete before 10 PM. Normally the
sequence of cats is left for the judges to decide but on this occasion it
was important that the judges followed the sequence decided by the
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organisers and thus avoiding that the same cat were to be judged at the
same time at all three judges.
The execution of the show
The exhibitors were a bit worried about how to meet this new concept
and how it was going to work. The nomination of cats took a bit longer
as some of the same cats were nominated with several judges. Because
the 3 shows were running concurrently it was important that class and
colour changes were reported immediately and to all three secretariats.
This did not always happen. This also meant a lot of more work for each
secretariat and some speed was required in the secretariat to get
everything right in the IT systems.
Some of the cats found that 3 shows back to back were a bit too much.
Here you have to think of the cat and not your desire to get certificates
and win prizes.
In conclusion
Some of the cats became best in show 3 times. What a success!
It was an experiment and many wanted to participate. It was success. A
centralised entry and catalogue is a necessity. A lot of adjustments were
made to the software. Logistics is the most important issue. It was hard
work. The show was arranged in the city centre to attract visitors which
certainly was the case.
One of the positive outcomes was that it was possible to cooperate
between the three clubs with a good result.
Working as chief steward
Lars Seifert-Thorsen was the
Chief Steward for
Katteklubben, where he also is
a committee member. Lars is a
very experienced chief
steward and has held this
position in Denmark for a long
time but also taken on this
responsibility many times
abroad.
The execution of the
show
Chief Steward Lars Seifert-Thorsen
the judges as the same cats were expected to be nominated by more
than one judge but this was not really the case. There is always waiting
time when nomination takes place.
The three best in show ran smoothly. The high number of stewards meant
that you were never short of stewards. For the cats (and the stewards)
there was less stress.
In conclusion
This was first time that 3 shows in a day were tested and it went well.
There are a number of economical advantages to the clubs but also to
the exhibitors. The latter was reflected in the number of exhibitors from
abroad and how quickly it was sold out.
A lot of planning is required and getting the logistics about right is
essential.
The execution of the show went smoothly and everything worked well.
Should or could the 3 show-in-a-day be attempted here in
England?
I was working at the show and there I met the judges, the organisers, the
exhibitors and of course the cats first hand. Among some of the
exhibitors there was some disgruntlement; everything was not working
smoothly they thought but in my mind it was important to remember that
this concept is new to everyone and you should take into consideration
that it will require more attention by everyone than a usual show.
The fact that the show was sold out within a week and there was a
waiting list speaks for itself. Both to the clubs and the exhibitors the
format has a number of advantages which was reflected in the number
of foreign exhibitors coming from Sweden, Finland, Poland and the
Czech Republic.
It is a fact that the format takes entries away for the usual shows so the
format must not be overused but it does have a number of advantages
that speak for a repeat performance.
What I hear from regular – and non regular – exhibitors is that the cost
of showing is an issue. The new format makes it less costly per certificate
for the exhibitors but also includes financial benefits for the clubs.
This format is in my mind worth doing again but maybe with just two
shows in a day. In Denmark they have decided to do another show with
two certificates but running over two days with category II on the
Sunday and the rest on Saturday.
The way the show was run
was that the 3 shows were run
in parallel and then each of
the clubs held their best in
show.
Overall the show was a success and given that this is the first time 3
shows in day has been attempted there was very few things that went
wrong and when something did not go according to plan it rarely
affected the exhibitors.
It was a noisy show. The concept was novel to the exhibitors and they
have to pay more attention to when their cat is to be judged. Though no
cat was due at the same time at any judge the cat still had to be judged
3 times during the day. This was new to everyone and caused a lot of
calling for cats and together with the many visitors that created more
noise than desired.
It was expected that the nomination would create some waiting time for
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A first for a UK show
Exciting event taking place in Alcester on September 15th
– put the date in your diary now!
The Viking Cat Club are planning to have the first Breed Best in Show for Maine Coons at a Felis
Britannica show since the new show rules came into effect.
A Breed Best in Show takes place separately to the main Category II (Semi-Longhair) Best in Show,
Only Maine Coons will be nominated to compete for their own Best in Show. They will not compete
in the Category II Best in Show with the remaining breeds and this Best In Show counts towards
FIFe DSM and JW awards.
The winner of the Maine Coon Best in Show will then still be able to compete for the overall Best of
the Best alongside the other category winners
Maine Coon
For the Breed Best in Show to go ahead the club need to have at least 50 Maine Coons entered
and in competition on the day. There also needs to be at least 50 cats of the other category II breeds entered and in competition.
This not only benefits the Maine Coon exhibitors who have their own BIS but also the other breeds within Category II as they will not have to
compete with the Maine Coons for nominations for BIS so all exhibitors with Norwegians, Neva’s, Siberians, Turks, Ragdolls and Sacred Birmans
have a better chance of being nominated for Best in Show too. It is a win win situation for everybody. All the club needs is your support and entries.
The Club have invited 3 very experienced FIFe judges from Europe, Charles Spijker, Alexey Shchukin and Henry Hornell and if the entries come in
as they expect, they are ready to invite another judge too.
Let’s all get behind the VCC and support them in this new venture. This is the First show the new committee have put on and it is very encouraging
that the committee not only feel they are able to put on a show but that are going to be the first UK club to put a Breed Best in Show on.
You can register your support now by joining in the “event” on facebook or emailing your pledge of entries to [email protected]
This will enable to club to gauge if another judge will be needed.
Enquiries:
C O N TA C T U S
President
Frank Mandix
[email protected]
Vice President
Robert Bryce
[email protected]
Gen Secretary
Cecilia Macleod
[email protected]
Dep Gen Secretary
Mel Sweby
[email protected]
Show Commission Chair
Josie Hughes
[email protected]
Disciplinary Officer
Wendy Chapman
[email protected]
PR Officer
John Tipper
[email protected]
Breeding Health &
Welfare Chair
Louise Mitchell
[email protected]
Rules Administrator
Nick Chapman
[email protected]
Registrar
Rose Kitching
[email protected]
Treasurer
Tracey Spooner
[email protected]
Please remember when contacting anyone at Felis Britannica that the officers and committee are all volunteers and
are not paid for their service. Please be patient waiting for a reply as all have full time jobs which they have to
perform and attend to FB business in their spare time. Some are only able to deal with enquiries on certain days.
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The Theme for the Garden of England Show in July is the Olympics, just enough
time to see what you can all come up with to decorate your pens for this show, lets
have some flags and some bunting and perhaps a few medals. What can you come
up with?
Call out for Category III cats at the Garden of England Show in Moulton,
Northamptonshire July 15th & 16th
We need as many category III cats as possible to come along to the Garden of England Show in July because we have been asked by a
probationer judge if she can come and assess cats in the UK as the last part of her training. Laura has written a little passage below to
explain what it takes to become a judge so you can see how important it is to her.
It is rare that we in the UK get the chance to be able to help one of our future judges and we should all be proud that someone wants to come
to a UK show to do this and it helps to make us part of the FIFe so please come along and support this show with you category III cats.
“Hello to you all”
My name is Laura Boshoven, a Burmese & Burmilla
breeder and member of Fife since 1989.
I live in The Netherlands in a small town. The club I belong to is
Mundikat.
For our club magazine I started to write everything about all the things
that happened during my education as Judge, like how the Judging
world works, what difficulties a pupil or Judge has to face.
I write every magazine and people react on that very well, because I
was exhibitor for many, many years and now see things from the
“other “side , it opens up eyes of lots of people.
When I started it was clear to me that I wanted to be a FIFe judge
someday. I waited for my children to grow up and then I started to get
my 20 steward certificates and all the other obligatory things to do my
pre-exam. Since April 2010 I have been a pupil and that is not easy.
Learning for Category 3 that means knowing how to judge 24 different
breeds (from next year 25) is not easy. Because I really want to
understand every breed I travel sometimes far from home, several times
to Finland, Norway etc. Seminars must be followed and do not forget
everything I must pay for myself, flights, hotels and other expenses, all
must be paid by the pupil. I worked very hard for this and learned and
learned more and now appreciate every single breed for its own
characteristics. Standards must be learned and rules too. In this
category you must see at least 900 cats and every breed, although
and exception is made for the Sokoke (rare breed) and German Rex
but I saw the German Rex. As you can only pupil 30 cats each show
you can imagine how many shows I must go to, I saw more than
1200!
Also I visited breeders at club meetings or at their home to learn more
breed specific things that you cannot learn at a show.
After my parallel judging at the end of the pupiling I finally did my
exam at Gislaved show in Sweden 21 April 2012, and made it with
flying colours. The exam is a theoretical part that you have to do the
day before and if you fail you cannot enter the practical next day. I
had in my practical 43 cats (4 absent) and it was really exciting to do.
Laura Boshoven
So now I am a probationer Judge in Category 3. To become an
International judge I must fulfil 3 stages supervised by another Int.
Judge. I have already done one of the stages with good results and
now I come to your club “Garden of England” which was so nice to
have me, for my last two stages. To succeed I need to see at least
26 adults (can be neuters also) and 11 kittens and/or juniors ,
otherwise it is not enough. On my first stage I had 38 cats, kittens
and adults together at one day. So I hope that you all come with
your category III cats and a full list is given below. For me it is very
important and I hope for you to, a new Judge is fresh and need to
see a lot, so please enter your cat, every cat or kitten counts!! I am
so pleased to be able to meet you all and I hope that I can show
you that I had good teacher and do a great job!
Laura
Kind regards
A full list of all the Category III cats is given here:
Abysinnian, Bengal, Burmilla, British Shorthair, Burmese,
Chartreux, Cornish Rex, Cymric, Devon rex, Don Sphynx,
European, German Rex, Japanese Bobtail, Kurilean Bobtail (LH &
SH) Korat, Manx, Egyptian Mau, Ocicat, Russian Blue, Snowshoe,
Sokoke, Somali & Sphinx
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Saving Nelson! - Part One
a tail was visible, the worst presentation, though still
not critical, just more difficult, at 2.50am the kitten
was finally out, clearly furious at being kept
hanging about he was kicking off the sac with
vigour [indeed it was a he, a brown mackerel tabby
and only 104g] he spat out lots of fluid, and set off
in search of milk, I did tip and swing him a few
times, as I felt he may have inhaled fluid, but his
yells were piercing, and I guess he got it out!
I settled them all down, Lottie graciously, after her
initial surprise, allowed them to suckle, sleeeep at
last.
After a couple of hours sleep I re weighed them all
and checked sex and colours, all had put on
weight, the last only a little, but up is great. All day
everything seemed OK and I had to sleep at
mothers that night. Next day I dashed home, and
first thing, checked the kittens, the brown tabby had
lost 2g. Got to keep an eye on him.
That evening when I checked to my horror the
brown tabby was laying still and ‘flat’ looking, I
picked him up, he was floppy, but warm, I
massaged him a bit until he started to wriggle, he
had LOST another 4g, he would need help.
I prepared everything, and decided to feed him 1ml
of milk hourly with a little glucose until he rallied, it
was when I went to feed him I saw something I had
overlooked because he was so small, I had checked
inside all their mouths for cleft palates, but had
MISSED that he had a hare lip, something I had
never seen before, but I decided to press on, and
he took syringe feeding very well, so soon on to 2
hourly feeds, day and night.
Lottie was a first time mum, big and round like a ball she was,
the kittens were due on 27th April, and everything was in place,
carers to take care of mum, the day before until 29th, sorted!
Not…. Day 66..67..68, kittens were still moving, a trip to the
vets showed on the scan that they were fine. I prebooked a
cesarian for the morning of day 70, just in case. Lottie however
was serene, and eating her head off.
Night of day 69, eyes need splinting, tempers are fraying, at last
10pm, a sign of contractions, here we go!
Lottie had a nice bed, private, soft, warm, huh! She dragged
everything out to the middle of the room, rested her head on my
lap, and proceeded to give birth, well that’s all she did, she took no
interest in what was going on ‘down there’, obviously that was my
job, so I dutifully cleaned and prepared her babies, one by one,
and put them in a little bed next to her, she sighed and asked me to
peel her a chick.
Five kittens, all good weights popped out quite neatly, and she
rested a bit more. Then about 2.30 am she started to contract
again, but this was hard, and painful, not like the others, a leg and
It soon became apparent that the lip was not the only problem this
kitten had, he also had what seemed to be an eye missing [actually
it was very deeply set] Oh hell, was I doing the right thing feeding
him? [I was pretty tired by then, and thought patterns were not that
lucid] But worse was to come, as the other eye opened it was
completely opaque, he seemed blind, and there was only one
answer to that in my mind, he would have to be put to sleep, one
eye and a hare lip, OK, but blind too, I could not condemn him to
life. With a heavy heart [remember he had been with me day and
night for a week, feeding every 2 hours, we were attached] I took
him to my vet, for the only kindness I could offer him. I could hardly
see to drive, the tears, and sobs came thick and fast. ‘Oh Nelson’
[that’s what I had named him, tongue in cheek] I whispered, ‘I’m so
sorry, I love you to bits’, I took a deep breath and walked into the
surgery.
What happened next will be in Part Two, it was breathtaking!
Kaeren Daunt Jones
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European Exhibitors can now enter UK shows as the
Pet Travel Scheme is now in line with the rest of
Europe and cats only need a Pet Passport, Microchip
and Rabies vaccination 21 days before travel
Forthcoming UK Shows
Garden Of England Show
Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th July - Moulton, Northamptonshire
2 day 2 certificate International show, Moulton College, Northamptonshire.
For schedule please visit:
http://www.felisbritannica.org/images/Showdates/2012/moulton%20schedule.pdf
Contact: Mel Swebey, 07545 824832
Judges for Garden of England Show
Mrs Lone Lund (All Breed) Denmark
Mr Martin Kabina (All Breed) Czech Republic
Mr Yan Roca Folch (All Breed) France
Laura Boshoven Cat III (Netherlands)
Mrs Lone Lund
Mr Martin Kabina
Viking Cat Club Saturday 15th September - The Greig Centre, Alcester, Warwickshire
Mr Yan Roca
Folch
Laura Boshoven
1 day 1 certificate International show with a Maine Coon Special Best in Show.
For schedule please visit:
http://www.felisbritannica.org/images/Showdates/2012/vcc%20show%20schedule%20alcester%20150912.pdf
Contact: Margaret Scott, 01604 890555
Aristocats Cat Club
Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st October - Bourne, Lincolnshire
2 day 2 certificate International Cat Show, Bourne Leisure Centre, Bourne, Lincolnshire.
For schedule please visit:
http://www.felisbritannica.org/images/Showdates/2012/acc_oct%202012_v%201.0.pdf
Contact: Steph Gower, 07968 712676
The first Joint Viking/Aristocat/ Garden of England Club Show
Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th December - Swanley, Kent
2 day 2 certificate international Cat Show, Swanley, Kent.
Judges to be announced
Contact: Eddie Kitching, 01834 831772
Annual Felis Britannica Winners Show
Sunday 27th January 2013 - Swanley, Kent
2 day 2 certificate International Cat Show, Bourne Leisure Centre, Bourne, Lincolnshire.
Contact: Steph Gower, 07968 712676
Attending European Shows
Many people from the UK are now thinking of attending shows across Europe and many people have already attended some since the
change to the UK Pet Travel Scheme in January of this year and here is the link to the FIFe show calendar:
http://fifeweb.org/wp/shows/shows.asp
Anyone wanting more information about attending shows in Europe or the regulations for entering the UK with your cats, please
email [email protected] and we will try to help
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