Wichita Cat Fancy show welcomes household pets

Shellie Winter and her daughter, Zoe, will embark on their first cat show experience this weekend, and it all started with Taylor Swift. Well, her cat anyway.

Zoe wanted a Scottish Fold cat just like Swift’s feline, Meredith Grey, frequently shown on Instagram. Winter wanted to look into a more affordable option.

“I said, ‘You know, there are a lot of cats at shelters that need homes,’ ” Winter says. “So we ended up finding this little white kitten with pretty markings.”

Winter says they immediately fell in love with their new cat, Medley. When Zoe heard about the household pet division in the Wichita Cat Fancy cat show, she was immediately interested, even choosing to skip a competitive swim meet to attend the show.

“She was so excited and said, ‘I know she can win!’ ” Winter says.

Winter and her daughter will join more than 800 attendees and competitors at this weekend’s cat show at the Cotillion. The show, presented by the Wichita Cat Fancy club, consists of two full days of competition for entrants ranging from rare pedigree breeds to the average house cat.

Organizer Mary Beth Wegerle says the show has been in place for almost 50 years and has gained a great reputation. Competitors in the pedigree division travel from across the country to be in the show – many compete in shows almost every weekend. Judges are also flown in from different states and even countries.

Pedigree divisions will include breeds such as Persians, Manx, Bobtail, Maine Coon and sphynx. Each cat will go through four rounds of judging each day to be viewed by all eight judges.

Nonregistered cats can compete in the household pet division where they’ll be judged more on “temperament and beauty.”

Martha Wallisch is going to see how her barn cat, Spike, handles the competition in the household pet division. She’s excited to show people a different side of her working cat, which is used to patrolling the barn for mice and snakes.

“He may not be as pristine as some of the other cats, but he just loves people,” Wallisch says. “He’s really the happiest cat in the world.”

For the household pet division, Wegerle says it’s important to have fun and not worry about being too competitive. Two full days of judging and handling can be a lot for your pet.

“Don’t expect a whole bunch from your cat,” Wegerle says with a laugh. “It’s all about having good sportsmanship.”

Winter and Wallisch have been brushing and bathing their cats and trimming their nails in preparation for the weekend’s competition. Both say they’re just excited to experience the competition for the first time and view the different pedigree breeds.

Wegerle says the show offers cat lovers an opportunity to get acquainted with different breeds and even view cats for adoption from local rescue agencies.

“I just love hearing everyone’s cat story, and seeing everyone have fun,” Wegerle says. “If you love cats, it’s just the perfect place.”

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 4:46 PM with the headline "Wichita Cat Fancy show welcomes household pets."