Feline finery at Southern cat show

Holding her Persian cat Bellevista Tears in the Rain is Jenny McCallon, of Waikouaiti.PHOTOS:...
Holding her Persian cat Bellevista Tears in the Rain is Jenny McCallon, of Waikouaiti.PHOTOS: GERARD O'BRIEN
Checking out the tail of Maine Coon Mainelanders Scout's Honour, owned and bred by Joanne Woodrow...
Checking out the tail of Maine Coon Mainelanders Scout's Honour, owned and bred by Joanne Woodrow, is Roy Griffiths, of Christchurch.
Casting an eye over Bentara New Moon A'Rising, a Siamese cat owned and bred by Elizabeth McGraw,...
Casting an eye over Bentara New Moon A'Rising, a Siamese cat owned and bred by Elizabeth McGraw, is Jane Slabbert, of Auckland.
At the cat show in Mosgiel yesterday are (from left) Jenna Boyes, holding blue exotic Ispisakat...
At the cat show in Mosgiel yesterday are (from left) Jenna Boyes, holding blue exotic Ispisakat Storm Dance, her mother Paulette Boyes, holding Ispisakat Soft Vision, and Mrs Boyes' mother Dot White, holding Ispisakat Shadow.
Holding aloft Ispisakat Soft Vision, owned and bred by Barbara and Keith Dickison, is Jo Millar,...
Holding aloft Ispisakat Soft Vision, owned and bred by Barbara and Keith Dickison, is Jo Millar, of Coalgate.

Three generations of animal lovers made the cat show in Mosgiel a family affair yesterday.

Southern Cross All Breeds Cat Club show manager Paulette Boyes said she was overjoyed to be joined once more by her daughter Jenna Boyes (19) and mother Dot White (82), who assisted with proceedings at the Mosgiel Memorial Gym.

Ms Boyes said she was thrilled with the new venue and thanked the people of Mosgiel and Dunedin for turning out in droves.

She and her mother had been breeding cats since the 1970s, and all four of her children were assisting with the show yesterday for the first time in a few years.

While her daughter had no plans to take up cat breeding, that was of no concern to her, Ms Boyes said.

"You don't have to be breeding them to really enjoy them and look after them well.

"We've all got that gene in us that loves animals.

"It's fantastic. Those children have been brought up with cat shows since they were wee bubbas."

Everything from hulking Maine Coons to lithe Siamese cats were given a gentle but thorough examination by the judges, as eager spectators vied for a glimpse of their favourite felines.

Spectator Andy McCready, a Dunedin artist, said a little grey British shorthair and a companion longhair were among her favourites, though she qualified that by saying she had not yet seen all the cats.

"Because they're super cute, I just have a connection with them," she said.

She was pleased she had made the effort to travel over the hill from Dunedin to the show with her friends.

"It's the best day ever ... This was worth getting out of bed for."

Key results:

Supreme longhair: Calista Galaxy Girl, a 5-month-old Seal Point Birman entire kitten owned and bred by Judi Sibley, of Ashburton.

Supreme shorthair: Haxtendorf Kitty Fisher, a 18-month-old Russian Blue entire cat owned and bred by Mary Hefford, of Ashburton.

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