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Cat Show

Trish Hamme [Flickr]

If you think all cats are alike, one visit to a cat show will suprise you.  These feline friends come in many different colors, shapes, sizes and personalities, but each one has the potential to be a great pet if it just has the chance.

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Cats are amazing creatures. Just look at their eyes. When compared to the size of the cat’s face, its eyes are proportionately larger than ours. A cat really can’t see in total darkness, but it sure seems like it to us humans. Its eye is structured in such a way that your feline friend can see pretty well in about one-sixth the amount of light you need.

A cat’s whiskers are another special feature. In the average cat, its whiskers measure from side-to-side about the same width as the animal’s body. The nerves at the base of the whiskers communicate a lot of information, such as letting the cat know whether or not it can fit through an opening.

This is a great weekend to see some pretty amazing cats, because the Birmingham Feline Fanciers Annual Cat Show is taking place today and tomorrow at the Zamora Temple in Irondale, Alabama. Sanctioned by the Cat Fanciers Association, the show is open to pure-bred cats, but there is also a section for household pets. Proceeds from the show benefit a number of animal charities and organizations, and help to fund spay-neuter efforts for cats in low-income households.

Cat shows are really interesting. You get a chance to see breeds of cats you may otherwise see only in pictures. There are about 40 breeds recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association, which maintains the world’s largest registry of pedigreed cats.

In addition to the pedigree cats, a separate competition is held for household pets. That’s right, ordinary cats with no fancy papers compete in their own category.

The Cat Show is open from nine until five today, and nine until four tomorrow. Visit the website at 
BirminghamFelineFanciers.com for more information, and directions to the Zamora Temple. You can even print a coupon for a dollar discount off the admission fee.

If you’re in the Birmingham area this weekend, stop by the Zamora Temple in Irondale for the Birmingham Feline Fanciers Cat Show. For people who like amazing cats it’s THE place to be, when you’re speaking of pets.

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Mindy Norton has been “Speaking of Pets” on Alabama Public Radio since 1995.
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