Exhibitor's Guide* To A TICA Cat Show

PEDIGREED CATS
Each pedigreed breed has a Standard. The judge must evaluate each cat, placing an award based on which cats best fits the Standard. 

HOUSEHOLD PETS (HHP)
TICA welcomes Household Pet exhibitors. Although they have their own unique Standard, the HHPs are judged primarily on condition, beauty, and show presence. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and colors and patterns are often a whim of Mother Nature. 

NEW BREED & COLOR (NBC)
This is an exciting class for breeds that are registered with TICA, but not met the requirements for Championship status. 

GENETIC REGISTRY
TICA is a genetic registry, recognizing hundreds of different colors & patterns. 

HOW TO ENTER
For more information on when, where and who to contact for an entry form for a show in TICA's NW Region,  go to the NW Home Page.   For all other TICA regions,  go to the TICA web site. 

You might want to become a TICA member.   As a member, you would be sent the TICA TREND, a magazine with feline related articles and a list of our shows. 

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Check the flyer for: Closing date and Entry Fees. 

HHP Adults must be altered to be registered and/or shown. 

Adult Championship cats and Alters must be registered with TICA in order to be shown. This applies only to the Continental U S and Canada. 

Kittens and HHPs do not have to be registered with TICA to be entered in the show. 

You must be a TICA member and your cat must be registered with TICA in order to receive Regional or International Awards. 

There are only two reasons for Presentation Only:   If the judge bred the cat,   of it the cat was in the judge’s possession within the last 6 months. It is the responsibility of the Exhibitor to note this on the Entry Form. 

TICA SHOW RULES
The claws of each entry shall be clipped prior to benching. Failure to do so may subject entry to disqualification 

Cats of kittens obviously pregnant are ineligible for competition. 

A cat not having all physical properties, such as eyes, ears, legs, tail (except as specified in breed standards), are ineligible for entry, except in the alter classes or HHP classes. 

The show committee may permit cats or kittens 3 months of age or older to be entered for exhibition or sale. 

HHPs must be judged by properly licensed TICA Judges in order to earn TICA titles and compete for Annual Awards. 

Exhibitors desiring to sell cats or kittens at the show may declare on the entry blanks the price asked for each entry. This price will be printed in the catalog and must not be increased during the show. The show management may charge a fee on cats or kittens entered for sale in the show. 

Cats entered in any show shall remain in the same status as entered (Novice etc.) in all rings even though they have qualified for another status during the show. 

Entries, regardless of class, shall be accepted as received by the Entry Clerk, and no class shall be discriminated against by limiting the number of entries in that class to any show. 

CLASSIFICATIONS
Cats are classified as Championship,  Championship Alter,  Championship Kittens,  Championship Alters,  HHP Kittens, HHP Adults,  NBC (kittens & adults). 

Kittens: 4 - 8 months of age. Adults: 8 months of age the opening day of the show. 

EXHIBITION CAGES
The Show Management will provide a single benching cage for each cat entered. Double cages may be available at an additional cost. 

The size of a single cage is: 24" wide X 24" tall X 24" deep. A double cage is 50" wide X 24" tall X 24" deep. 

You can make simple or elaborate cage curtains, designed to fit loosely on the inside of the cage. 
Cage curtains are rather important as they will give your cat some privacy. 

WHAT TO BRING
Cage Curtains; clips for hanging the curtains. 

Kitty Litter, litter pan, water and food dishes. 

Something soft for the cage bottom. 

Nail clippers. 

Confirmation slip received from the Entry Clerk. 

Any necessary grooming equipment. 

Your cat’s pedigree (if pedigreed) & Registration papers. 

SHOW TIME
Try to arrive early;  the Check-In line may be long.  Check the flyer for the time. 

Check-In Table is usually at the Show Hall Entrance. Have you confirmation slip(s) available for Check-In. 

You will receive your cat(s) catalog number. This number is applicable to: The catalog number,
benching number and the number that appears in the Judges’ Books. 

After getting a catalog check your entry information immediately; if incorrect, contact the Master Clerk. 

Find where your cat is benched; set up you cage curtains, litter pan, water dishes. Try to not wait until the last minute; allow yourself plenty of time to set up the exhibition cage for your cat. You will want to make your cat as comfortable as possible as quickly as possible. You will then be able to relax and enjoy the show. 

Look at your catalog; there should be a show schedule (usually on back cover). Locate your breed on the schedule; find out which judging ring you go first to; and locate the ring. 

Check your cat for any last minute grooming; clean ears and eyes; and be sure the nails are clipped. 

JUDGING
Your cat will be called to the Judging Ring, using the catalog number given to you.  When you hear the number being called, bring your cat to that ring. Look for your cat’s number on a judging cage. Place your cat in the cage and be sure the cage door is secure; and leave the ring. 

When judging is completed, the judge or the clerk will dismiss the cats. 

JUDGES’ BOOKS
A TICA Judge does not know the cat’s name, who owns or has bred the cat, or the status (Novice or a Supreme Grand Champion) of the cat. 

The books contain: The entry numbers, Breeds, Categories, Divisions and Colors\Patterns; the age of the cat on the day of the show; Classification (Kitten, adult etc.); and the sex of the cat. 

These books do not contain genetic information. In TICA, for example, Siamese produced from two Oriental Shorthair parents are shown as Siamese. To the judge, these are Siamese. 

ETIQUETTE
Do not speak to the judge while they are judging. If the judge should ask you a question, it is then permissible to answer. If you have any questions, ask a member of the Show Committee. 

RULES CONCERNING EXHIBITOR ETIQUETTE
An exhibitor shall not in anyway make known to an officiating judge which entry(ies) belong to them 

An exhibitor shall not in any way make it known to an officiating judge where their entry(ies) have
placed in other rings. 

An exhibitor shall not request that their entry(ies) be judged separately from the regular class(es) for the entry(ies). 

An exhibitor shall not take any action that might cause physical harm to come to a cat or a person, during the show. 

When transporting a cat through the show hall, an exhibitor shall carry the cat in one or both hands or in a carrier. 

An exhibitor shall not groom an entry while it is in the judging ring. 

If a cat requires special caging in a judging ring, the exhibitor shall relay this information to the ring 
clerk before the cat’s number is posted, and in time for special arrangement to be made without unconvincing any other cats and/or exhibitors. 

RIBBONS
The cats are called up according to Breed, Division and Color/Pattern. 

TICA does not have Best of Breed Awards; there are no points given. However, the judge will announce their best and will so note in their Judges’ Book. 

We do have Color and Division Awards: 

Color       Place     Points     Division 

Blue        1st         25            Black 

Red         2nd        20            Purple 

Yellow      3rd        15            Orange 

Green       4th        10 

White       5th          5 

Note: In order to obtain a Championship or HHP Master, you cat must earn 300 points + one final award. 

Best of Color (BOC): The judge will choose 1 - 5 Best of Color awards. For example: 7 black Persians present; the judge awards 1 - 5 Best of Color (BOC) selected from the 7 black Persians competing. 

Best of Divisions (BOD): From the BOC winners, the judge will select the Best of Division (BOD). Our 7 black Persians belong to the Solid Division. White Persians, Blues, Reds etc. may also be entered in the Solid Division. From all of the 1 - 3 BOC winners in this Solid Division, the judge must select the BOD. 

Best of Breed BOB): The Persian Breed is accepted in all Traditional Categories: Solid, Tabby, Tortie, Silver and/or Smoke and Particolor. From all of the BOD from each Division, the judge will then select the 1 - 3 Best of Breed . 

FINALS
Now for the Big Moment! Final numbers are not announced in TICA. The clerk will announce, for example, Kitten finals in ring 4. You must go to ring 4 and see if your cat’s number in on a judging cage. 

Final Awards: Top final awards are selected from BOB winners. It is possible to have 4th & 5th placed cats in the finals, provided it is mechanically correct. 

An Allbreed Judge will, for example, select top ten eligible adults (from longhairs and shorthairs), based on 25 cats present. There is also a sliding scale of : 24 cats competing = top 9; 23 cats = top 8, 22 cats = top 7, 21 = top 6, 20 = top 5.  An Allbreed Finals: Best Cats, Kittens, Alters, HHPs, NBCs. 

A Specialty Judge will give out the same top awards based on selections from the longhairs and the shorthairs. Specialty Finals = Longhair: Best Cats, Kittens, Alters, HHPs, NBCs; Specialty Finals = Shorthair: Best Cats, Kittens, Alters, HHPs, NBCs. 

SCORING
For more details on how to score your cat for Titles and / or Regional/International Points. 

*by permission of Gloria Stephens/Rogue River CF