Cat connoisseurs, feline aficionados and all those curious about everything Cat, the 65^th annual Houston Cat Club Charity Cat Show returns to Houston’s George A. Brown Convention Center January 6^th and 7^th.   Billed as a ‘legacy of greatness,’ the show is one of the oldest and largest cat shows in the nation bringing in as many as 300 entries of pedigreed cats and household pets.

The show is sanctioned by The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA),  the largest cat registry in the world, which recognizes 42 distinct breeds for showing. “We try to make it a wonderful event for both the spectators and exhibitors,” said show manager Becky Galloway. For the first time ever, the Feline Historical Museum of the Cat Fanciers’ Association Foundation will have a museum booth at the Houston show with an exhibit about  the history of the cat and the history of the cat fancy.

Other features of the show include agility runs (yes, some cats like to run agility courses), an Ask-the-Vet Kiosk manned by veterinarians each afternoon  to answer your pet-related questions, and a Children’s Area set up to teach about cat breeds and how to care for pets. In the Meow Mall about 50 vendors offer goods for sale for both cats and their owners.

Over the course of the two day show, the pedigreed cats are judged in eight different rings. Each judge picks his or her own top ten finals, which gives each cat entered eight chances to win. Household pets have their own special showings where judges look for beauty, health and good temperament.

“CFA promotes the welfare of all cats, and to that end all of our Houston Cat Club Show profits go to pet charities,” Galloway said. In the last 64 Houston cat shows, the club has donated more than $900,000 to cat charities. Currently, the club supports Houston SPCA, The Houston Humane Society, Citizens for Animal Protection and the Homeless and Orphaned Pet Endeavor (HOPE). In addition, animal shelters from Harris, Fort Bend and Galveston counties are given free space at the show for pet adoptions.

The cat show runs from 10am to 5pm Saturday January 6^th and from 9am to 4pm Sunday January 7^th at the George R. Brown Convention Center Hall A, 1001 Avenida de las Americas.  To enjoy the show, adult spectators are asked to pay $9.99, military and seniors 65 and older are $8.00, and children 5-12 are $4.00. Children 4 and younger may visit the show free of charge.