Last year, because snow covered a third of the parking spaces, people wanting to attend the My Stormy Valentine Cat Show had to turn around and leave. This year, plenty of staff will be directing traffic so that doesn’t happen again, organizers say.
“We never expected it to find so much success,” said Jamie Christian, president of the Great Lakes Cat Consortium and manager of the show.
The three-day event (a private show Feb. 13 and a show open to the public Feb. 14-15) will bring together close to 250 cats and their owners from all over the world.
The show has been running since 2000 and is sponsored by the Glass CiTICAts Cat Club.
There will be cats from the Toledo area competing in addition to cats from as far as Japan and Mexico, Christian said. Each cat will be seen by 20 judges, each selecting those they think are best in show for awards.
Motzie, a 10-year-old Savannah cat, will make an appearance at the show. Motzie is the second tallest cat in the Guinness World Records, standing 16.75 inches at the shoulder. He will be available for petting, holding and pictures with the public at no cost.
Elaine Zalewski, from Furry Agape Pet Therapy in Grove City, Pennsylvania, will also attend the event and present a seminar on cats as therapy pets.
The event will also show two new breeds of cat: the Aphrodite, a natural cat breed from the island of Cyprus, and the Lykoi, a new breed that resembles a werewolf, Christian said. There will also be more than 30 vendors at the event.
Christian said the show is perfect for families and will feature plenty for any cat lover.
“We’re kind of geared to everyone,” Christian said. “If you already love cats, you’re going to find a new cat that you love. If you’re not particularly a cat fan and someone drags you along, I guarantee you’re going to find something that will turn you into a cat lover.”
Throughout the year, the Glass CiTICAts Cat Club puts on shows as educational events throughout the country.
“The only way the next generation is going to learn how to respect cats is by exposure,” Christian said.
The cat show will be open to the public 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 14-15 at the Lucas County Recreation Center, 2901 Key St., Maumee. Admission is $4. There are still some openings for cats to compete.
For more information, visit www.toledocatshow.com.
