The Cotillion became the Cat-illion over the weekend while the venue hosted the 2025 Annual Wichita Cat Fancy Cat Show. Opening at 9 a.m., over 100 cats and owners arrived to try their paw at winning first in one of the many categories, or participating in the cat costume contest.
Nancy Dodds has been judging cat shows since 1978 and has been involved with cat shows since her mother started breeding Siamese cats in the ‘50s. She judges cats on a set of breed standards set by a breed committee.
“Our job is to make those cats look as best they can,” Dodds said. “It’s like working with a piece of art, looking at it from all the angles.”
It’s not just long coats and folded ears that make a winner; a cat’s personality also adds to their chances.
“Their personality often gives you some vibes, but it’s like the icing on the cake,” Dodds said.
Sherlock, a long-haired Persian, made his personality known. During judging, he knocked his competition number and winning ribbons off his cage.
Persians are typically a relaxed breed, but Sherlock came to play.
While many entered cats were pure breeds, there is also a household division. This division shines the spotlight on cats like One-Eye Jack, a black polydactyl cat who came from Texas with his owner, Joan Thorton. Thorton found Jack while visiting her husband in San Antonio.
“We decided to go to the zoo, and right across from the zoo was the humane society,” Thornton
said. “My husband wanted to look at the kittens … One started crawling on him. I told him we’re still going to the zoo, and then we’ll come back and get him. And we’ve had him ever since.”
All proceeds from the cat show go toward local shelters and rescues like Save the Kitties and the Wichita Animal Action League (WAAL). There were cats up for adoption, gift baskets to win and a silent auction on a cat stroller.
“Every cat I save, saves me,” said Deanna Miller, a longtime volunteer of WAAL.
The cats of the show, whether they were purebred show cats, beloved household pets, or still waiting to find their forever home, made an impact on the people around them and were rightfully celebrated for their charms.
Results for the 2025 show, as well as future planned events, can be found on the Cat Fanciers Association website.
Anyone interested in the cat show should consider volunteering at WAAL or Save the Kitties as, with a bit of love and time, one of those cats may be the future champion.
