ABSTRACT
‘On the Catwalk: Champion Cats’ highlights the historical background to the development of companion animal exhibitions and provides an overview of the contemporary cat fancy landscape, introducing the different governance structures of relevance. The chapter then introduces the ethnographic research by revealing the procedures, performance, and sociality of exhibiting cats at shows, including the level and perceived importance of biosecurity and surveillance of the cats. It explains the judging process and how cats are evaluated and valued. The chapter argues that cat shows operate as a site for the perpetuation of notions of the ‘ideal’ cat, while systems of judging influence the future manipulation of feline bodies. It draws particular attention to the feline umwelt and the cats’ experience at show, questioning the impact of current practices upon the cats involved. The chapter further argues that the system of showing prioritises the human gaze over feline wellbeing, with minimal attempts made to engage with the cats’ species-specific and individual ways of being.
