Supreme Cat Show facts for kids

The Supreme Cat Show is a huge yearly event for cat lovers in the United Kingdom. It's put on by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF), which is the oldest group that registers cats in the world. This special show used to happen every October in Birmingham, England. But in 2022, it moved to the NAEC at Stoneleigh Park.

At this show, cats can win very special awards like "UK Champion" and "Supreme Champion." Only at this show can cats get these top titles! The best cat at the whole show wins the "Best in Show" award.

History of the Show

The very first Supreme Cat Show happened in 1976. Before that, the GCCF didn't organize its own cat shows. Instead, it gave permission for other cat clubs to hold shows.

The Supreme Cat Show was created to be extra special. Only cats that had already won a prize at another championship show could enter. Think of it like a "champions league" for cats! It's similar to how Crufts works for dogs, where only winning dogs can compete. The show got bigger and bigger each year. Soon, it became large enough to be held at the NEC, which was its home for many years.

How Cats Compete

The Supreme Cat Show is different from most other cat shows. It focuses on the highest levels of competition.

Cats compete in different groups:

• Adult Cats: These are full-grown cats.
• Kittens: These are young cats.
• Neutered Cats: These are adult cats that have been spayed or neutered.

Cats that have already won a lot are called "Champions" (for breeding cats) or "Premiers" (for neutered cats). They compete to earn even higher titles like "Grand Champion" or "Imperial Grand Champion." At the Supreme Show, they can even win the special "UK Grand" titles.

After all the individual breed competitions, the best cats from different groups compete against each other.

• The seven best adult cats from different types (like Persian, British, Siamese) compete to be named Supreme Adult.
• The seven best kittens compete for Supreme Kitten.
• The seven best neutered cats compete for Supreme Neuter.

If an adult or neutered cat wins its "Supreme" title, it can add the word 'Supreme' to its official name!

Finally, the Supreme Adult, Supreme Kitten, and Supreme Neuter compete one last time. The winner of this final round is crowned the Supreme Exhibit, which is the top prize of the entire show!

Pet Cats Can Compete Too!

It's not just for fancy pedigree cats! Regular pet cats, often called "moggies," can also enter the Supreme Cat Show. Even pet cats that look like pedigrees (but might not have full papers) can join in.

These pet cats compete for special "Master Cat" titles. They can also work their way up to higher levels, just like the pedigree cats. In the end, they compete to win the title of Supreme Non-Pedigree or Supreme Pedigree Pet Cat. There are also classes for pet kittens, who compete for the title of Supreme Household Pet Kitten.

Supreme Best in Show Winners

Before 1992, there wasn't one single "Best in Show" winner for the whole event. The show did not happen in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fun Activities at the Show

Besides the main cat competition, there are lots of other fun things to do at the Supreme Cat Show!

• Kids' Activities: There are special activities just for children, like judging soft toys.
• Shopping Stalls: You can find many stalls selling all sorts of cat-related items. This includes cat food, toys, accessories, cool collectibles, books, and magazines.
• Information Booths: Other cat groups, like the Feline Advisory Bureau and Cats Protection, often have booths. They share helpful information about cat care and welfare.
• Club Row: A big part of the show hall is called Club Row. Here, different cat clubs have their own stalls. Visitors can come and meet many different breeds of cats up close. It's a great way to learn about all the unique cat types!

See also

• Governing Council of the Cat Fancy
• Crufts
• Cat show