New York ” September 17, 2009 ” Ever want to be a judge at the New York CFA Iams Cat Championship or learn what makes your Siamese so uniquely wonderful? New Yorkers will be able to judge and learn at the first ever Meet the Breeds, an event so huge that it is being held at New York’s Javits Convention Center on October 17-18.
Meet the Breeds, the first event to be co-produced by the Cat Fanciers’ Association™ (CFA) and the American Kennel Club™ (AKC), will showcase 160 AKC registered dog breeds and 41 CFA registered cat breeds in booths individually decorated to depict each breed’s country of origin, historical purpose/function, and attributes as a family pet.
In 2009, rather than a esteemed group of judges deciding each cat competitor’s fate, New Yorkers will decide!! For the first time, New Yorkers will name top two runners up and the first winner of the CFA Iams Cat Idol, also known as the CICI. Over the last 100 years, the Best of the Best of the CFA cat show was chosen by experienced American judges that had reviewed tens of thousands of cats before setting foot on the Madison Square Garden stage.
Among the cats coming to New York to compete for the title of CFA Iams Cat Idol will be Barack Obama the Bombay cat, two Turkish Angoras that co-starred with Cillian Murphy and Lucy Liu in “Watching The Detectives,” Beau, the 2-year-old Cornish Rex that appears in pet stores for Iams current advertising campaign, and Dandelion (Dandy), a flame-point Birman who did the NYC campaign for animal adoption week, encouraging pet adoptions from the area shelters.
Also, for the first time, the CFA will be teaming up with the AKC to teach New Yorkers about the origins and purrfection of each of the AKC’s160 breeds and CFA’s 41-registered breeds. Definitive answers to the following questions will be answered:
- What are the origins of the Egyptian Mau?
- What is the only state to have an official cat?
- How long does it take to bathe a Sphynx?
- When did the Russian Blue reach US shores?
“We are thrilled and delighted to co-host the first ever CFA-AKC Meet the Breeds event right in the middle of Manhattan,” said Pam DelaBar, President of the CFA. “This ‘feline fine in ’09’ celebration promises something for every one!! The casual cat lover can vote for the first ever ‘CFA Iams Cat Idol’ (CICI) election while the passionate Siamese owner looks to learn the origins of their favorite feline companion.”
About Meet the Breeds
From the Afghan Hound to the Turkish Angora, the Meet the Breeds event will showcase 160 AKC registered dog breeds and 41 CFA registered cat breeds in booths individually decorated to depict each breed’s country of origin, historical purpose/function, and attributes as a family pet. The family-friendly event is an opportunity for potential pet owners to interact with responsible breeders and play with dogs, cats, puppies and kittens while educating themselves about responsible pet ownership and how to choose the right pet for them.
About American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) proudly celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2009. Since 1884, the not-for-profit organization has maintained the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world, and today its rules govern more than 20,000 canine competitions each year. Along with its nearly 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Companion Animal Recovery and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit akc.org
About the Cat Fanciers’ Association
The Cat Fanciers’ Association, Inc.™ (CFA) was founded in 1906 as a non-profit association of member clubs and is the world’s largest registry of pedigreed cats. CFA’s mission is to preserve and promote the pedigreed breeds of cats and to enhance the well-being of ALL cats. CFA promotes education, responsible cat ownership and proper care to the owners of millions of cats worldwide. CFA and its affiliate clubs work nationally with local shelters, at a grassroots level, to help humanely reduce homeless and feral cat populations, and to encourage voluntary neuter/spay of pet cats. To learn more about the Cat Fanciers’ Association, the pedigreed breeds of cats, or to find the nearest CFA cat show, visit their web site at cfa.org.
# # #