Hanoi stages its first cat show
2020.02.25
VIETNAM (越南), a country where cats are viewed by some as food, hosted its first ever cat show.
The show on 16 February gathered around 60 pedigree cats with feisty stage names such as Angry Alice, Di Maria The Great and Timosa Sumo.
The show, run by the World Cat Federation, an international association, featured a dozen different breeds. Event organiser Nguyen Xuan Son said the aim was to make people see that cats are worthy of love.
“We also want to form a national playground for pet owners to practise and gain experience before competing in international shows,”Son added.
The capital, Hanoi (河內), has banned the eating of cats in 2018 but it is still allowed elsewhere.
“In a country where cats are still served as food and it is popular to mistreat strays, the event is a chance to raise awareness among people,” said Nguyen Dieu Hong, one of the attendees. “Cats are not a sign of bad luck as many Vietnamese think and should be filled with love.”
Seven cats won ‘best of class’ awards and one, Timosa Sumo, won the hearts not just of judges but also the public, which applauded him enthusiastically.
The blueish grey cat is a Scottish Fold, but owner Dinh Chau Hieu Tam said it was not just his beauty that made him a crowd favourite.
“He spreads the love to everyone,” Tam said. “He is my furry son. I just love him and am proud of him so much.”
(This article is published on Junior Standard on 25 February 2020)
World Cat Federation
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