National Six Ring Cat Show comes to Launceston

The newly minted Tasmanian Feline Association (TFA) will host the national event on June 10 and 11 at the Launceston Silverdome, welcoming kitty competitors from across the country and judges from across the globe.

The National Six Ring Cat Show is a 51-year running event which brings together some of the country's rarest breeds - from the Peterbald to the Scottish Fold and the Selkirk Rex to the Sphynx - in a no-claws-barred competition.

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The six ring cat show will have six different international judges evaluating more than 200 cats and 35 breeds to whittle them down to the top six, the supreme and best in show kittens and adults.

Australian Cat Federation (ACF) international liaison officer Robbie Walker said the unique event celebrates the ACF's 50th anniversary and the first time the World Cat Congress is being hosted in Tasmania.

"It's a special series of events for us and it's going to be an exceptional event because of it," he said.

"This is a special event for Launceston and Tasmania as well, with TFA being our newest and smallest member group, being only three years old, they're working really hard to make this an excellent event.

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"And to celebrate that, there's going to be things to see for not just the competitors but for regular cat lovers and families too."

ACF has a representative body in each of Australia's states and aims to promote the responsible breeding of pedigree cats.

Judging criteria for cat shows are based on breed standard - essentially how close a breeder can come to the ideal cat of its type: do the cat's head size, features, body build and more match the purrfect description of the Siamese breed or the American Shorthair, for example.

Launceston competitor and breeder Sheryl Hay - who has been battling it out with her cats in competitions on and off since the 1970s - said she was looking forward to the show in her hometown.

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Her feline representative will be her chocolate tabby point siamese, Sooteika Annika Sakura.

"Annika has quite a few best in shows but I never go in expecting a win," Ms Hay said.

"I can never be disappointed that way; I go to enjoy the day and mix with people who have an interest like I have - that's what these events are really about."

The National Six Ring Cat Show will be open to the public at the Launceston Silverdome from 9am to 3.30pm each day.

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