EXHIBITING. 



93 



entries. By this time the cat fancy throughout 

 the country had come into prominence ; clubs 

 had been established, and specialist societies 

 were springing into existence. With a leap 

 forward the cat section of the 1901 show num- 

 bered 20 classes. This was far too bold a bid 

 for popularity to be lightly esteemed. The 

 support was obtained of the Cat Club, the 

 Silver Society (to-day the Silver and Smoke 

 Persian Cat Society), the Short-haired Cat 

 Society, and the Siamese Club. 



" Generous aid was given by many individual 

 lovers of cats, and fifty special prizes, in addi- 

 tion to the class prize money, were offered. 

 The show was attended with success, both 

 as regards the number (about 150) and the 

 quality of the exhibits. From a public point 

 of view, moreover, the result was most gratify- 

 ing. 



" The cat tent was crowded throughout the 

 day, and this section was acknowledged on 

 every hand to have been one of the best features 

 of the show. 



" With such success attending their first 

 earnest venture in cats, it is not surprising to 

 find that the committee resolved still further 

 to increase the classification. In August 1902, 

 therefore, 32 classes were arranged, of which 

 21 were guaranteed. Special prizes numbered 

 85, and the cat section had the support of all 

 the specialist societies. 



" With such attractions the splendid entry 

 of 1901 was eclipsed, and at the very worst 

 time of the year for cats as many as 266 

 entries were made. Long-haired cats were 

 decidedly well represented, and in the blue 

 kitten class 21 specimens were penned. In 

 the short-haired classes some noted winners 

 appeared. 



" Ring classes were provided, and proved a 

 g^reat attraction to the public. The local 

 classes were proof that Mrs. F. W. Western 

 has succeeded in interesting some of her 

 friends in the hobby, and the specimens to 

 which the honours fell would have done well 

 in the keenest competition." 



Mention was made in the list of clubs on a 

 previous page of theNorthern Counties Cat Club, 



which was founded in 1900. The committee 

 decided on holding a one-day kitten show 

 in September of that year, and the judges 

 selected were Miss D. Champion, Miss Frances 

 Simpson, Mr. T. B. Mason, and Mr. L. P. 

 Astley. Entries came up well, numbering 154, 

 and this novel undertaking was in every way 

 a great success. The Northern Counties Cat 

 Club kitten show is now an annual fixture, 

 and on October ist of 1902 a really splendid 

 exhibition of promising youngsters was held 

 at Bellevue, Manchester. Twenty-two classes 

 were arranged, and over fifty specials offered. 

 Entries were twenty in excess of the pre- 

 vious year, and would have been still higher 

 in number had not sickness prevented several 

 well-known silver breeders from exhibiting. 

 The litter class numbered 17, and these, with 

 the splendid blue classes, were the chief glory 

 of the show. There were 18 pairs of blue 

 kittens and 40 entries in single blue kittens, 

 and it was most noticeable how few of these 

 specimens failed in eyes. There were rows 

 of gleaming orange orbs that rejoiced the 

 heart of the Hon. Sec. of the Blue Persian Cat 

 Society. 



The kitten show of 1902 may fairly be classed 

 as another success for the Northern Club. 



A similar show for cats and kittens is held 

 annually in December in Manchester by this 

 enterprising club. I am indebted to Mrs. G. H. 

 Walker for the group of officials and mem- 

 bers of the Northern Club. The photo was 

 taken by Mrs. Walker at the Manchester 

 kitten show of 1902. 



In connection with the dog show of the 

 Ladies' Kennel Association, an exhibition of 

 cats is now held annually at Harrogate under 

 the rules and patronage of the National Cat 

 Club. The first venture in this popular and 

 fashionable water resort was made by Mrs. 

 Stennard Robinson in 1901, when entries 

 came in splendidly ; but rain descended most 

 disastrously, and seriously interfered with 

 the success of the show and the attendance 

 of visitors. In 1002 the weather proved 

 most favourable, but the cat section suffered 

 considerably as regards numbers of exhibits in 



