hold onto your hats, kids, because Thea and I went to the CAT SHOW!

That's right. My Sunday was CAT-TASTIC! Thea and I got ourselves to Madison Square Garden for some feline loving. And boy did we get it in spades!

We were so excited, there was almost no controlling us (especially Thea, who is worried that by having gone to this convention, we are now definitely going to grow up to be Weird Old Cat Ladies, instead of there being any doubt. She might be right.)
First thing we saw was this guy, in the Feats of Agility Ring (which, I think was just actually called the Agility Course, but which sounds more exciting and dangerous as the Feats of Agility Ring, don't you think?):

I did not fall instantaneoulsy in love with him, as I prefer my cats with fur. But then we saw some awfully cute guys.

Like Grouchy Kitty:

And Cutie-Pie Hammock Kitty:

Roll-Up Ears Kitty:

Fluffball Kitty (a prize-winner, no less):

Actually, there were a large number of prize-winning cats there, and Thea and I found it kind of sad, because there were ribbons out there saying "Ninth Best Cat" or "Seventh Best Cat." I'd almost rather be ribbon-less than Seventh Best.

There were a buttload of fluffy kitties there. Like this Cage O' Fluff (with no fewer than four inhabitants):

Or Wadded Up Fluffy Kitty:

Or Fluffy Satan:

And there were a surprising number of Squashed Face Kitties (I think they're called "Exotics") as well. They all cracked me up a little. This guy was really cute, and kept trying to touch Thea through the mesh (and the Seventh Best Ribbon)

This one just makes me giggle:

But if we were worried about being weirdo kitty ladies, we could rest assured that there were folks out there odder than we were.

Because Jellicles Can and Jellicles Do (Go To Cat Shows):

(The next one needed some clarification, so I gave her an outline so you could see what she was wearing)

Yes, it's a cat mask. And her baby had a matching outfit on, too. Dad was there as well, but I think he was on drugs.

So, yeah, we watched the Hollywood Cat Training Show. We wanted to see the daring feats they'd promised. Instead, we got a cat playing the piano. (which was actually cute (and very far away)):

The whole event was truly odd. Cat breeders are, by nature, I guess, strange people, and bad dressers. And not svelte, generally. There were more snacks and treats there than in the grocery store. At one point Thea showed me a cat and I showed her the brownie on top of its cage. We almost ate it.

Speaking of the cages, these things are what you'd get if you crossed Long Island in the 80s with Florida mobile homes and then shrunk them:

And now, for a parade of cute. First in the Main Coon Fashion:

(this guy's head was about the size of a grapefruit. he was GINORMOUS!)

And then, in the Generally Adorable Fashion:

Then in the Don't Bother Me, I'm Sleeping Fashion (perhaps the neighbor cats were slamming their cage doors):

And my favorite kitty, who we called Perm Kitty:

Did we have the time of our lives? No, probably not. But it was way more fun than grocery shopping!

And I'll let you guess who sponsored it: