I found this website and could not take my eyes off the show cats, esp.white Maincoon:
G & S - MAINE COON
I know I will never participate in shows but looking at those who does brightens my day.
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I found this website and could not take my eyes off the show cats, esp.white Maincoon:
G & S - MAINE COON
I know I will never participate in shows but looking at those who does brightens my day.
Super site & lovely cats,there were a few on there that I would luv to have a cuddle with.
As for showing I always said that was something I would never do,when two of my friends started I thought they were stupid,no way,all that preparation before hand,early morning starts,putting your cats & yourself through it all,must be mad......ah,hah,famous last words, don't do so many during winter months now,going & coming home in the dark were a nightmare so only do the closer ones but its a bit like being on here,lots of new friendships made & another family to close round you.
Wow, I do like the chunky sturdy look of some of these cats. Very impressive.:nod:
When we got Tatja, her breeders asked if we'd be interested in showing. But like Jackie I wasn't keen on the idea of all the preparations, etc. Besides, however lovely my Coonies look to me, I don't think they'll stand the remotest of chances among all those stunners you see at shows.:rofl:
Some lovely cats but I thought those under the headings of male and female had a sort of worried look to their expression.
Being somewhat obesssive about white maine coons (ahem!) and being daft enough to show one - I have a big interest in other peoples. This lady has a fabulous odd-eyed white boy: http://somacoon1.ifrance.com/ and also this cattery: SI*MultiCoon MCO Cattery Slovenia and in the US Furkats Maine Coon Cats: Pictures, Retired Adults. And one for luck: PrairieBaby Maine Coon Cats - who also breed white polys (my personal 'holy-grail'). Hope you enjoy the pics :satisfied:
:nod:Laughing at Wendy..We love the white boys:)))))))
that boy is fabulous, great muzzle and ears..beautiful!!
Thank you for sites of truly stunning white "tigers". The smokey cat muzzle is almost frightening.
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however lovely my Coonies look to me, I don't think they'll stand the remotest of chances among all those stunners you see at shows
Well said. However, our kitties are CUTE AND ADORABLE. They have a different job and purpose -MAKING US HAPPY. I think they are very fortunate not to be slaves of a "cat walk", not to be baby machines in the breeding compound but to serve a very honorary goal to have their own slaves and to make them content and happy.
Some stunning cats on there but I am not sure that I would ever want to go into the show circuit, I am getting a Maine Coon because I think they are gorgeous because I want to give my fluff ball (at the moment) a loving home. She may not be a picture perfect breed specimen but I think she is beautiful.
And that is enough for me :)
If you ever do - don't do it with a white one! lol! :LOL: Get a brown one - they dont show the dirt
I agree in one respect I find Wellys white a pain & actually ran a thread on here about getting white socks white, but the one & only time I really got took up on presentation was with my brown tabby boy,I don't know who was having an off day,him or me with the preparation but his coat was as dull as dull,very noticable with a dark coloured cat,so does have the down sides as well....!Quote:
Originally Posted by Wendy1969
I think you will find that all of us on here have our cats because we love the breed,first & foremost they are pets & a loving most wanted part of the family,wether for breeding & lets face it without that we wouldn't have our darlings or going out into the show world to let people see what an absolute fantastic breed they are in temperment alone without the look side,its a time when many wanna be owners come to either confirm yes thats the breed I want or were not sure but now we are,my flat chested out of proportion,flat footed,kinked tail,big gogo eyed girl is equally a purrfect specimen to me of the breed as all the others,all mine have been acquired for that reason,to be luved,but,as I have posted on other threads before although I didn't intend showing I started a bit by default & once again say "Never say never",I don't show with one of the registrations because one cat was never happy there & if I hadn't found out about showing with another would have given up there & then,my cats happiness comes first but now we go off & have a super sociable day out amoungst new friends,sharing food & drinks sitting beside our cats pens,having them out for kisses & cuddles & generally all having a good day out....Quote:
Originally Posted by Samantha
Yes - that was meant tongue in cheek :LOL: I often joke that my next show cat will be a Sphinx, or one that just needs a quick rub over with a damp cloth on show morning :rofl:Quote:
Originally Posted by jckkerrison
We must be seriously daft to do all that washing, drying, brushing, powdering and general titivating....
I have a brown tabby myself and for the first time in nearly four years he looks really super, his coat is all shiney with no knots or mats. I wish I knew what I'd done because I would do the same to Alfie (my solid white boy) - he looks total rubbish at the moment!
couldn't agree more...my babies are that first..my babies. I have taken cats out to show and have given up quickly because they simply do not like it but I have others who are fine with it all.. Showing Maine Coons has changed my life in many ways and first and foremost has led me to have great friendships all over the country. We have great fun at shows... it can be stressful...getting up at silly o'clock..exhaustive bathing...rather expensive costs....but when we get there the comiradary sets in..something keeps dragging us all back:smile:
Silly o' clock good way of putting it,will use that next time I am asked what time we are leaving,seeing that you are way up country I reckon you are like us,as we live right on the Norfolk coast we are looking at well over the hour to even leave the county so have to do a fair bit of travelling to the shows,if it is anything around two & a half hours we reckon we are lucky it is so close,have given up on the four hour drives now though,cost of fuel is a good incentive.Looks as if the higher costs are starting to hit now though doesn't it,a lot of the shows seem to have lower numbers attending,when we next hit the road with our preened furry,in the dark & freezing cold will think of you.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Leonais
I have a brown tabby myself and for the first time in nearly four years he looks really super, his coat is all shiney with no knots or mats. I wish I knew what I'd done because I would do the same to Alfie (my solid white boy) - he looks total rubbish at the moment![/QUOTE]
Do you think as they mature their coats seem to settle into condition more,with Merlyn one show he would bathe up great the next one not so good so you had to work that bit harder on the grooming,a month on & it would all fall into place again,by the time he retired he was coming up to four & he was just so easy to prepare that it made me think it was because all the growing was finished & the body more settled,another year for the two babes to hit that landmark so fingers crossed.Poor Alfie,have you got to try & get his "rubbish"coat looking good for any shows in the near future,looking at his photos I can't imagine him ever being that bad....!
Which one is that? Do you mean the little fellow named Marshall at the PrairieBaby site? When I saw that one my first thought was: "Wow, El Monto on steroids!":LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by Halcyon
Quote:
Originally Posted by jckkerrison
Yes..we have to travel a fair distance to most shows so yes, it is silly o'clock :)..in the dark and cold.especially our winter shows..brrrrrr.
I agree about the coats. I do think they settle to show grooming more with age..My Avalanche's coat is so much easier to do now(or maybe I just worry about it less..lol)
I have had the great pleasure of grooming Wendy's Alfie..(as I have travelled to the Maine Coon breed Society show in Bracknell...yes, I am that mad)..He has a very similar(identical really) coat to my Avalanche..being half brothers..but the whites are tricky as they have a finer coat that just seems to look scruffy and limp very quickly and every bit of anything shows up. We have both given ourselfs a very steep learning curve having a white as a 1st show boy but it can only get easier from that..but you know..best of all..I have a very ,very good friend in Wendy now and we are hundreds of miles apart but our boys brought us together...Maine Coons are wonderful things:))))):winkwink:
Alfie has just turned two, so has only had one 'proper' moult and I think his coat is still settling. When he had a full coat in the summer he groomed up lovely. Since he started moulting it seems to look 'tatty' very quickly and some of the grooming products I used previously with fab results now just make him look greasy. He's not going to any shows til the Autumn. He's having a bit of a rest from it and, hopefully, growing back his glorious coat! Even if I never showed him again, just having had the experience of the last 20 months meeting new people and making lovely friends (yes, Lou - that is you!) it will still have been worth all the time and trouble :winkwink: