Expert: Marcia Owen - 5/6/2011

Question
Hi - i am due to show my 2 year old male siamese at a show a week tomorrow but he may need antibiotics for a slight urine infection.  will this affect him any way or disqualify him from the show?

Answer
Dear Kirsty

I assume as you are in the UK, this is a GCCF show.  

When you sign the declaration on the entry form you sign to say:

"In the event of any other infectious disease with the exception of Feline Leukaemia Virus. or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus being diagnosed by a Veterinary surgeon in my/our cattery/household, no cat owned by me/us or living at the same address will attend any Show/Exhibition until at least one month after all cats owned by me/us and/or living at the same address have been examined by a Veterinary Surgeon and pronounced free from any evidence of the disease in question"

Whilst perhaps a small urine infection may not be ordinarily classed as an 'infectious' disease, and your boy may not be any risk to other cats, your cat must be a little under the weather to have this infection in the first place, and you could be putting your cat at risk of picking up any other infections that may be around in a show hall, while his immune system is a little under par.

My advice would be to skip this show tomorrow.  There will be other shows in the future where you can take your boy, but let him get over this infection at home.  The stresses of a show may worsen it.

Regards

Marcia