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Question
I have a beautiful show cat who started showing at 6 months and is now a year old. He is a premier. Although at first he didn't mind the shows, he has been getting worse and worse with growling. I went to a show last week which ended very badly when he bit me. This cat is an angel at home except he went through a frenzy of biting me when I introduced him to a new hairdryer. Since then he will not let me use the hair dryer. The other breeders tell me not to show him anymore as there is nothing I can do, but I hate to just quit. How can I help him get over the fear of the show hall at this stage? Many thanks.
Suzanna,
The odds are he will no longer tolerate shows. This is not uncommon. Shows are rather chaotic for cats and, if their home life is relatively calm and they are a little spoiled, the show place becomes too much for them. Usually, by the time they are a year old, they usually love it or hate it.
One thing you might try is to get 100 mg of Vitamin B1 tablets and give your cat 1/2 twice a day starting on Wednesday. On Saturday make that 1/2 3 times that day. See if that helps. m IF not, retire your cat and let him enjoy the leisurely home life. The idea is that the vitamin B1 may mellow them out just a bit. It works with some cats but not others.
Of course, we are assuming you can get him bathed and dried at home!?!?!?
Best regards... Norm.
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Answers by Expert:
Norman Auspitz
Expertise
I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.
Experience
I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.
Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.
Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook
Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.
Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.
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